The Galloway Glens Scheme came to an end in September 2023 after a fantastic 5 years supporting the communities of the Ken/Dee valley. The legacy of the Galloway Glens can be seen in many concrete ways, including a suite of new footpaths across the area and renewed community buildings and assets.
However, it also supported communities in many other ways and made a very real difference to the lives of many people who live here. It was a Dumfries and Galloway Council Environment Team project and administered more than £6million of National Lottery Heritage Funding and other funds over the 5 years, supported by the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere.
To further its legacy, the Galloway Glens Scheme is operating a scheme of small maintenance grants to ensure that legacy Galloway Glens-funded projects can continue to deliver great outcomes for the communities they serve. £45,000 is available and will be spent in annual rounds over the next 3 years. The first round closed at the end of 2024, and awards totalling £15,000 were made to 9 excellent projects.
The projects ranged from a series of water safety sessions on Loch Ken to telling the story of peatland restoration to supporting this summer’s Woodland Festival at Barhill Woods. In one delightful project, the grant has allowed a young person to access records as part of his investigations into his village’s history. Other projects included a special edition of the Castle Douglas Journal and maintenance of Galloway Glens footpaths around New Galloway. Core cost contributions were also made to key community projects that make a big difference to a lot of people. The full list of organisations and projects is below.
Ed Forrest of the Galloway Glens Legacy Scheme said, “It was great to see so many high-quality projects coming in, and the level of enthusiasm for maintaining the legacy of the Galloway Glens. We took the decision to fund them all, and look forward to seeing their outcomes later in the year.”
Lindsay Stewart, Loch Ken Trust Support Officer, said “Loch Ken Trust were delighted to receive this funding towards our water safety programme, which is making such a positive difference to the lives of many young people in the region, inspiring confidence and equipping young people with important skills to keep themselves safe on and around water. We are excited that we are able to continue the legacy of the Galloway Glens Scheme by removing barriers to young people in the region accessing the wonderful natural environment we have here on Loch Ken, in a safe and responsible way.”
Organisations and projects funded through the Legacy Scheme:
• Loch Ken Trust – Water Safety on Loch Ken
• Balmaclellan Heritage Trust – Investigations into an historic site.
• Local Initiatives in New Galloway – Maintenance of New Galloway and Garroch footpaths.
• Kirkcudbright Development Trust – Support for Barhill Woodland Festival
• Castle Douglas Development Forum – Support for a re-launch edition of the Castle Douglas Journal.
• Glenkens Community & Arts Trust – Support for the core costs of GCAT, the Glenkens Gazette and the Glenkens Hub.
• Castle Douglas Men’s Shed – Support for core costs.
• Crichton Carbon Centre – Support for digitising of peatland restoration drawings.
Awards varied from £3,350 to £500.
The Galloway Glens Legacy Fund will re-open for the second round in September 2025.
Photo: Young people learning water safety on Loch Ken. Photo credit: Loch Ken Trust.
