ORGANISERS and volunteers at a South Ayrshire commmunity project have received a cash boost from the Scottish Government as they bid to support people facing isolation and poverty.

The Floyds Community Cafe and Hub at Dundonald Parish Church is one of more than 180 projects across Scotland receiving cash from a government fund set up to improve rural communities.

The Dundonald projecthas received £5,000 from the Rural and Island Communities Ideas Into Action (RICIA) fund.

A document explaining the funding given to each of the 181 projects states: "The funding will be used to coordinate a community cafe and food bank to support people facing isolation and poverty post-Covid-19 and to enable signposting to other support services."

According to the Scottish Government, the RICIA fund "encourages and supports not-for-profit community groups with innovative approaches to community-led local development, including work towards net zero and just transition goals, tackling rural poverty and supporting rural communities through the cost of living crisis."

Mairi Gougeon MSP, cabinet secretary for rural affairs and the environment, said: “We are working to ensure local communities are empowered to tackle local challenges.

“This investment comes at a critical time for our rural and island communities, who are disproportionately impacted by the cost of living crisis compared to the rest of the country.

“I wish all the successful community groups well as they now look to take forward these projects and make a positive difference to their local areas.”