Local toddler group benefits from money for make-over

Happy Tots mother and toddler group in Invergordon are celebrating the brightening up of their base within the Community Wing of South Lodge Primary School thanks to funding received from The Highland Council’s Cromarty Firth Ward Members.

Happy Tots is set up to provide a friendly, supportive and safe place for parents and toddlers to learn and play. However the group felt that it was time for the room to be brightened up with some new furnishings such carpets, chairs and a lick of paint and looked to the Cromary Firth Ward Discretionary budget for some help. £800 paid for all the items they needed and the group raised an additional £100 by doing a sponsored walk and also did as much of the work themselves as possible.

Dana Sutherland, the founder of the group said:  “We are really pleased with the way the room looks now, it’s so bright and cheery looking now. We were happy to do what we could ourselves and we also raised  money from our sponsored walk, but the help from the Cromarty Firth Ward Budget really did make all the difference”

Councillor Martin Rattray added: “It’s great to see a local group working together like this, and to see the Ward Budget helping them to create a welcoming and comfortable room for all the young children and their parents to enjoy having fun in.”

The Cromarty Firth Ward Discretionary Budget has also supported a wide range of other local projects, ranging from £350 to Kiltearn Community Council for beach cleaning, over £1000 for new white boards at Park Primary school and £5,000 towards youth work at the Place in Alness.

Councillor Carolyn Wilson said:  “The Discretionary Budget is a great resource, supporting local projects and also helping groups lever in money from other sources.”

Any requests for funding from the Cromarty Firth Ward Discretionary Budget should be made to the Senior Ward Manager, Helen Ross at Invergordon Service Point, High Street, Invergordon or email helen.ross@highland.gov.uk
ENDS