Scottish charities are in line for a share in grants totalling nearly £300,000 from the after the annual round of donations made on behalf of Newsquest Media Group, The Herald's parent company.
Over the last ten years alone, Newsquest, one of the UK's leading regional news publishers, has given more than £3 million to help charitable community causes across the UK.
The trustees who make the grants agonised for days to make difficult choices from a stack of deserving applications, but narrowed the list down to those which they thought would deliver the most worthwhile practical benefits to communities served by Newsquest’s local news brands.
Scotland produced some good entries after missing out in recent years, including a horse for disabled riders and a new boiler for a day centre for the elderly in Glasgow.
The Glasgow Old Peoples Welfare Association received £2,100 for the boiler, Action on Elder Abuse Peer Support groups in Fife for elderly people who have been victims of abuse received £5,500,
Lothian Autistic Society Scotland basecamp service which will focus on supporting children with autism aged 5-13 years, developing social communication and social interaction skills through themed group and play sessions received £5,000, and Glasgow-based Scottish Youth Dance (Ydance) received £3,265 towards a community dance group.
Riding for the Disabled will be given £3,600 to buy a horse for a group providing equine therapy classes.
Simon Westrop, Chairman of the trustees, said: “ It was good to see Wales and Scotland back on track after a couple of lean years.
"Year on year, we are seeing better applications with more focused attention on different ways of helping - caring for the present but also building for the future.
“If your application did not succeed this time, please don’t be discouraged, but look at the applications that have won grants and think how you can come up with even better ideas next year.”
The two biggest awards of £15,000 each went to two charities founded in the 19th century by a group of benefactors including novelist Charles Dickens. They are now known as the Journalists’ Charity and Newstraid, both helping people who have worked in the newspaper industry but have fallen on hard times.
The Gannett Foundation UK, which makes the grants, retains a modest reserve to cater for urgent applications until the next round of awards in November 2017.
Applications can be made through any local Newsquest Media Group editor.
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