CLYDEBANK community projects have been bolstered by a share of National Lottery funding worth £7.3million.

Four local groups from across the area are amongst those across Scotland set to receive a slice of the seven-figure sum.

They include Golden Friendships, which provides a vital community hub tackling loneliness amongst people of all ages today.

Their award of £10,000 will be used to deliver food to older people in isolation and packed lunches for children and local families.

Jim McLaren, founder of Golden Friendships, said: “We are very grateful for this support from the National Lottery which will allow us to deliver lunches to anyone who needs them during this worrying time.

“This includes pensioners in isolation and children off school, but also those who are unwell or lonely.

“Our initial aim was to deliver 19,000 lunches till the end of July but already that demand has grown to over 21,000.”

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Unpaid carers will continue to receive essential support during the Covid-19 crisis, with the help of a £6,748 award to the Carers of West Dunbartonshire organisation, who will now be able to purchase IT equipment and mobile phones to keep in contact with vital information.

Service manager Kim McNab said: “These are difficult times for us all but for those who are caring 24/7 for a relative at home, with little or no respite it is extremely challenging.

“We have had to literally redesign our service to ensure that we can continue our work and this National Lottery funding will help us do that.

“This means we can maintain the practical and emotional support that we offer to unpaid carers so that they are able to carry on looking after the most vulnerable members of our community.”

Neil Ritch, director of the National Lottery Community Fund in Scotland, said: “In these difficult and unprecedented times, it’s heartening to see the way Scottish communities are coming together to provide each other with support.

“These awards recognise the hugely valuable and important contribution that Scotland’s voluntary and community sector plays in boosting the health, wellbeing and morale of local people.

“Many of them have found innovative ways to keep their communities connected during the current crisis, whilst others will support people in the future when they can physically come back together to make great things happen in their community.”