Cardenden Decides – local residents allocate £13,000 funding to community projects
Over 155 residents attended a community event at the Bowhill Centre in Cardenden to decide how £13,000 of funding should be distributed to local groups and projects.
The funds up for grabs were courtesy of the Nadara Westfield Wind Farm Community Fund.
The event, which took place on the 1st November, was organised on behalf of the fund by independent charity Foundation Scotland and the local decision making Panel, and put decisions directly into the hands of the wider community. Eight local groups set up shop to showcase their projects, giving residents the opportunity to learn, ask questions, and engage directly with representatives before casting their votes. Each community member received three voting tokens, and the event was open to all ages, giving young people the opportunity to have their say in community funding decisions. Many young residents took the opportunity to participate, including Jaxon Abbott, who is just seven.
Jaxon said:
I loved the idea of having a chance to vote, and it will help my football team receive some money to help us train.
Jim Chalmers, a local resident of Cardenden, also voted for Bowhill United and said:
The people here today are voting to support Cardenden community groups. I really support Bowhill Rovers because of their ethos - if someone wants to join the club, they're welcomed with open arms. It's there for them to build confidence and resilience, and it's a great stepping stone for the children. All the coaches are super committed to making this work and giving young people a place to come, play football, and learn new skills. Funding will give the club a chance to open its doors to more younger children who want to play football for a local club.
The democratic process resulted in Bowhill United receiving the highest number of votes with 123, followed by Bowhill Karate Group with 99 votes, and Bowhill Retirement Group with 54 votes.
When club member Isla Clark found out that Bowhill United had won the vote she said:
We are thrilled to receive the grant award, this is game changing for our football club and means we can purchase new equipment and be creative with training to keep the kids inspired. We are all so overwhelmed at Bowhill United. Thank you once again to the Nadara Westfield Fund.
While Bowhill United received the most votes, all eight groups were able to receive the full funding amount they were seeking. This was because the local panel was keen to ensure that the full remaining balance of the fund was awarded, so the three groups that received the most votes received an additional top up of funding.
As a result, Bowhill United received an additional £400, Bowhill Karate Group received an additional £300, and Bowhill Retirement Group received an additional £200. The rest of the groups who received funding included Cardenden Amateur Swimming Club, Auchterderran Kinglassie Parish Church Hall Group, Cardenden Community Development Forum, Bowhill Rovers AFC and Auchterderran Golf Club - with just over £13,000 awarded across the eight groups.
Louise Bishop, Treasurer and Blackbelt with Bowhill Karate Group, said:
We are thrilled to receive this award and deeply grateful for the funding, which will make a tremendous difference to our club, our participants, and their families. We are honoured to be able to provide this opportunity for them. Thank you so much to the Nadara Fund for making this possible.
The successful event was supported by Fife Council, with Margaret King from the Community Learning and Development team helping to ensure its success.
Councillor Rosemary Liewald also attended to support the participating groups and said:
It was fantastic to see so many people from across Cardenden come out to support our local groups at this event. The brilliant turnout really shows the strength of our community spirit. These groups are the backbone of Cardenden, run by dedicated volunteers who give their time to make our town a vibrant place to live. What truly stands out is the care and support our local groups show for one another, always ready to lend a hand and work together for the good of everyone. Events like this are so important because they put decisions directly in the hands of local people. I'm delighted to see participatory grant making working so well in Cardenden, and I want to give a huge thank you to Foundation Scotland for their invaluable support in making it possible.
Grants of up to £2,000 are typically available from the Nadara Westfield Wind Farm Fund with higher awards considered in exceptional circumstances where projects can demonstrate significant community impact. Constituted community groups or charities located within the Cardenden Community Council area can read more about applying for funding next year here.