Five-Year Grant Secures After-School and Holiday Care at Heriot Country Kids

Five-Year Grant Secures After-School and Holiday Care at Heriot Country Kids

(IN BRIEF) Heriot Country Kids has been awarded a five-year grant from the Carcant Wind Farm Community Fund to fund a Lead Practitioner, securing its wraparound childcare provision. The club supports 18 families monthly—benefiting around 100 individuals annually—and is celebrated for its inclusive care for neurodivergent and disabled children. Operating near capacity (11 of 16 weekly places and 14–25 holiday attendees), the service is crucial to retaining young families in rural Heriot and safeguarding the village school’s future.

(PRESS RELEASE) EDINBURGH, 13-Jun-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Heriot Country Kids has secured vital five-year funding from the Carcant Wind Farm Community Fund to sustain its wraparound childcare services in Heriot. This grant will underwrite the salary of a Lead Practitioner, enabling the club to continue its high-quality after-school and holiday care offerings.

Each month, 18 local families depend on Heriot Country Kids, and over the course of a year approximately 100 children and adults benefit from its programmes. “We rely heavily on the Heriot Country Kids Afterschool Club and Holiday Clubs,” explains one parent, “because they provide top-quality, affordable care with generous hours in a rural setting—options elsewhere are either too costly, too far away, or don’t offer enough hours.”

Renowned for its inclusive ethos, the club excels at supporting neurodivergent children and those with disabilities. Staff are regularly commended for “going above and beyond” to tailor activities to individual needs, with one parent calling the club “the highlight of my son’s week.”

Despite limited premises, the club operates at near capacity—serving 11 children weekly (with room for 16) and hosting 14–25 youngsters per holiday session. Beyond serving families directly, the continued existence of Heriot Country Kids is critical for the village’s sustainability: without local childcare, young families may relocate, threatening Heriot Primary School’s enrolment and the community’s long-term vibrancy.

This five-year funding commitment ensures that Heriot Country Kids can keep its doors open, allowing families to remain in the village and secure essential childcare support well into the future.

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SOURCE: Foundation Scotland