SEVERAL projects including an arts festival have received a welcomed cash boost from Renfrewshire Council.

It comes as part of the local authority's Village Investment Fund which aims at promoting sustainable community use of green spaces, as well as supporting locals to make physical and environmental improvements to the area.

In total, 11 new projects received a share of the cash including Lochwinnoch Arts Festival, Elderslie's Summer Fayre, and Friends of Howwood Park.

The arts festival was awarded £2,300, while the summer fayre was given £2,650, and the park received cash to continue supporting the ongoing upgrades. 

Other applications that were approved for funding include two professional tutoring sessions for Lochwinnoch Art Group, support for Kilbarchan and Bridge of Weir Christmas light switch-ons, and toilet facilities for a social garden in Lochwinnoch.

Lochwinnoch resident Dr Morag Thow said: “Due to the support of grants from Renfrewshire Council, Lochwinnoch Art Festival has delivered high-quality artistic events in our rural community and showcased our extensive artistic talent.

“The grant helps us keep our prices affordable allowing as many people as possible to access the arts and we really appreciate the investment from Council to support the festival.”

Councillor Marie McGurk, convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Communities and Housing Policy Board, said: “This fund continues to make a real difference to our local communities and it’s incredible that more than 100 projects have been supported since it launched in 2018.

“These projects are being imagined and delivered by local people as they know what is needed in their local area and you can see the environmental and visual difference that people have made to their towns and villages.

“It is fantastic to see another 11 projects approved from the Villages Investment Fund, with others earmarked to come to the board in future, and I’m proud that our investment will continue to make a positive difference for local communities in Renfrewshire.”

Since October 2018, 108 community projects have received funding from the council’s Green Spaces, Parks, and Play Areas and Village Investment Fund.

Councillor Robert Innes, depute of Renfrewshire Council’s Communities and Housing Policy Board, said: “We have a vast amount of wonderful community groups in our villages and the Village Local Partnership and Village Investment Fund empowers those community groups to make real positive contributions and improvements to our villages.

“I am really pleased to see that our recommendations from the Local Partnership are now set to receive Village Investment funding and I’m excited to see the improvements that come from this investment.”