COWDENBEATH MSP Annabelle Ewing has welcomed the news that three groups in her constituency have secured a total of £14,950 National Lottery funding after applying to Lottery Awards for All Scotland.

Oor Wee Cafe Community Cafe which will open next month in Kelty, received a £4,950 National Lottery Awards for All Scotland grant from Big Lottery Fund.

Cowdenbeath Community Council received a £7,500 National Lottery Awards for All Scotland grant from Creative Scotland and Cowdenbeath Martial Arts received a £2,500 National Lottery Awards for All Scotland grant from SportScotland.

Speaking this afternoon on Monday) Ms Ewing said: “I was delighted to learn that three groups in my constituency have been awarded nearly £15,000 in total and that the money will be used to support three very different but extremely interesting projects.

“Oor Wee Café is an initiative being piloted in Kelty and will provide a place where people who are socially isolated or on low income can meet other people and have access to healthy home cooked food provided on a ‘donation only’ basis. The project will also provide volunteering opportunities and transport to those who cannot travel to the café on their own.

“Cowdenbeath Community Council will be using the funding they are to receive from Creative Scotland to bring art into public spaces in Cowdenbeath town centre. Artists will be commissioned to create murals and ‘shutter art’ which will help to brighten up the local area bringing colour and interest into town centre spaces.

“The third grant coming to this area will give Cowdenbeath Martial Arts Club the opportunity to build changing room facilities at their club.

"These new facilities will allow improved access to the club's activities for their young members, who are mainly young women, a really positive development in broadening access to healthy activities".

Ms Ewing added: “Each one of these initiatives, in its own way, helps to make our communities better places for the people who live here. My congratulations to those who have put in the hard work to secure the funding and I wish all three organisations all the very best in bringing the projects to fruition.”