Cash recovered from crime will help the youth of Lanarkshire

Jun 19 2008 by Alastair McNeill

YOUTH projects in Lanarkshire are to receive cash recovered under a proceeds of crime initiative.

Almost £1.2m is to be given to schemes across Scotland under the Government’s CashBack for Communities initiative.

And a total of £224,000 has been awarded to the North Lanarkshire area, with £144,698 going to South Lanarkshire.

North Lanarkshire projects include: Bellshill and Mossend YMCA, Bellshill; New Stevenston Youth Club; Reeltime Music, Motherwell and NCH North Lanarkshire Young Carers’ Project, Motherwell.

South Lanarkshire projects include: Kirkmuirhill and Blackwood Youth Forum, Kirkmuirhill; Machan Trust, Larkhall; Hamilton Information Project for Youth and Hamilton Universal Connections.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: “The Scottish Government is committed to giving our young people the opportunity to realise their potential and to be all they can be.

“It is therefore fitting that we are taking the money from criminals and using it to support youth projects in every part of the country.

“The devil makes work for idle hands so we want to ensure that our young people have positive things to do with their lives.

“We want to show them that there can be so much more to life than drink, drugs and offending.”