Funding boost for coastal communities

Coastal communities around the Moray Firth are set to benefit from funding that will help them improve their local area and quality of life.

Thanks to funding of £10,000 from Scottish Natural Heritage, the Moray Firth Partnership’s grant scheme is helping coastal projects for the ninth successive year. Rebecca O'Hara, SNH Area Officer for Inverness and Easter Ross said: "This grant scheme has a history of delivering successful projects, which have clear community benefits.  Over the years, SNH's support of the scheme has helped generate a wide variety of projects related to the natural heritage of the Moray Firth .  I am delighted that we are able to support this scheme for another year".

The 2008 grant scheme is helping a wide range of projects including a Seal Workshop in Caithness, schools visits and presentations on board the traditional sailing boat Isabella Fortuna, a geological interpretation panel at the Munlochy Bay viewing area and a survey of rare lichens at Findhorn by the ’s leading lichen expert.

Sinclair Young, MFP Chair, explained more about this year’s scheme.

“We want to encourage work that will help address some of the strategic priority issues for the Moray Firth , including Marine Biodiversity, Sustainable Coastal Development, Marine Tourism and Climate Change.  Projects that focus on the Moray Firth ’s rich fishing heritage, or coastal and marine litter, particularly plastic bag eradication measures, are particularly welcome.

We are extremely grateful to SNH for their continued support of this grant scheme which will help bolster the work of the very dedicated community groups around the Moray Firth .”

The closing date for applications to the 2009 Moray Firth Partnership Community Grants Scheme is midday Monday 19 January. Application packs are available on-line, by email admin@morayfirthpartnership.org or from the MFP office by calling 01463 725027.