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Thurso community group lands £65,957 Young Start funding


By Staff Reporter- NOSN

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A CASH boost of £65,957 has been awarded to Thurso's Ormlie Community Association (OCA) – the only Highland organisation to benefit in the latest round of funding from Young Start.

Announced yesterday, the windfall will allow the community-based service to continue delivering their programme of activities for children and young people across Caithness.

OCA project development worker Lynn Stewart said: "We are absolutely delighted to be getting it. This will enable us to continue things for the next two years. It means a huge amount to us, especially with Highland Council funding being cut."

The money from Young Start will go towards Ormlie's Fun Young and Involved (FYI) programme which runs five times a week with four group sessions – P1-3, P4-5, P6-7 and teen groups.

More than 100 children are expected to benefit from the project which will help vulnerable and socially removed children and young people to take part in free activities to inspire and develop their interest and skills.

Mondays are set aside for the P6-7 group, while on Tuesdays its the P4-5 turn, followed by a teen group after, and on Fridays P1-3 get involved, followed by another teen session.

OCA project development worker Lynn Stewart.
OCA project development worker Lynn Stewart.

The association was set up in 1997 and has always run groups for children, with different session names used over the years and FYI is a continuation of that.

OCA also received an award of £5000 recently from the Big Lottery Fund Awards For All to help run Silver Citizens groups. A craft group operates on a Wednesday morning and in the afternoon the silver citizens enjoy chair-based activities as part of a keep fit session.

In addition, outings are organised for the Silver Citizens and the project development worker said these trips had proved very popular and always busy, involving people from throughout Thurso.

Budding young artists, dancers and musicians from a total of 28 youth-led groups, mainly in the central belt of Scotland, benefited from a £1.8 million cash boost from the Young Start fund.

Young Start is delivered by the National Lottery Community Fund and awards dormant bank and building society cash to youth-led projects.

Announcing the funding. National Lottery Community Fund chairperson Maureen McGinn said: “Young Start helps ensure that Scotland’s next generation have the best chance by providing them with opportunities to develop their untapped talent and reach their potential.

"All of today’s successful projects are designed to engage and inspire young people to follow their dreams while building practical skills and confidence for the future. I am delighted to announce this latest investment totalling £1,864,384.”

Groups wanting to know more about Young Start should visit https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/young-start or contact 0300 123 7110.


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