Local heritage focus in the first fund grants awarded in 2026
The first round of grants from the Inch Cape Construction Fund for 2026 have been awarded to five community groups from Cockenzie, Port Seton and Prestonpans with raising awareness of the area’s rich heritage as a key focus.
The five organisations will receive grants totalling almost £9,000 for a range of initiatives to boost the understanding and appreciation of local history, as well as to improve physical fitness and encourage participation in sport and outdoor activities.
The groups to receive funding are: Preston Lodge Women’s Hockey Club; Friends of Preston Tower; Battle of Prestonpans 1745 Heritage Trust; Beyond Boundaries East Lothian (BBEL), and Heritage Connections. Descriptions of their funded initiatives and the amounts provided can be found below.
The Inch Cape Construction Fund, managed by independent funder Foundation Scotland, has a total of £45,000 to award to community projects and initiatives during 2026.
Applications are open throughout the year for groups who would like funding for activities which help to:
- Improve physical and/or mental health and wellbeing
- Reduce isolation or loneliness within the community
- Increase access to education, learning and employment
- Improve the local environment
- Reduce food or fuel poverty
Grants are awarded roughly every three months and applications are encouraged from groups and organisations working to benefit residents of the nominated community council areas of Cockenzie and Port Seton, and Prestonpans.
More information about the fund and how to apply can be found on the Inch Cape Construction Fund page of the Foundation Scotland website.
The first grant recipients for 2026 are:
| Organisation | Initiative | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Preston Lodge Ladies Hockey Club | Funding the training of a club member to become a coach to support young player development and increase participation. | £1,922 |
| Friends of Preston Tower | Funds to produce an educational activity booklet and pay for tours for primary school students to raise awareness of the 15th century Preston Tower, strengthening community support of the historic tower house. | £2,000 |
| Battle of Prestonpans 1745 Heritage Trust | Contributing to the cost of a new mural to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Prestonpans Murals Trail while promoting local heritage. | £2,000 |
| Beyond Boundaries East Lothian (BBEL) | Funding water activity safety equipment including helmets and buoyancy aids to enable safe and inclusive participation for children of any ability at weekly activity sessions at Prestonpans beach. | £1,740 |
| Heritage Connections | Cost of bus transport for five local primary schools to visit Prestongrange and the Battle of Prestonpans Heritage Museum. | £1,228.75 |
To see all the organisations that have been granted funds since the Fund started in 2023 you can visit this page.
