l TWO communities will benefit from a share of more than £2 million from the Big Lottery Fund.

Cadder Housing Association was given £1.19m to demolish a disused sports barn and transform it into a community centre. Johnstonebridge Centre and Community Development Trust will use its grant of just over £1m to build a new community hub next to the village primary school.

l THE winner of the first Public Health Nutrition Medal is to give a major speech outlining the challenges of meeting global health targets. Dr Mary Flynn, chief specialist in public health nutrition for the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, will deliver the inaugural Public Health Nutrition Lecture at an award ceremony in Glasgow on July 17.

l SCOTLAND'S third sector has received a funding boost to enable organisations to take on investment finance. Social Investment Scotland has been awarded £51,700 of EU funding to help fund workshops for third sector bodies aimed at demystifying investment finance, provide one-to-one business support and develop online resources and a hub for shared learning and best practice.