Successful Projects
6 March 2025
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Successful Projects
Together, we're making a difference. See how your community fund is bringing about positive change. Explore the inspiring projects we've funded and the stories behind them.
Our Mission
To empower and enrich our community by providing financial support to local projects that enhance quality of life, preserve our heritage, and foster sustainable development.
Our Values
We value transparency, sustainability, community impact, and collaboration. We strive to be open, responsible, and supportive of projects that enhance local lives.
2025 Successful Projects
2024 Successful Projects
Successful Projects
Gavinton, Fogo & Polwarth Community Council
This project aimed to refurbish and repair a number of local amenities in our local area, including two local bus shelters, railings, benches, cutting back shrubbery and renewal of signs.
16 December 2024
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Successful Projects
Borders Youth Theatre
The project allowed older residents from the Westruther community to share their memories and experiences with Primary 4 to 7 pupils from the primary school.
16 November 2024
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Successful Projects
Interest Links Borders
Since 1990, our befriending projects have supported children (8+), young people, and adults with learning disabilities—reducing isolation, boosting wellbeing, and giving respite to family carers.
16 October 2024
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Successful Projects
Keeping Duns Bloomin Marvelous
Since 2015, this community-led project has transformed Duns with vibrant planting across 23 sustainable beds and countless planters. Their electric watering vehicle, “Billy Bowser,” is essential to the upkeep—and thanks to 100% funding from BWCF, new batteries were installed in 2023 to keep everything growing strong.
16 August 2024
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Successful Projects
Admiral Ramsay Museum
Achievements The grant of £2,750 has helped us in the following ways:
15 July 2024
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Successful Projects
A Heart for Duns
We wanted to strengthen the town and strengthen the community and sought to harness the power of our community to do so. In developing our bespoke community survey and bespoke music and beer festival as a means of engaging the community, we were successful in terms of participation and engagement.
24 June 2024
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2023 Successful Projects
Successful Projects
Disability Hub
Feedback from Members & Staff
Initially members found the move quite difficult but have now settled in and love coming to their new venue.
“I feel very proud coming to work”
“I love using the kitchen to make a cuppa”
“I sometimes like coming on the bus”
“I like the extra space we have to
Blackhill Community Fund
12 December 2023
Successful Projects
Storage Improvements
We used the funding that we received from BWCF to improve our storage facilities at our warehouse. This has helped to increase our outreach capacity as we were able to accept and store more baby equipment and support more families within our communities.
Blackhill Community Fund
3 June 2023
Successful Projects
A Heart For Duns
With support from BWCF, we collaborated with Dunse History Society and Duns & District Business Forum to create a printed and digital tourism map celebrating the town’s rich history. Despite challenges, including post-Covid delays and team changes, the project brought together over 100 local contributors and now forms part of a refreshed Town Trail, helping visitors explore Duns in a meaningful and engaging way.
Blackhill Community Fund
16 April 2023
Successful Projects
Gordon Community Sports Field
With support from the Blackhill Windfarm Community Fund, the community of Gordon proudly purchased the Gordon Sports Field in February 2023. This new community-owned space is already taking shape, with fencing installed by local volunteers and plans underway to develop it into a vibrant hub for sport and recreation.
Blackhill Community Fund
16 March 2023
Successful Projects
Eat Sleep Ride CIC
Thanks to a £4,000 grant from the Blackhill Windfarm Community Fund, ESR planted native woodland trees and installed fencing to protect them from curious hooves. Young people and adults engaged in hands-on planting sessions, gaining skills and confidence outdoors. The project not only inspired individual growth and future ambitions but also supported biodiversity, creating habitats and natural barriers for years to come.
Blackhill Community Fund
13 March 2023
Successful Projects
DunsPlayFest25
This fund supported the pilot project of a BlackBox Theatre in the Duns Cadet Hall which hosted our creative engagement programme, experimental theatre from early career artists, was a rehearsal venue and hosted the showing of a dance film by local dancer. The new studio theatre gave opportunities to early career artists and producers.
