A GALASHIELS youth club has been awarded almost £14,000 to continue its good work.

TD1 Youth Hub received the grant of £13,914 from the Bank of Scotland Foundation to cover costs of supporting young people who risk making wrong lifestyle choices.

The Ladhope Vale youth club is one of three charities in the Scottish Borders to benefit from the latest round of Foundation funding.

Across Scotland, 46 charities shared £833,257 after successfully applying for cash in the first six months of this year.

Launched in 2013, TD1 Youth Hub works with young people aged from 11 to 19 years old, particularly those who come from chaotic backgrounds or who are young carers and may be disengaged with their community.

Many of the young people they engage with have negative perceptions about their community and themselves.

The charity offers a range of youth work opportunities, including drop-ins and one to one support work.

As well as contributing towards the cost of activities, the Medium Grant that TD1 Youth Hub has received from Bank of Scotland Foundation will pay for a Youth Worker to work directly with 10 to 14 year olds.

Douglas Ormston, manager at TD1 Youth Hub, told us: “This grant from Bank of Scotland Foundation is a welcome boost to our organisation as it will undoubtedly help us to change the lives of young people who need it the most and support them with their transition to adulthood.

"It is all about giving young people new opportunities and experiences which will help them grow, learn and develop.”

Bank of Scotland Foundation is one of the few grant makers who provide funding for core costs such as salaries, rent or running costs, giving charities some much needed stability in an increasingly challenging environment.

Philip Grant, chair of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, said: “Bank of Scotland Foundation’s Grants Programmes continue to attract some excellent proposals for short and longer term funding across a wide range of projects.

"We’re delighted our Medium Grant is able to support TD1 Youth Hub as they provide such a valuable service to young people in the area, helping them make the right decisions in life and feel more included in the community.

“We’re proud to be able to help support the great work that charities do for their communities across South Scotland and look forward to awarding further Grants later this year.”

Other local charities to benefit from the latest tranche are Galashiels-based Interest Link Borders, who received £6,325, and Peebles-based Tweeddale Youth Action, who collected £9,992.

The final tranche of the 2017 Small and Medium Grants is now open and charities have until 12 noon on October 6 to send in their applications.