Funding boost for Loanhead charity group

LASC Childcare Services has received £136,882 from the National Lottery to build on its weekly programme of activities for residents in Loanhead.

Staff and service users at The Link in Loanhead, pictured last October.

The group, which runs The Link community centre in the town, will use this funding from the National Lottery Community Fund to employ a LASC Community Link Worker at the centre, to up-skill volunteers and create new groups based on feedback from the community. The funding covers the post for five years.

LASC Childcare Services Ltd is a registered charity in Loanhead that offers services for more than 650 local children a year, including over 30 with additional support needs.

The charity’s chief executive Irene Hogg MBE explained the difference this funding award will make to LASC.

She said: “I am absolutely delighted to announce that we have secured this funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.

“With the new housing under construction in Loanhead this will bring many more people to the local area.

“The funding received from the National Lottery Community Fund will enable the charity to employ a community link worker, which is crucial to enable the charity to expand the services at The Link in order to benefit and support people of all ages and abilities within our local community.

“And it enables us to support the most isolated and vulnerable in our community through the development of our new services.”

The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland chairwoman, Maureen McGinn, said: “I am delighted that LASC Childcare Services at The Link 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 the The Link every success as it goes on to develop and expand its project for the benefit of their local community.”

Last year LASC took over the running of the former Kabin community centre now known as The Link after it faced closure. Determined to keep the centre operating and seeing the potential to offer so many more services the charity successfully bid for the contract to take over operation of the building.