DOUNREAY FUND's CHAIRMAN HIGHLIGHTS GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITIES

11th December 2014

Since its launch in 2011, the Caithness & North Sutherland Fund has awarded almost £1m to seventy five community projects and this performance is set to continue.

Chairman John Henderson said "With the CNSFund running until 2023 and a number of other funding streams becoming available, this is a great time of opportunity for our communities to deliver significant improvements to the area. We strongly encourage groups to embrace this opportunity and look forward to continuing to support worthy proposals that enhance the attractiveness of our area as a place to live work and invest."

The CNSFund recently held its third Annual General Meeting and the 2014 AGM Report is available from the Fund's website. Jim MacGregor from Lybster was appointed as a director to fill the scheduled vacancy on the CNSFund Board. Mr MacGregor said "Over the last three years the fund has assisted a remarkable number of groups to achieve an impressive range of improvements for their communities. I look forward to assisting the Board in its task to ensure that the community benefit package is invested well and delivers an important contribution to the sustainable future of the Dounreay travel to work area.“

The Caithness & North Sutherland Fund also held its latest grant assessment round which awarded £7,337 to the Caithness Voluntary Group (CVG) towards its Telecom and IT Refurbishment Project. CVG will undertake a refurbishment of its outdated telecom & IT systems including a new integrated telecom system, IT server and desktop computers. CVG is a charity and provides support services to the voluntary sector.

The CNSFund was established to distribute a £4M funding package provided by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority as a result of the low-level waste facility built near Dounreay. Grants are distributed in line with the NDA's socio economic policy and applications are assessed quarterly. The Fund’s next closing date for applications is the 9th of January 2015. Further details about the Caithness & North Sutherland Fund and how to apply can be found at www.cnsf.org.uk or by contacting Fund Coordinator David Shearer on enquiries[AT]cnsf.org.uk Tel: 07841 204 982.