Eleven local communities across Scotland are celebrating after receiving over £1.9 million in funding from the Scottish Land Fund.

The latest round of funding, announced during an extended Community Land Week, will allow community groups to purchase local assets for the benefit of their wider communities.

In Aberdeen, the Great Western Community Trust has received £425,153 to purchase Holborn West Church and run and manage it as a community venue which will host a wide range of groups and activities.

Martin Greig, trustee, Great Western Community Trust, said: “The funding will make a huge difference to the benefit of the local community. The project has enormous support from residents. They have said again and again that the area needs this kind of public facility. Thanks to the SLF, this splendid building can now remain at the heart of the community.”

An award of £90,459 means that Plockton & District Community Trust can acquire the Old Post office in the town, from which the group will continue to provide a range of community services whilst developing the building as a multi-use community space.

Other grants awarded during the current round of funding include £90,459 to Plockton & District Community Trust to acquire the Old Post Office in Plockton, Lochalsh, from which the group will continue to provide community services while developing the building as a multi-use community space

Alasdair Mackenzie, Vice Chairman, Plockton & District Community Trust, said: “We are delighted to be able to bring this much-loved building in the heart of our village into community ownership.  We’re a new organisation and this is our first asset, so it’s a real boost for us. There has been informal use of the building for over 20yrs, but this purchase safeguards it for the community. We can now press on with our plans to improve the fabric of the building.” 

About the Scottish Land Fund

The Scottish Land Fund supports rural and urban communities to become more resilient and sustainable through the ownership and management of land and land assets. 

The Scottish Land Fund was relaunched in 2012 as a Scottish Government programme The programme is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered in partnership by The National Lottery Community Fund and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, both of which have extensive experience of helping communities to acquire and develop their assets for over a decade.

Since the first grants were made in early 2013 it has awarded 770 grants totalling £67 million.

This is in addition to the £13.9 million awarded to 188 community groups in rural Scotland when the Scottish Land Fund was first launched in 2001 with National Lottery funds. 

Community Land Week

Community Land Week returns this year in an expanded celebration from the 13th to the 29th of October for the fifth Scotland-wide festival of community landowners. 

This year, Community Land Week is taking place as part of A Hundred Years of Community Ownership, a longer celebration which marks 100 years since the first transfer of land into community hands was completed. To find out more about Community Land Week and all the events taking place across Scotland why not visit – https://www.communitylandscotland.org.uk/community-land-week/