The AHF has made grant awards totaling £82,000 in the last three months, helping support ten different projects across Scotland with investment that will help them bring historic buildings back to life to support their communities. Our early stage Project Viability Grants help groups undertake early stage project work to help them decide if there is a viable use for a building. In Dumfries, Dumfries Historic Building Trust are investigating taking on the former landmark Rosefield Mills in the town and restoring them as a potential new enterprise centre. Our grant will allow them to develop their ideas and costings, as well as enabling them to run a series of community engagement workshops to help local people respond to the proposed scheme and plans.
Our Project Development Grants help groups take a project forward once there is greater certainty on a sustainable use, to develop the plans and help them get to the point of being able to apply to other capital funders. On the isle of Unst, the Shetland Amenity Trust is taking forward a scheme to restore Halligarth House as a new home for natural heritage on the island, with a visitors centre, cafe, toilets, and office space for other organisations. Our grant will help pay for professional fees required to help secure the rest of the capital funding.
Our Scottish Community Development Grant helps community led groups develop their capacity so that they can deliver large and complex regeneration projects. Oban Communities Trust are taking forward their plans for the former Rockfield School as a new hub for the local area, providing community and commercial spaces to let. This grant will allow them to develop and launch a Community Shares issue in 2018, as well as supporting the group in investigating how to make best use of the overall site.
All AHF grant funds offered in Scotland are generously supported by funding from Historic Environment Scotland.
The full list of Scottish grant offers made in October, November and December 2017 are below.
PVG Awards
Tayside Re-users, South Dudhope Mill, Dundee - £5,000
Thornhill Collective, Old School, Thornhill - £4,000
Dumfries Historic Buildings Trust, Rosefield Mills, Dumfries - £5,000
Friends of the Britannia Panoption Music Hall Trust, Britannia Panoption Music Hall, Glasgow - £5,000
Catrine Community Trust, A.M. Brown Institute, Catrine, Ayrshire - £5,000
PDG Awards
Ridge (Scotland) CIC, Black Bull Close, Dunbar - £8,000
Shetland Amenity Trust, Halligarth House, Unst, Shetland - £10,000
North East Scotland Preservation Trust, 49-53 Bridge Street, Banff - £10,000
SCDF Awards
Oban Communities Trust, Rockfield Centre, Oban - £15,000
Kirkcudbright Development Trust, Johnston School, Kirkudbright - £15,000
