Organisations across Scotland, including three in Angus and Fife, will benefit from the final round of funding from NFU Scotland’s Centenary Trust.
At the sixth and last meeting of the trust, £23,200 of funding was approved for projects focused on one of the trust’s key objectives: promoting health and safety on farms and in rural areas.
More than £207,000 has now been awarded to charities and organisations for projects in every corner of Scotland.
The funds were raised mainly through the generosity of NFU Scotland members, as well as a specially-bottled malt whisky organised by Banffshire branch, and a centenary book.
The objectives of the trust, which was established in the union’s centenary year of 2013, were to encourage as many children as possible to learn more about where their food and drink comes from and to visit a farm in 2013 and 2014; to educate farmers, their employees and their children on health and safety in the countryside, with a special emphasis on children’s safety; and to assist in bringing forward a meaningful apprentice programme that supports farmers and their employees.
In this round, projects supported by the trust included £1,200 to Edzell Primary School for high-visibility outdoor waterproof clothing for farm and estate visits; £900 to Liff Primary School towards building and equipping their own polytunnel; and £1,150 to Rhet Fife for hand-washing facilities and sinks.
The fund also donated £1,700 to NFU Scotland’s grid reference safety initiative in conjunction with Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance; and £1,000 for Rhet’s promotion of on farm safety, including high-visibility wear for children.
Trust treasurer George Lawrie commented: “A further 13 projects were awarded funding in this sixth and final round, primarily helping to promote health and safety in the agricultural industry across Scotland.