Charities in Falkirk have expressed their delight after being awarded £1,500 in funding each.
Bo’ness Car 4U, Talbot House, Rainbow Muslim Women’s Group and Friends of Inchyra Park were all selected for the grant.
The money came from Earls Gate Energy Centre Community Fund which helps create environments people are proud to live in.
A new initiative, the funding also aims to provide support in making communities more cohesive and sustainable.
Grangemouth Old Peoples Welfare at Talbot House charity provide community premises and activities for local residents.
Representative Charlie Greer said: “We have a twice-weekly lunch club, mainly for the elderly, and our premises are regularly used by various local groups and organisations, so around 200 people weekly in total.
“It therefore means a lot to us, and all our users, to have the benefit of now having a defibrillator at hand. Clearly, we hope it is never required, but we now have the great comfort factor of it being readily available.
“We purchased the unit via Forth Valley First Responders with the funding generously supplied. Since then they have also given our volunteer staff familiarisation training in the use of it, as well as CPR-related training.”
Adam Gillies of Friends Of Inchyra Park commented: “We are still progressing purchasing from the kind donation with bespoke chalk boards, steel work and bulbs all on order.
“The grant award has been fantastic in enabling us to make developments to our park. It is allowing us not only to make improvements but allow us to prepare future events to bring our community together.”
EGECL said it was looking forward to engaging with even more organisations who can help build stronger communities, reduce social isolation among vulnerable people and strengthen community partnerships.
Chairman Alex Lambie said: “The Community Fund is only the beginning of what we hope will be a long-term and incredibly positive relationship with the local community around Earls Gate.
"Our company ethos has a very strong focus on community engagement and our Local Liaison Committee has been gathering feedback and opinions from local residents and providing information to the community during our project’s construction, through commissioning and into the facility’s operational phase.
“At all times the aim is to ensure our project proceeds with minimal impact and disruption. The evolution of the Earls Gate Community Fund grew in strength towards the end of 2020, despite the many challenges brought by the pandemic.
“I would like to personally thank all involved for their hard work and determination in setting up and structuring the management and delivery of the fund.”
