Renfrewshire communities are being encouraged to apply to the newly reopened Ian Findlay Path Fund.

The £1.1 million fund, which has entered its third year, is urging Scottish communities to outline their plans for improving local active travel networks.

Administered by Paths for All, Scotland’s national walking charity, in conjunction with Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government, the Ian Findlay Path Fund (IFPF) is dedicated to backing projects focusing on encouraging more individuals to walk, cycle, or wheel for their everyday travels.

The emphasis of the fund is on improving local path networks catering to active travel.

With a further £1.168 million freshly injected into the fund, charities and other eligible groups are urged to act swiftly and contact the fund to explain their plans.

The scheme offers grants ranging from £10,000 up to £100,000 to applicable groups to help with the cost of delivering the project.

In addition to this, finance is available to cover the costs of precise design plans for projects still in their early developmental stages.

Yvonne McLeod, Senior Development Officer for the IFPF at Paths for All, said: "The time since the fund initially opened in August 2022 has just flown by and it is astonishing to look back and see just how much has already been achieved by communities all across Scotland in such a short space of time.

"The IFPF team has made a concerted effort to visit communities groups interested in applying, in a bid to learn more about their projects.

"It has been both very enjoyable and invaluable learning about how we can support groups to deliver a very wide range of projects.

"Helping them turn their vision into reality has been an absolute privilege.

"Seeing the difference the fund is making and speaking to the people who have benefited is quite humbling and is a fitting legacy for Ian Findlay, in whose name the fund was established."

Projects funded so far include the revitalisation of the historic Ardnish Path on the Isle of Skye and the creation of an entirely new active travel link for students, visitors and locals in the area of Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh.

Since its inception in 2022, the fund has allocated more than £2.5 million and backed close to 40 community-led projects.

The fund was named in honour of the late Ian Findlay CBE, the former chief officer of Paths for All, the unique scheme provides financial support, expert advice, and guidance.

The submission window for applications is open till February 2025, although there may be an earlier closure if all proceeds are assigned beforehand.

Interested groups should contact IFPF@pathsforall.org.uk for a discussion about their projects.

More information about the Ian Findlay Path Fund is located on the Paths for All website https://www.pathsforall.org.uk/community-paths/ian-findlay-path-fund.