HELENSBURGH’S Grey Matters – Active Ageing group has received funding of £10,000 from the National Lottery.

The group, which provides a range of social opportunities for people aged over 60 in the town and surrounding area, will use the cash, from the National Lottery Community Fund, to meet the cost of the befriending support it’s been providing in the town during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The group has been unable to hold its regular weekly clubs since lockdown limits were imposed in March, but has hosted regular meetings via Zoom as well as expanding on the one-to-one telephone befriending service already provided by other organisations in the town.

READ MORE: Grey Matters keeps older residents busy by distributing lockdown 'activity packs'

Grey Matters is one of 13 community groups in Argyll and Bute sharing in a total payout of almost £1.4 million from the Community Fund this week.

The only other Helensburgh and Lomond group on the list is the Arrochar and Tarbet Community Development Trust, which will receive £3,600 towards the cost of another Covid-19 project – the volunteer-run community meal drop service covering Arrochar, Tarbet and Succoth.

A total of £12.5m is being paid out to 311 community groups across Scotland, most of it for Covid-19 initiatives.

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