In June, the Valencia Communities Fund Board visited Scotland to meet some of our Scottish Landfill Communities Fund applicants and see the difference that the scheme makes to communties in Scotland.
The Board had a very busy two days, starting at the Museum of Flight in East Lothian, which received £48,628 in 2016. The funding was spent on display cases that have enabled the museum to display hitherto unseen artefacts.
Next was a visit to one of our Legacy:Scotland projects, North Berwick Harbour. The works, funded to £324,000 by Valencia Communities Fund, will ensure protection from storms that have recently destroyed ships in the harbour.
Stenton was the next destination, where the village hall had recently received almost £50,000 to renovate the kitchen and toilets. This has brought the village hall back to life, and villagers love it.
The historic town of Dunbar has been the recipient of a number of awards from Valencia Communities Fund, and the Board was able to visit several, including the 2014 Legacy:Scotland project at the harbour. This project received £666,000 and has transformed Lammer Island into a hub for tourists and locals.
The second day began in Broxburn at Broxburn United Sports Club. This project received £50,000 towards the creation of a community room at the club, used for all kinds of functions. The management committee work hard towards providing a variety of sporting opportunities in Broxburn, and to make a difference in their community.
Keeping it sporty, the Board travelled to Busby Lawn Tennis Club, keen to replicate Andy Murray's form on the court. The club has received £27,000 towards floodlighting and access improvements.
Following their exertions, the Board made its way to East Kilbride and the brutalist St. Bride's church. Funded to £1m through our Legacy:Scotland programme, the church has undergone essential repairs to the fabric, including its spectacular light chimneys. The building is famous among architects for its designers: Gillespie, Kidd and Coia.
The last visit before flying back to Somerset was Sacred Heart Church in Cumbernauld, also designed by Gillepie, Kidd and Coia. This project was funded up to £34,000 - just days before the Board's arrival - to improve access to a church that has stairs at almost every entrance.
In total, the Board visited projects that had benefited from over £2m in funding from Valencia Communities Fund, and the Board would like to thank the volunteers from each of the projects for their hospitality and hard work in making a difference to their communities.
