15/09/2008

Funding To Support Gaelic

Gaelic development body Bòrd na Gàidhlig (BnG) is to use £150,000 of its Scottish Government funding as a Challenge Fund to support projects promoting the use of Gaelic in communities.

The Challenge Fund supports the Scottish Government's priorities for preservation and promotion of the language, set out in the National Plan for Gaelic.

Speaking at the first national Gaelic in the Community conference in Breasclete, Lewis, Culture Minister Linda Fabiani said: "This funding will enable BnG to take forward new projects that are central to strengthening Gaelic in the community. I am delighted at this focus on a community-based approach to preserving and extending the language.

"Gaelic is a national language. We must recognise it on that basis and support it across all our communities, from areas where it is well established, to others where it is growing - such as parts of urban Scotland."

The Gaelic in the Community conference at Breasclete in Lewis has been organised by BnG and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. The conference's main aim is to discuss the key steps required to strengthen Gaelic in communities where it has a high profile, and across Scotland as a whole.

At the conference, Ms Fabiani will ask delegates for their views on what works for Gaelic, and task BnG to consider these views and build them into future strategies.

Gaelic is an integral part of Scotland's cultural identity and the Scottish Government is committed to building a sustainable and successful future for the language.

(GK/NS)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

01 February 2011
Weather Forecasts To Launch In Welsh And Gaelic
The Met Office has launched Gaelic and Welsh language forecasts on its website, providing the latest weather forecasts and warnings to the 600,000 Welsh speakers and 58,000 Gaelic speakers, along with thousands of learners across the UK.
28 January 2008
BBC Trust Approve Gaelic Digital Service
The BBC Trust’s decision to approve proposals for a Gaelic Digital Service has been welcomed by Gaelic Media Service (GMS) and BBC Scotland. GMS and BBC Scotland will now begin the process of implementing their joint plans for the launch of the new service.
18 December 2014
Govt To Announce Local Council Funding For 2015-16
The government is due to announce later today council funding grants for 2015-16. Councils have previously been warned that they will be facing average cuts of 1.8%, with the Local Government Association warning that services would "buckle under the strain".
22 May 2013
Hampshire Police To Sell Unused £11m Headquarters
An £11 million police headquarters, which has never been used in the five years since it was built, is to be sold. Alpha Park will be sold by Hampshire constabulary as it cannot afford to develop the site, the Guardian has reported. The site in Eastleigh was bought for £9.6m in 2008 and the force has since spent £1.
16 May 2013
NAO "Unclear" On Benefits of HS2 Project
With an estimated funding gap of £3.3bn, the National Audit Office (NAO) has warned that the economic benefits of the HS2 high-speed rail project are unclear. According to the BBC a report from the NAO highlights its “reservations” about growth and jobs being created by the proposed high-speed rail link.