Picture: Becky Saunderson. Image No.043387
THERE were two bumper reasons for a Buckie-based Moray charity to celebrate when they scooped grants totalling almost £150,000. Moray Reach Out (MRO), who unveiled their new HQ in the town’s East Church Street last November, have not only been awarded £123,253 from the National Lottery Community Fund, they have also been handed £23,000 from The Robertson Trust. The money will go towards renovation works at the premises and fund a three-year, full-time spinning and upcycling training support worker post.
“I’m absolutely delighted,” said the charity’s chairman, Terry Murphy. “This is all thanks to the efforts of Shona [Radojkovic, MRO general and business development manager]. She’s done us proud. “Getting these grants eases a lot of financial worries and will enable us to bring forward developments that otherwise might have taken a couple of years to do. “This is good for us and good for the community we serve. “This is a long-term plan stretching over the next three years, although we’re hoping to open the doors again in June and work around the groups using the building.”
Mr Murphy went on to praise the hard work of both the MRO staff and volunteers. The development work marks part of a bigger strategy for the charity, which provides training opportunities for adults with learning difficulties, as Ms Radojkovic explained. “This purchase of a building in the centre of Buckie is part of a plan to become more involved with the wider community and for our services to be more accessible and to expand services to help tackle issues of social isolation and poor mental health. “Ideally, involvement in our spinning or upcycling projects will help prevent some people from becoming ill due to social isolation and help others maintain good mental health having experienced a period of poor mental health they are now recovering from. “We will have workshops and activities that are open to the public as well.” Congratulating MRO on their grant, National Lottery Community Fund Scotland chairwoman, Maureen McGinn, said: “I am delighted that Moray Reach Out has been successful in securing a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund. “The award will make a big difference where it is needed most and I wish MRO every success as it goes on to develop and expand its project for the benefit of their local community