Keep Scotland Beautiful has announced the names of successful bids from groups across Scotland for its community grant scheme
Communities the length and breadth of Scotland are to benefit financially from a partnership between supermarket giant Tesco and environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful.
Keep Scotland Beautiful will distribute £250 to 200 local groups, allowing them to make small improvements to their local environment.
The cash comes from the charity’s community grant scheme, which is funded from the proceeds of the carrier bag charge collected by Tesco in Scotland after the 5p levy was introduced on 20 October last year.
Successful groups include local neighbourhood groups, local volunteer associations and not-for-profit bodies.
Awards will be used to create “cleaner, greener and happier places” within communities by carrying out things such as litter prevention and removal projects and planting schemes.
Together, we have a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference to the environment and communities across Scotland
Stracathro Parent Council in Angus plan to use its award to buy seeds and bulbs to plant around its well-used community hall.
Barra and Vatersay Agricultural and Horticultural Association in the Western Isles will use its award to buy litter picking equipment to continue efforts to ensure litter is removed from the local environment.
Woodhill Residents Group in East Dunbartonshire aim to create a community orchard by planting a number of fruit trees.
Derek Robertson, chief executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “The community grants announced today provide a great opportunity for local groups to help them start making small local environmental improvements.
“We know the benefits to our health, sense of civic pride and pleasure to visitors and residents alike that can be derived from these small scale improvements – I have no doubt that these awards will inspire continued endeavour amongst some of our country’s community volunteers.”
Tesco’s partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful came after over 27,000 people took part in a vote to establish the retailer’s charity partners for carrier bag charges.
The £50,000 given away as part of the community grant scheme is only the first of a number of tie ups expected between the supermarket and the charity this year.
Josh Hardie, Tesco corporate responsibility director said: “Together, we have a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference to the environment and communities across Scotland.
“The awards announced today from the community grant scheme will make places and spaces all over Scotland cleaner and greener.”
The full list of award winners can be found here.
