Weighty Community Projects Secure Funding

Two very different community projects in Orkney have secured funding from Orkney Islands Council.

Orkney Amateur Weightlifting Club and Eday Heritage Centre Association both received support at a meeting of the Community Development Sub-Committee this week.

Orkney Amateur Weightlifting Club had asked for up to £33,339, towards the partial redevelopment of the Stromness Squash Court building into a suitable gym facility for the Club, at a total estimated eligible cost of £75,439.

The Club previously took on the building from the Council as a Community Asset Transfer in October 2021.

Additional funding has also been secured through Sport Scotland, the National Emergencies Trust and Scottish Sea Farms.

Established in 2018, Orkney Amateur Weightlifting Club’s primary aim is to promote the long-term survival of the sport of Weightlifting and Paralympic Powerlifting in Orkney.

Some members of the Club participate at national competitions and have represented, and are members of, Team Scotland and have broken numerous Scottish records.

The redevelopment proposal includes new concrete flooring to ensure flooring copes with activities being proposed by the club, oak lifting platforms and high-density rubber mats, a disability hoist and paralympic bench with stands, weightlifting and powerlifting equipment including various benches, platforms, bars, plates, racks, and dumbbells and signage and redecoration.

No less ‘weighty’, the Eday Heritage Centre Association has been awarded up to £20,559 assistance towards redevelopment of Eday Heritage Centre.

The Eday Heritage Centre was created from a renovated Baptist Kirk and holds an important array of local artefacts and archive material. As well as being a visitor attraction, the Centre is also used as a community space for meetings, talks, classes and social events. There is no admission charge, and the centre relies on donations.

The redevelopment proposals include newly curated displays that closely relate to and tell the story of life in Eday, enhancements to make more interesting use of the building’s attractive architectural features and improve accessibility, and the creation and addition of a wall vinyl map and welcome message.

Additional funding will come from the North Isles Landscape Partnership Scheme, Eday Community Council and the Eday Partnership.

The Chair of the Eday Heritage Association is Sarah Powell. She said: “Not only is this project about enhancing the visitor experience but it is also about encouraging more Eday residents to engage with their heritage. The future of the Centre depends not only on visitors from further afield, but also engagement with local residents. The current Association hope that this refresh to the Centre will be an opportunity to re-engage with island residents and see the Centre used by local people as well as visitors.”

Matthew Byers, speaking on behalf of Orkney Amateur Weightlifting Club, said: “Everyone at OAWLC is delighted that to have been granted support from the CDF, which brings to a close our fundraising efforts to outfit our new facility to a really high standard.

“We hope to offer something new and exciting to the local community, increasing access to sports and physical activity, giving local athletes a better platform to shine both locally and nationally, make strength sport and training available to those with disabilities, allow youngsters to be able to safely learn the foundations of Weightlifting and strength training in a controlled and monitored environment, and create a thriving community around the sports of Weightlifting & Para-Powerlifting.”

Chair of the Community Development Fund Sub-Committee, Council Convener Harvey Johnston, said: “These are great examples of the breadth of benefits that the Community Development Fund brings to our local communities.  These projects are so different in many ways but are similar too in that they both offer opportunities for enhanced life for local folk – whether that be through improved visitor experiences or improving health and wellbeing. I congratulate those behind these projects on their successful funding outcomes and look forward to seeing them both progress.”

The Community Development Fund was first established in 2005 and has supported a wide range of local community projects including

•    Refurbishment of the St Andrews Community Centre.
•    An extension to the Westray Heritage Centre.
•    The improvement and extension of the community-managed water supply in Papa Westray.
•    The construction of a new community hall for Birsay.
•    Refurbishment of play parks at Holm and Stromness and on Sanday, Shapinsay and Rousay.
•    Creation of the Lurdy Heritage Centre on Flotta.
•    Renovation of the Rendall football pitch.
•    Development of new exhibition areas at the Orkney Fossil and Heritage Centre on Burray.

A key feature of the CDF is the flexible eligibility criteria, which gives local community groups considerable scope to develop a wide range of project proposals.

Grant assistance of up to 50%, up to a maximum CDF grant of £100,000, is available towards projects with capital costs of at least £5,000.

Any formally-constituted community group can apply: in the past community councils, development trusts, community associations, heritage societies and many other local community groups have successfully bid for funding.

Notes to editors

The North Isles Landscape Partnership Scheme (NILPS) is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Environment Scotland, OIC, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Orkney LEADER 2014-2020 Programme and supports projects in Orkney’s North Isles that promote the culture, heritage and landscape of the area.
The programme will invest £4.5 million in the North Isles and the project will run until 2023.