NEARLY £35,000 has been given to a group helping ensure historic parts of Dunbar will live into the future.

The Ridge Foundations CIC was awarded £34,000 by Historic Environment Scotland (HES), with the money going to a project to deliver traditional skills training and to help with repairs to historic buildings in Dunbar Conservation Area.

The money will be used to train two modern apprentices and two pre-apprenticeship trainees in traditional skills, specifically on derelict historic buildings and walls.

In addition, the training programme will deliver training to 30 local school pupils across East Lothian to provide them with a National 4 Construction Craft Technician SQA qualification.

The scheme will specifically target marginalised groups through referrals including GPs, social work, criminal justice system and schools.

Kate Darrah, managing director of The Ridge Foundations CIC, based in Dunbar, was “extremely grateful” to HES for the support.

She said: “The Historic Environment Support Fund (HESF) is enabling the Ridge Foundations CIC to give a chance to marginalised local people to rebuild their own lives, as they learn to restore the fabric of our local conservation area, using traditional stonemasonry and joinery skills.

“Seven of our trainees are now modern apprentices and 30 school pupils are learning the basics of these traditional skills as part of a wider construction course. Others are learning through volunteering and work experience programmes.

“Most had minimal engagement with the historic built environment previously, with many now keen to progress to a career in traditional skills.

“Parts of the Dunbar Conservation Area which had been despaired of are now being saved for future generations and being brought back into use.”

The HESF is used to support various one-off, heritage-related projects in Scotland, and has been running since 2016, with £898,014 distributed since it was launched.

As part of the current round of funding, nearly £105,000 has been awarded to nine projects across the country.

Amy Eastwood, head of grants at HES, said: “From developing and promoting traditional skills to looking for sustainable ways to reuse and repair buildings as well as engaging a wide range of different groups with the historic environment, these projects showcase the diverse impact that heritage has on people’s lives, and the valuable contribution it has on communities.

“With Covid-19 restrictions still in place, many of the recipients have had to adapt the way in which they carry out their activity in order to continue delivering the invaluable work they do to protect and celebrate our historic environment, and I look forward to seeing the progress unfold as we enter 2021.”