Nearly 30 groups have secured £74,000 from an Inverclyde Council fund to support community-based activities.

The second round of one-off awards from the 2021/22 Community Grants Fund has been approved by members of the local authority’s grants sub-committee.

Just over £74k will be shared among 27 organisations to support everything from music and the arts to sport and charity work.

Almost 70 groups benefited from more than £260k of funding in round one last year and this latest award takes the council’s support to just under £340k during 2021/22 alone.

The full list of one-off grants awarded in round two can be found below.

Councillor Graeme Brooks, who chairs the grants sub-committee, said: “It’s pleasing that once again we’ve been able to support such a range of organisations doing such a wide variety of good work in our communities.

“Times are tough and the council is once again stepping in to provide vital financial support to the likes of football teams, bowling clubs, golf courses, charities, religious groups, and uniformed organisations.

“Well done to all those who have been successful in securing funding this time round and I wish them all the very best in putting that money to good use to continue supporting the people and communities in which we serve.”

Among the groups receiving funding in round two are:

• Greenock Torpedo Factory Club with almost £6k to help with improving access and facilities for wheelchair users;
• £5k to support the work of mental health charity Man On! Inverclyde;
• £4k for Inverclyde Curling Development to encourage more people to try the sport; and
• £1k for the RNLI Gourock Fundraising Branch to fund the work of the Helensburgh lifeboat.

There were also awards for:

• Brass Sounds Inverclyde with a little over £3k for replacement of old equipment;
• £3k for Fort Matilda Bowling Club towards greens maintenance, an extension, and expansion of the ladies’ locker room; and
• £2.5k for Inverclyde Muslim to support a youth club and other activities.

Members of the grants sub-committee were also advised that a further £30k of funding has been approved for summer playschemes at five Inverclyde venues and nearly £8k has been allocated to two third sector organisations, namely Samaritans and Murdieston Dam Boat Club, to help with rent following decisions at a previous meeting of the council’s education and communities committee.

The playschemes in question are:

• Branchton Community Centre
• Craigend Resource Centre
• Youth Connections, as well as the Inverclyde Leisure-run activities at Auchmountain Community Centre, Inverkip Primary and Newark Primary. 

The Community Grants Fund combines the former Grants to Voluntary Organisations (GTVO), Under-19s Sports and Community Hall Waivers schemes.

Grants are capped at £10k per organisation to enable more groups to benefit from the funding.

For more information and to find out how to apply for funding visit www.inverclyde.gov.uk/communitygrants.