Blackhill Community Fund
3 March 2023
2022 Successful Projects
Successful Projects
DunsPlayFest
DunsPlayFest 2022 returned with a hybrid festival—live performances at the Volunteer Hall and a curated online programme available for weeks afterward. With support from the Blackhill Windfarm Community Fund, a young filmmaker captured the live shows for digital audiences, and A Heart for Duns received funding for a sign-board for the visually impaired—ensuring accessibility remains at the heart of the festival’s vision.
Blackhill Community Fund
17 November 2022
Successful Projects
A Greener Melrose
Formerly known as the EBGR project, the Borders Greenway is progressing thanks to vital early support from the Blackhill Windfarm Community Fund. The grant helped establish a well-supported Community Consultation Group and Steering Group, contributing to a full feasibility study commissioned by South of Scotland Enterprise and Scottish Borders Council. Covering the proposed route from Melrose to Eyemouth, the project is now poised to become a major active travel initiative for the region.
Blackhill Community Fund
5 November 2022
Successful Projects
Parent Space
With a £3,243 grant from the Blackhill Windfarm Community Fund, ParentSpace delivered 91 one-to-one support sessions—exceeding expectations. Sessions were held in-home or by phone, providing flexible support for families across the region. The grant also funded training for two new facilitators, helping expand services, including a new Dads-only course and more planned for the year ahead.
Blackhill Community Fund
17 October 2022
Successful Projects
GFPCC
Thanks to support from the Blackhill Windfarm Community Fund, Gavinton Village Hall is now equipped with a generator to provide emergency power during outages. The generator is fully insured and maintained, with local volunteers receiving regular refresher training. The project has inspired similar setups in neighbouring communities, strengthening local resilience across the area.
Blackhill Community Fund
15 October 2022
Successful Projects
Re-Tweed
Project Overview:As part of our trade-up activities, ReTweed expanded into International Tartans, offering advanced training courses in tailoring and Tartan skills. These courses aim to provide pathways to employment and
Blackhill Community Fund
11 October 2022
Successful Projects
BHS Musical Theatre Group
The Berwickshire High School Senior Musical Theatre Group was extremely grateful to receive support from the Blackhill Windfarm Community Fund for our production of “Sister Act”. “Sister Act” was the
Blackhill Community Fund
11 October 2022
2021 Successful Projects
Successful Projects
Duns Senior Citizens
On Friday December 10, Club members were treated to a delicious traditional Christmas Lunch at Duns Golf Club. May Kinghorn, Chairperson, expressed to everyone that this event was made possible
Blackhill Community Fund
11 October 2021
Successful Projects
Duns Players
DunsPlayFest in 2022 was held both in the Volunteer Hall, Duns, in the first week of May, and on-line where various shows from the live festival, as well as other
Blackhill Community Fund
11 October 2021
Successful Projects
Community Cinema Gavinton
The grant we received back in 2021 really helped us revive the Community Cinema after the Covid epidemic. The number of films shown in 2022 increased from 6 per year
Blackhill Community Fund
11 October 2021
2020 Successful Projects
News
Whiteadder Whitewater Trust
The Whiteadder Whitewater Trust applied to the Blackhill Windfarm Community Fund for funding for oars, VHF radios, first aid supplies, booking system, service 2 rescue boats, car park, signage and
Blackhill Community Fund
1 December 2020
Successful Projects
Blackhill Community Fund
1 May 2020
News
Duns Primary School
BWCF originally granted Duns Primary School £2,768.00 to help fund a residential trip for P7s however due to Covid-19 this trip was cancelled. A request was made to change the
Blackhill Community Fund
1 March 2020
2019 Successful Projects
Successful Projects
Connect Berwickshire Youth Project
Received funding of £960 for sailing trips. A little goes a long way, originally had planned 1 sailing voyage, which quickly turned into 2. Logistical challenge which had 11 individuals on
Blackhill Community Fund
11 October 2019
Successful Projects
Duns & District Twinning Ass
In 2019 a grant application to the Blackhill Windfarm Community Fund was submitted and successfullyobtained, this amounted to £897 to pay for a further print run of 500 of the
Blackhill Community Fund
11 October 2019