A project encouraging people to get involved in their community by doing good deeds has been given £15,000 of funding.
Those at Tay Valley Time Bank are now considering what their next move will be after receiving the award from Perth and Kinross Council’s new transport initiatives fund.
The independent group uses ‘timebanking’, where for every hour a volunteer contributes in the Highland Perthshire community, they can receive an hour back from someone else to complete a task for them.
It is hoped this will mean members of the public can use their own talents, resources and skills to benefit the rest of the community.
Some of the tasks carried out by the project include decluttering, dog walking, building flat pack furniture, bike maintenance, and help with technology such as mobile phones and laptops.
However, in recent months a number of requests have flooded in to the project for help with transport.
Many requests have been received to help people find transport when public transport is not available, and driving people to and from events.
Cindy Brook, chair of the Tay Valley Time Bank, said: “We are delighted that the project has gained support.
“Last summer, we began working with Norman McCandlish, organiser of the local hospital transport scheme, who has been working on transport issues for many years.”
Some of the plans for the £15,000 include setting up a website with information on bus timetables, a new volunteer transport scheme, and partnerships with other organisations in the area.
The volunteers are set to work with the community development charity Outside the Box to carry out these new ideas. Outside the Box has been working with communities in Highland Perthshire to support older people to live independently for longer.
They found one of the biggest barriers to living in a rural area was the lack of transport.
Jill Davies, development worker at Outside the Box, said: “We will be trying to increase the use of the number 91 bus.
"A new group, called the Upper Tay Transport Group, will take the project forward, so we would like lots of people to get on board.
“Opportunities to work with local businesses to produce printed timetables and an advert in the [Birks] cinema are under way.”
Tay Valley Time Bank meets every Tuesday at the Birks Cinema or the Watermill Bookshop in Aberfeldy, and those who want to find out more or get involved can contact Jill Davies on jill.d@otbds.org or the time bank volunteers on tayvalleytimebank@gmail.com
