Supporting 28 Local Projects in its First Year
In its first year of funding bids, The Ardbeg All Islay Fund Panel was very pleased to have received 41 submissions from all over Islay. Charitable organisations which applied for funding towards projects included intergenerational activities, sporting, heritage and capital purchases. The Fund will distribute a total of £1million over the next five years.
As anticipated, the timeframe for feedback to applicants was delayed due to the high demand for funding. The total request for funding in year one was over £700k, with the panel having the hard task to fund only £180k this year. This was not a task taken lightly, and each panel member handled it diligently and professionally. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the panel members very much for their valuable dedication to volunteering to be on the panel. The SID team looks forward to continuing to grow the partnership with the panel to strengthen the fund’s processes ready for the fund opening in year two (January 2024).
The Ardbeg All Islay Fund is pleased to award 28 local charities to grow or continue their excellent community work in the next coming months. A full list of awards will be published on the South Islay Development website. (www.southislay.co.uk)
Ruth Thomson, CSR Manager at The Glenmorangie Company said: ”Ardbeg is delighted to support and develop enterprising and sustainable projects across the whole of the island, and the panel was impressed with the calibre of applications received. We look forward to seeing the projects selected this year grow and develop following the distribution of the funds. ”
The fund is pleased to support the following projects in 2023:-
Islay Karate Club – The club will support members of the community to access karate lessons, covering everything they will need to start including uniform, equipment, insurance and grading.
The Museum of Islay Life - The museum will be safeguarding, displaying, and promoting the twelve thousand years of the island’s history. The museum would like to build an extension to this to provide adequate room for its collection thus preserving Islay’s precious and irreplaceable cultural heritage.
Islay & Jura Youth Wind Band – The support from the fund will reinvigorate and raise the band's profile and sustainability, benefiting the lives of young people and the wider community of Islay & Jura. Securing new instruments for young musicians and enhancing their learning experience through visits to mainland music events and playing alongside professional musicians.
Pat McGrann, Chair at SID said “South Islay Development is delighted to be the linchpin for the distribution of the unique and generous donation of The Ardbeg All Islay Fund. The panel of local folk has worked very hard considering all the applications. There is plenty of activity and enterprise to support and develop our community. We look forward to monitoring the successful grants and encourage all those disappointed to consider round two next year. I’m sure there are plenty of ideas waiting to be funded.”
The Ardbeg All Islay Fund encourages all applicants to reapply next year and applicants are invited to work with Alyson MacGillivray SID Development Manager, to receive feedback to strengthen their application in year two. A programme of workshops will be considered in the Autumn ready for the fund reopening in January 2024.
Funding Awards - Year One
Ballygrant Hall - £3,000
Bowmore Community Association - £1,500
Bowmore Lunch Club - £2,500
Bridgend Bowling Club - £1,000
Bruichladdich Hall - £2,500
Islay & Jura Bump to Birth - £4,850
The Cantilena Festival - £1,000
The Finlaggan Trust - £5,000
Feis Oigridh - £18,946
Friends of Portnahaven Church - £3,000
Greater Kilmeny - £6,000
Islay & Jura Youth Wind Band - £12,000
Islay & Jura Community Enterprise - £4,000
Islay & Jura Highland Dancers - £12,000
Islay Archers - £5,000
Islay Pipe Band - £2,500
Islay Rugby Club - £4,970
Islay Book Festival - £4,000
Islay Natural History Trust – £5,000
Islay Karate Club - £4,460
Museum of Islay Life - £19,000
Port Ellen Playing Fields - £5,000
Port Ellen Christmas Party - £500
Port Ellen Mother & Toddlers - £2,000
Port Ellen Sports Day/SID – £2,500
SideKick - £24,000
Sonas Childcare/SID - £11,500
Portnahaven Hall - £2,000
