BOWLING clubs, pipe bands and volunteers are among dozens of community groups to benefit from one-off grants from Inverclyde Council.
Around £190,000 is to be paid out from the Grants to Voluntary Organisations Fund.
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Chair of the council’s grants sub-committee, Councillor Graeme Brooks, said: “We had nearly 90 applications for funding and carefully considered each one as we understand how vital this money can be to voluntary groups and organisations.
“I am delighted that we have been able to make these awards and am sure everyone involved will use the funds to continue the important work they carry out in their local communities.”
In addition to one-off awards, £18,600 will be allocated to cover rent for the Samaritans, Youth Connections, Murdieston Dam Boat Club and 1st Gourock (8th Greenock and District) Scouts.
A further £30,000 has been earmarked towards summer playschemes at six locations across Inverclyde.
Councillor Brooks added: "This funding is a lifeline for so many groups who carry out so much good work in our communities. We are fortunate to be in a position to be able to award these grants and I know every single penny will be used to benefit a great many people.”
Grant Recipients
Arts Groups
Gourock Heritage and Arts -- £4,750 towards encouraging vulnerable and lonely individuals to reconnect with their community through creative activities.
Greenock Art Club -- £4,000 to replace equipment
Greenock Light Opera Club -- £1,000 towards cost of using Beacon Arts Centre for shows.
Greenock Philharmonic Society -- £500 towards running costs and singing coaches.
Hillend Art Club -- £500 for materials, hall hire and transport to places of interest.
Inverclyde Juvenile Pipe Band -- £3,000 towards full pipe band kit of drums for beginners.
Inverclyde Music Festival Association -- £4,750 towards cost of running annual festival.
Inverclyde Pipes and Drums -- £3,000 towards purchase of band jackets and waistcoats, and equipment costs.
Inverclyde Youth Theatre -- £2,000 towards hiring theatre and rehearsal venues.
Kilmacolm Art Class -- £1,000 for premises hire and tutor support.
Renfrew Speakers Club -- £635 to run youth speech competitions.
Stedfast Silver Band -- £715 for teaching, music library and a cornet.
Thistle Theatre Company -- £2,000 towards equipment and materials for scenery construction.
Bowling Clubs
Gourock Bowling Club -- £2,000 for running costs
Gourock Park Bowling Club -- £2,000 for running costs
Grosvenor Bowling Club -- £2,000 for running costs
Hillend Bowling Club -- £1,500 for running costs
Inverkip Bowling Club -- £1,500 for running costs
Port Glasgow Bowling Club -- £4,000 for building work plus £2,000 for running costs
Rankin Park Bowling Club -- £781 for new bowls equipment for Renfrewshire finals plus £1,500 for running costs
Victoria Bowling Club -- £1,500 for running costs
Wellington Park Bowling Club -- £1,500 for running costs
Care Groups
Enterprise Childcare -- £4,000 towards let fees for play and recreational services for children and young people with autism.
GRASP (Greenock Recovery Alcohol Support Project) -- £1,000 towards expansion of activities and producing a welcome pack.
Inverclyde Family Contact Centre -- £4,000 towards improvements to new premises at Jamaica Street, Greenock.
Inverclyde Globetrotters -- £750 to keep World Walking website and group going.
Inverclyde Voluntary Council of Social Service -- £25,000 towards vehicle running costs and replacement programme.
Community Groups
Auchmountain Glen Project -- £1,000 for utility costs at Aberfoyle Road Tenants' Hall.
Broomhill Tenants' and Residents' Association -- £1,500 for summer trip for families and pensioners' Christmas meal.
Caddlehill Allotment Gardens -- £4,000 towards partnering with Inverclyde Dementia Resource Centre to improve infrastructure and create pathways, sensory garden and seating area.
Cowdenknowes Residents' Association -- £380 for running costs Gourock Garden Party Committee -- £4,750 towards event costs
Greenock Cut Conservation Volunteers -- £6,500 to replace a large section of nature trail with decking boards.
Inverclyde Across to Lourdes Group -- £900 towards rental of shop
Inverclyde Men's Shed -- £1,000 towards running costs for space at Belville Community Garden.
Inverclyde's A Team -- £1,500 for day trips.
Inverkip Community Hub Initiative -- £2,000 towards equipment and resources for a youth drop-in.
Kilmacolm Old Kirk Woodland Project -- £6,500 towards creating paths and an information cairn.
Larkfied, Braeside and Branchton Community Council -- £2,000 to pay for gala day and £1,000 for pensioners' Christmas lunch.
Larkfield Community Hall -- £2,000 for new door, furniture and bouncy castle.
North Ayrshire Beekeepers' Association (Inverclyde Buzz) -- £1,000 towards biodiversity and wildflower garden at former Hector McNeil site.
Ramblers' Association Inverclyde Group -- £750 towards coach hire and a GPS unit.
Wemyss Bay Community Association -- £2,000 towards costs including staff for youth club and breakfast/after-school club.
Youth Connections -- £2,000 for cooking and sports programmes.
National/Regional Groups
Arthritis Care (Greenock and District) -- £1,000 towards outings and events
Inverclyde Enable -- £1,500 for transport and £2,386 for hall hire.
Parkinson's Inverclyde Support Group -- £810 for running costs.
The Macular Disease Society -- Inverclyde Group -- £500 for running costs.
Victim Support Scotland -- £4,750 for running costs
Groups for Older People
Silverline Dancers -- £500 for hall hire.
The Tuesday Club -- £1,000 for outings.
Pre-School Groups
Duchal Nursery School -- £500 for fungal treatment of outside walls.
Kilmacolm Playgroup and Toddlers -- £500 for rent.
Sports Groups
Ardgowan Club -- £1,000 towards buying a defibrillator.
Clyde Netball Club -- £1,000 towards kit and bibs.
Flex UK Studios -- £1,000 towards equipment
Greenock and District Angling Club -- £500 for running and building costs.
Greenock Juniors Football Club -- £4,560 for running costs
Greenock Morton Hockey Club -- £1,000 towards coaching costs as part of plan for inter-school league.
Inverclyde Amateur Swimming Club -- £2,000 towards gala and awards costs.
Inverclyde Athletic Club -- £2,000 for running costs
Inverclyde Cricket Club -- £1,500 to extend Growing Cricket project, developing playing pathway from schools to the club.
Newark Angling Club -- £500 to subsidise anglers with limited resources.
Ocean Youth Trust Scotland -- £2,750 towards young people going on training yacht voyages.
Paisley and District Schools Football Association -- £500 for running costs
Port Glasgow Juniors -- £4,750 for running costs
Uniformed Groups
49F Greenock Squadron Air Training Corps -- £500 towards formal presentation and dinner.
Greenock and District Sea Cadet Corps -- £3,000 for running costs.
Greenock and District Scout Council -- £4,750 for running costs
Inverclyde and District Boys' Brigade Battalion -- £4,750 for running costs
The Girls' Brigade -- £2,000 towards equipment, craft materials and weekend camp.
Voluntary Groups
Colourful Kilmacolm -- £867 to buy plants and bulbs.
Gourock Business Club -- £800 for information kiosk running costs.
Home Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde -- £1,000 for administrative, running and training costs.
Inverclyde Naval Club -- £2,000 for Armed Forces Day and Remembrance Day events.
Lyle Gateway -- £1,000 toward upgrading catering equipment.
Port Glasgow Voluntary Trans-Port Group -- £4,750 towards a part-time member of staff and new equipment.
Inverclyde Duke of Edinburgh Support Group -- £4,750 towards training costs.