Community groups across Scotland are celebrating over £10 million in grants from our Community Spaces programme.

From the Shetland Isles to the Scottish Borders, 59 projects will be able to shape their neighbourhoods by making better use of indoor and outdoor spaces. Today’s investment, totalling £10,365,287, allows groups to develop, improve and create village halls, community gardens, art centres, sports and play facilities.

For some areas, the refurbishment of a village hall will create a welcoming centre which can support a range of activities. For others, the transformation of a disused space offers a secure recreational place for everyone to enjoy.

For Braehead Community Council in Stirling, their award of £247,891 is the culmination of more than two years hard work that will see the creation of a new community garden on Broom Road where local residents can grow fruit and vegetables.

The garden will be constructed on land which was part of the two-day Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. With projects of this size, planning regulations call for an archaeological survey, but Braehead Community Council instead arranged for residents, pupils from the nearby primary school, professional archaeologists and metal detectorists to carry out the process.

“I can’t wait to get my hands dirty, both in building the garden and in growing amazing and nutritious locally produced fruit and vegetables in the years ahead,” said, Chris Kane, Chair of Braehead Community Council.

Building work gets underway later this year with the first gardeners taking control of their raised beds from March next year. Regular updates and how to get involved will be posted on www.braehead.org.

Details are available on all today’s successful projects here