LOCHGELLY based Fife Young Carers and Levenmouth Food Bank have each received a funding boost of £5,000 through the Clydesdale Bank Spirit of the Community Awards to recognise the important role they play in the local community.
Clydesdale Bank announced the substantial donations to voluntary groups at an awards ceremony in Glasgow to recognise the charities and not for profit organisations which are going the extra mile.
Fifteen community groups across Scotland were selected to share funding of £80,000 to make a real difference in their local area including Levenmouth Foodbank Community Support Project and Fife Young Carers based in Ore Valley Business Centre.
Fife Young Carers (FYC) has been working for 18 years with and for young carers in Fife. 
The charity supports over 200 young carers per annum to cope with their role as carers of a family member who may have a long-term illness, mental health issues, a physical disability, a learning disability and/or drug or alcohol issues. FYC received £5,000 and the funding will be used to run a residential overnight programme during which young carers will be given employability training.
The Levenmouth Foodbank Community Support Project provides emergency food to the local community and assists families in the Methil, Leven and Buckhaven area with debt advice and healthy eating as well as supporting more than 100 unemployed people in searching and applying for jobs.
Debbie Crosbie, Group Chief Operating Officer at Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks and Chair of the Yorkshire and Clydesdale Bank Foundation, said: “Clydesdale Bank’s Spirit of the Community Awards aim to recognise and support the vital contribution that voluntary and charitable projects make to their local communities. This is our opportunity to say thank you to the incredible community groups across Scotland for the inspiring work they undertake.
“All of the successful organisations are extremely deserving winners which have been recognised for their role in their local communities with these awards from Clydesdale Bank.”
Nina Collins, Manager of Fife Young Carers, said: “We are so pleased to have been awarded the Spirit of the Community Award from Clysdesdale Bank. 
"Young carers are such an important foundation of our society and this money will enable us to give something back to them through residential projects. 
"The confidence building and self-esteem that are born of this will allow our brilliant young carers to overcome the limitations imposed by their circumstances and realise their potential. A big thank you to Clysdesdale Bank for helping us transform the lives of young people and offering them the possibility of a better future.”