The summer heatwave may be a distant memory but the feelgood factor surrounding July’s record-breaking Open Championship at Carnoustie has continued for local organisations which have received a slice of a £40,000 charitable windfall.
Groups received the cash from Carnoustie Golf Links’ community benefits programme at a Links House presentation overlooking the championship course where Francesco Molinari became the first Italian winner of the iconic Claret Jug.
Carnoustie Golf Links Management committee chairman Pat Sawers and community benefits convener Graeme Paton presented representatives from 16 local groups with their share of a package amounting to almost £30,000.
The beneficiaries were Contact The Elderly Carnoustie, Carnoustie Claymores Swimming Club, Carnoustie Scout Group, Carnoustie Allotments Association, Oliver Bosch Appeal, South Angus Parents of Adults with Learning Disabilities, Caitlin Philbin, 1st Carnoustie Boys’ Brigade Company, Carnoustie Memories Group, Carnoustie Panbride Church, Kinloch Care Centre, 2nd Carnoustie Guides, Carnoustie and District Girlguiding, Maulesbank Lawn Tennis Club, Carnoustie Choir and Arbroath Golf Links.
Further donations of £5,000 each were made to Radio Tay’s Cash for Kids and Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland.
The presentation marked the second round of CGLMC community benefit grants this year and the seventh in total.
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The first was in November 2015 after the award of charitable status in 2014.
Links chairman Pat Sawers said: “Including the latest presentation, CGLMC has donated £184,779.50 in total via our community benefits programme and donations to a variety of local organisations and worthy causes, with £60,881.50 of that total being donated in 2018.”
The presentation also marked the last for current community benefits convener Mr Paton, who is stepping down at the end of the year after 19 years on the board.
The initiative was developed to give something back to the community from the success of the courses.
The links community committee meets twice yearly to decide on applications submitted through that scheme.
Local groups are also in line to enjoy further support from a separate cash pot linked to the 147th Open.
Last month, representatives from the R&A staged a Carnoustie roadshow to help guide applicants through the application process for the Open legacy fund, which aims to provide lasting benefits to communities in which championships are staged.
Grants are likely to go to fairly large-scale projects with a significant sustainability aspect to them, although fund chiefs have assured smaller projects they will not miss out.
