Caithness & North Sutherland Fund Awards over £100k!

28th May 2012

The Caithness & North Sutherland Fund recently awarded its 2nd round of grants for 2012 to community projects totalling £101,342.

Six groups in Caithness and two groups in the North Sutherland area have been awarded funding for projects that help to improve the attractiveness of their area as a place to live, work and invest.

The grants include Keiss Family Community Project being awarded £25,000 towards the creation of a community play park in the village of Keiss and The Wick Society being awarded £4,776 towards the installation of a chairlift and wheelchair to improve access to the upstairs area of the Wick Heritage Museum.

Some of the other groups that were awarded grants are Helmsdale & District Community Association being awarded £29,844 towards a community housing project to construct 4 community owned affordable homes to be situated in Helmsdale. Transport for Tongue Ltd, a community transport organisation was awarded £20,058 towards the purchase of a new minibus, which will enable them to operate registered bus routes under a section 22 permit.

The Caithness & North Sutherland Fund is a company set up to distribute a community benefit package provided by the NDA as a planning condition for the low level waste facility currently being developed at Dounreay. The NDA provided £1M at the start of construction of the new facility in early November and will give a further £300,000 each year until 2023.

CNSF aims to assess applications quarterly and the closing date for the next assessment round is the 6th of July.
Voluntary and community organisations in the Dounreay travel to work area can apply for money for projects that meet the aims of the Fund and fit with the NDA's socio economic policy. Interested groups should check the CNSF website www.cnsf.org.uk to read the guidance for applicants or contact David Shearer, CNSF Fund Coordinator on enquiries[AT]cnsf.org.uk for further information.

1. Caithness & North Sutherland Fund is a company established by Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, DSRL and Dounreay Stakeholder Group to distribute funding provided by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority as a planning condition associated with the construction of the low level waste facilities at Dounreay.
2. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority will provide £4M funding via DSRL; £1M at the start of construction (already received) and £300,000 pa from 2014 to 2023.
3. Funding is distributed in line with the NDA socio economic policy.
4. The Board Directors of Caithness & North Sutherland Fund comprises (i) up to three Highland Councillors from Caithness & North Sutherland nominated by the Highland Council; and (ii) four individuals appointed to represent the local community as a result of an open application process.
5. For further information on Caithness & North Sutherland Fund, please see www.cnsf.org.uk or contact the Fund Coordinator on enquiries[AT]cnsf.org.uk

Awarded Projects
Keiss Family Community Project - Community Play Park Project - £25,000.00
Helmsdale & District Community Association - Community Housing Project - £29,844.00
The Wick Society - Stairlift & Wheelchair Project - £ 4,776.00
Transport for Tongue Ltd - Community Minibus disabled access vehicle Project - £20,058.00
Lybster Primary School Parent Council - Parent Council Stained Glass Project - £ 7,500.00
2nd Thurso Scouts - Thurso-Brilon 40th Anniversary Joint Summer Project - £ 2,845.00
Highlife Highland - Active Schools Summer Programme Activities 2012 - £ 1,819.11
North Lands Creative Glass - North Lands Creative Glass Studio Assistant - £ 9,500.00