Glenkerie Wind Farm supports local Community Hall regeneration in South Lanarkshire and the Borders
Following ten years of support for rural village halls across South Lanarkshire and the Borders, the Glenkerie Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund has awarded £30,000 to Coulter Village Hall, securing its future as a vital community hub.
The three-year funding has come at a critical time. When the facility was threatened with closure, the Coulter Community Trust stepped in and secured a lease agreement with the intention to undertake a community asset transfer longer-term. The Trust identified necessary improvements to rejuvenate the hall and expand its services. The Glenkerie Fund awarded £30,000 to support core running costs over three years, ensuring the hall's long-term sustainability and continued service to Coulter and surrounding communities.
Since it opened in 2014, the Glenkerie Fund has awarded grants to six halls across South Lanarkshire and the Borders, totalling £124,281. The funding across the six halls has supported projects ranging from essential structural repairs to sustainable energy improvements. Notable support has included:
- £34,770 for kitchen modernisation at Tweedsmuir and Stobo village halls
- £28,021 for sustainable improvements at Skirling and Tweedsmuir halls, reducing long-term operating costs
- £17,410 for accessibility upgrades at Skirling Village Hall
- £12,080 for critical structural repairs at Broughton and Drumelzier halls
In rural communities, village halls play an essential role in promoting health, social cohesion and quality of life through their diverse activities. However, many of these historic buildings require constant maintenance and improvements, from internal upgrades to external repairs and energy-efficient retrofitting. The voluntary committees managing these spaces often struggle to secure funding for essential repairs and maintenance.
Niome Lucjan, Community Fund Advisor at Foundation Scotland said:
This grant to Coulter Village Hall shows the Fund’s ongoing commitment to preserving and enhancing community spaces. Village halls are the beating heart of rural communities, and their survival is important for maintaining vibrant, connected rural populations.
The Fund's impact extends beyond physical improvements, also fostering collaboration between neighbouring communities.
Glenkerie Panel and Broughton community member Lisa commented on this spirit of cooperation:
For the last four years, I have run the annual MacMillan Coffee Morning event for Broughton. While I hire the hall in Broughton, I have relied each year on borrowing equipment from Tweedsmuir, including their coffee machine, urns, soup pans and kettles. Tweedsmuir's hall is exceptionally well equipped, maintained and cared for, serving as a true community hub. It's wonderful how we can work together to deliver community events.
Niome Lucjan added:
The Fund's support has significantly reduced the financial burden on volunteer community groups who dedicate their time to maintaining these facilities. By supporting core running costs and funding sustainable improvements, these spaces remain affordable and accessible and part of the social fabric of rural life. The success of Coulter Village Hall's regeneration marks another milestone in the Fund's decade-long mission to support these community assets.
Read more about the fund here