Thurso trust gets huge funding boost

A THURSO-based organisation has secured a huge financial boost with a government grant.

The funding given to the Thurso Community Development Trust (TCDT) was made available through the Scottish Government’s Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) and will see several jobs created.

The Thurso body was awarded the grant, totalling £122,568, for the Thurso Grows project, allowing the project to run until March 2021.

The CCF is a Scottish Government grant programme, managed and administered by Keep Scotland Beautiful. The CCF provides funding and support for community groups to help tackle climate change by running projects that reduce local carbon emissions.

Tracey Taylor, TCDT chair, said of the award: “The Thurso Grows project will reduce carbon emissions by providing workshops, events and activities to encourage and promote local food growing and production along with workshops, events and activities to educate and encourage us to reduce our food waste. We’ll be employing two project co-ordinators and a gardener along with someone to help with the marketing and admin."

Tracey added that anyone interested in the posts is encouraged to visit the TCDT website.

The project will see the community garden transformed with additions of high-raise beds for those with mobility issues, additions of a polycrub, composting toilet and an outdoor kitchen space.

TCDT development officer Joan Lawrie explained: “We’ve felt it was important from the outset to make the garden a social space that everyone can enjoy. We’ll be able to hold some fantastic events along with all the workshops and the garden will literally become a teaching space. We’re super-excited to have secured this funding.”

The CCF has awarded over 1100 grants since its introduction in 2008, for projects involving energy efficiency, sustainable travel, local food and resource efficiency. Total CCF funding since 2008 has exceeded £104 million.

Tracey said: “This was a competitive funding round with 87 projects being supported for 2019 to 2021. Of those, only 22 new projects have been funded, including Thurso Grows, which is also the only new project to have been funded in Highland region."

For more information: www.thursocdt.co.uk and www.facebook.com/thursocdt

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