A panel made up of staff from Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA) and Argyll and Bute Council has completed an evaluation of applications from Argyll and Bute schools for an award from ACHA’s Schools Award Scheme.

This initiative was launched in November 2016 to commemorate ACHA’s 10 years as a housing association with a 10-year bequest of up to £10,000 per year to support projects and initiatives in Argyll and Bute schools.

Eight schools in the region have been successful in this round of applications; they are Innellan and Toward Primary Schools, Dunoon, Park Primary School, Oban, Carradale Primary School, Campbeltown, Strone Primary School, Dunoon, Dunbeg Primary School, Dunbeg, Drumlemble Primary School, Campbeltown and Rosneath Primary School in Helensburgh. Each school has been given £1,000 towards their project.

The awards have been made to support a number of different initiatives such as provision of interactive smart boards, running an after school club, outdoor learning area enhancement, swimming lessons and nurture room kitchen facilities

Alastair MacGregor, ACHA’s chief executive, said: “It is really heartening from ACHA’s perspective to see take up from school pupils projects tying in with the 10 10 10 initiative.”

Douglas Hendry, Argyll and Bute Council’s executive director of customer services, added: “Schools are vital to the success and development of communities and young people across Argyll and Bute and it is great to see ACHA engaging with the Council’s Education Service in such a positive way.”