National Lottery Community Fund announces latest funding recipients

A grant package of over £5 million will be shared among 257 community projects in Scotland.

The cash, from the National Lottery Community Fund, is being awarded with a focus on projects which support isolated and vulnerable people through local transport initiatives.

One such charity is Glasgow-based Fares4Free, which works with taxi firms to offer free journeys to veterans and their families. The organisation will receive £70,000, enough to fund its activities for another two to three years.

Founder David Gibson said: “Fares4Free is much more than just a journey for the people we work with - it’s a potential lifeline for them.”

Fellow recipients Tay Valley Timebank will use their award of £59,430 to run a community transport project connecting people living across Highland Perthshire. Over the next three years they will work with over 2,500 people offering them a range of transport options using volunteer drivers, bike rental scheme and a lift share scheme.

Emma Birtles, the charity’s development officer, said: “It’s a massive boost for our Better Transport for Community and Environment Project which will create more transport options in our rural community. This means people who currently cannot travel to where they need to go can do so and people who travel regularly have more choices so they can make more sustainable journeys.”

Announcing the funding, which totals £5,568,354, National Lottery Community Fund Scotland chair Kate Still said: “These awards, made possible by National Lottery players, are making an amazing contribution to the nation-wide response to combat the impact of Covid-19 on local communities across Scotland.

“I am delighted that some of this funding will provide a range of community transport options which will help thousands of people across the country retain their independence, be able to be an active part of their communities and help them access vital public services.”