An Aberdeenshire community council has opened its own Covid-19 grant scheme for local groups struggling to make ends meet.
Thousands of pounds have been set aside to help the organisations supporting people in Westhill and Elrick during the coronavirus pandemic.
The community council is offering grants of up to £1,000 to prevent groups from suffering “undue financial detriment” which could lead to their closure.
Chairman Mervyn Barr said: “We have been impressed with how resilient our community has been in the face of the challenges of the Covid-19 crisis and that has been largely down to hard work and dedicated service of community groups operating in the area.
“The community council wants to help to make sure that these groups do not suffer undue financial detriment as a result and can continue their work into the future.”
A £5,000 pot has been created to distribute to those making a difference in the community, who also meet a number of criteria.
Applicants must be working within the Westhill Bulletin distribution area and be undertaking work beyond its normal scope.
It must not be a profit-making exercise, must foresee financial difficulties as a result of its current work and demonstrate it has already applied to the Aberdeenshire Council community resilience fund and either been ineligible or still requires further assistance. To apply, e-mail evidence to weccsecretx@gmail.com