A TOTAL of 40 community projects from around the Borders have earned their share of £300,000 in the Localities Bid Fund.

Voting for projects who applied for a slice of Scottish Borders Council's community pot took place earlier this year.

And the winners were announced this week following a lengthy count.

Among the winners are Galashiels Community Council's bid for £15,000, Ashkirk-based charity Stable Life, who will also collect £15,000, Energise Galashiels' bid for £13,500, Selkirk Community Football Club's £13,500 project, and Selkirk's Incorporation of Hammermen's application for £15,000.

Walkerburn Public Hall scooped £13,500, while Peebles & District Men's Shed's bid for £10,281 was successful, as well as the £8,442 bid from St Ronan's Youth Club in Innerleithen.

The Town of a Thousand Trails p[roject in Hawick will collect £15,000 and the £15,000 Friends of Drumlanrig School bid earned enough votes.

Kelso Wheelers will collect £12,000 and Jedburgh Community Council's bid for £15,000 was also successful.

Councillor Sandy Aitchison, executive member for neighbourhoods and locality services said: “Congratulations to all the bids that were successful.

"I can’t wait to see these projects making a difference in our towns and villages right across the Borders in the coming months and years.

“I understand groups that have not been successful will be disappointed but we will offer them more funding advice if they want to continue to take their ideas forward."

The Localities Bid was first run in 2017.

But a tightening of the rules led to the second vote the following year being scrapped.

This year's vote was also plagued with IT problems, which prevented some votes being cast.

Mr Aitchison added: “Thanks should go to everyone who took time to cast their votes.

"After the first round of the fund in 2017 feedback suggested we should make the process more robust, which we did.

"We apologise if anyone didn’t find it as straightforward as they would have hoped but we will take all feedback on board.

“Localities Bid Fund was a pilot project so we will now take stock of everything and carefully consider how we approach participatory budgeting going forward.

“I am in no doubt, however, that wherever we go from here, Localities Bid Fund has been an important step in communities making decisions about local projects being funded."

The 2019 Localities Bid Fund winners...

Berwickshire: Sea the Change - £13,267, Eat, Sleep, Ride CIC - £3,090, Duns Swimming Pool - £9,558, Friends of Ayton Primary - £10,000, Health in Mind - £5,187, Connect Youth Berwickshire - will be offered remaining £7,270 from funding pot (original bid was £10,590).

Cheviot: Ancrum Fete Committee - £7,631, Jedburgh Community Council - £15,000, Nisbet Initiatives Collective - £3,600, Kelso Football Club - £3,330, Kelso Wheelers - £12,000, Bright Start Borders - will be offered remaining £9,006 from funding pot (original bid was £9,603).

Eildon: Borders Street Pastors - £405, Stable Life - £15,000, Selkirk Silver Band - £7,740, Galashiels Community Council - £15,000, Energise Galashiels - £13,500, Royal Scottish Country Dancing Society - £1,872, Interest Link Borders - £6,129, Borders Youth Theatre - £4,096, Selkirk Community Football Club - £13,500, Incorporation of Hammermen - £15,000, WorksPlus - £5,994, Selkirk & District Community Council - £1,644, Selkirk Regeneration Company - £15,000, Knowepark Parent Partnership - £3,231, Glendinning Terrace Primary Parent Teacher Council - will be offered remaining £1,690 from funding pot (original bid was £9,636).

Teviot and Liddesdale: Friends of Wilton Park - £7,650, Town of a Thousand Trails - £15,000, Friends of Drumlanrig School - £15,000, Escape Youth Services - will be offered remaining £2,430 from funding pot (original bid was £11,655).

Tweeddale: Walkerburn Public Hall - £13,500, St Ronans Youth and Community Centre - £8,442, Eastgate Theatre - £3,507, St Ronans Bowling Club - £4,577, Innerleithen & District Community Council - £4,315, Food Foundation - £5,220, Peebles and District Mens Shed - £10,821, Peebles CAN - £2,669, Peebles Callants - will be offered remaining £8,364 from funding pot (original bid was £13,500).