The Coalfields Regeneration Trust has brought together volunteers running a new community venture in Fife and one of the UK’s largest oil companies.

As a result Shell U.K. Limited will send a team of volunteers from its Fife Natural Gas Liquids Plant at Mossmorran to give the former Royal Oak Social Club in Lochgelly a makeover.

The Royal Oak Social Club's Chairman Bob Thomson and his committee are transforming the Royal Oak in the town’s Main Street into a Community Club to cater for all age groups from mums and toddlers to pensioners.

Mr Thomson said: "The social club was dying on its feet, so we decided to reinvent ourselves and provide a facility to benefit the whole of Lochgelly.

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"We were delighted when the Coalfields Regneration Trust's Business Relationships Manager, Tom McAughtrie, offered to put us in touch with Shell.

"We can't thank Shell enough. The Royal Oak hasn't had a lick of paint for the last 20 years and we just don't have the funds to decorate the place on our own."

Mr McAughtrie commented: "The Coalfields Regeneration Trust sees itself as more than a funder, so we try to bring together the business community and voluntary organisations like the team behind the Royal Oak Community Club.

"Shell has a proud record of supporting community ventures in Fife and they readily agreed to take on this project as a team challenge."

Bill Burr, Project Manager for the Shell’s Rejuvenation Project looks forward to giving the Royal Oak a new look to match its new role in Lochgelly.

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust was formed in 1999 to help mining communities recover from the devastating effects of pit closures.

Since then the Trust has spent over £15m in Scotland supporting over 500 community-based and job creation projects in the hardest hit areas.

(GK)