Falkirk kids cash in on crime money

Cash seized from criminals has paid for over £850,000 of projects in the Falkirk district, benefiting some of the area's most deprived children.
Denny High School's Do It Dance project has blossomed with help from the Cashback scheme. Picture: Alan MurrayDenny High School's Do It Dance project has blossomed with help from the Cashback scheme. Picture: Alan Murray
Denny High School's Do It Dance project has blossomed with help from the Cashback scheme. Picture: Alan Murray

A total of £868,270 has been spent in Falkirk from the Scottish Government’s Cashback for Communities scheme since it began in 2008, which invests money confiscated from the proceeds of crime into good causes.

The money is distributed to local projects through national organisations such as the Scottish Football Association (SFA), Youth Link, Boxing Scotland and Creative Scotland.

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Among the projects benefitting in Falkirk were Larbert High School’s School of Football in partnership with Stenhousemuir FC; Denny High School’s Do It Dance programme with Creative Scotland; a Scottish Rugby Union programme at a number of primary and secondary; Youthlink/Barnardo’s work with vulnerable youngsters; sailing voyages with New Horizons; youth engagement with Falkirk Community Trust.

One of the success stories has been Denny’s Do It Dance extracurricular group which formed in 2008 which has helped the dancers perform in New York, at the Go Dance festival and support Glasgow’s bid for the Summer youth Olympics.

A further £17 million of funding has now been announced by the government that will be used to provide more opportunities and activities.

Justice Secretary and Falkirk West MSP Michael Matheson said: “I am extremely pleased to be able to announce a further £17 million of funding for the unique CashBack for Communities programme.

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“This substantial amount will go a long way to changing the lives of our young people and it seems only fitting that this money seized from the criminals who seek to peddle misery in some of our most disadvantaged communities is reinvested back in to those same areas.”

Applications for grants from the £17m will begin early in the summer.