About the charity
Border Biscuits John Cunningham Trust (formerly Border Biscuits Community Support) was established in 2007 with the ambition to help and support causes in the local community through investment and leadership.
As a family-owned business, Border Biscuits is determined to create a positive legacy and
commits 10% of its profits every year to the charity.
In February 2021 we hit £1M donated to local groups and organisations.
Whether it is sprucing the outdoor environment, partnering with local schools
to promote learning activities or supporting the town's arts and events, we know there
are good causes out there which can benefit from our support.
OUR PROJECTS
CHARITY NAME UPDATE
Please be advised that Border Biscuits Ltd.’s charity ‘Border Biscuits Community Support’ has been renamed ‘Border Biscuits John Cunningham Trust’.
This change reflects our continued commitment to supporting the community while honouring the legacy and contributions of John Cunningham. Our mission and charitable work remain the same, and we look forward to continuing our support under our new name.
JOHN CUNNINGHAM CREATIVE CENTRE LAUNCHED
On Friday 7th November 2025, TV presenter and journalist Lorraine Kelly officially opened the ‘John Cunningham Creative Centre’ at Langloch Farm in Lanark – a vibrant new space created to foster creativity, community and learning.
Named in honour of Border Biscuits’ founder, John Cunningham, the centre stands as a beacon of opportunity and a place of learning for the Lanark community. Created in partnership with Clydesdale Community Initiatives (CCI), it will deliver up to 250 workshops and classes annually, covering everything from hands-on life skills like tool and bicycle repair and furniture upcycling to creative arts including music, stained glass, pottery, and sculpture.
The centre represents more than just a financial contribution from Border Biscuits’ charity, the ‘Border Biscuits John Cunningham Trust’. Border Biscuits’ staff were actively involved alongside CCI volunteers in the construction of the centre, picking up hammers, measuring tapes and saws to help make the project a reality. It was a meaningful way for Border Biscuits and CCI to be involved in the project.
The opening of the ‘John Cunningham Creative Centre’ marks not only another milestone for the trust, but also the continuation of John Cunningham’s vision and legacy of creativity, learning, and community.
5 YEARS OF SUCCESS WITH DISCOVER LANARK
For the past five years, Border Biscuits Community Support has proudly partnered with and supported Discover Lanark. Through this collaboration, Border Community Support has provided £200,000 in grant funding, enabling the successful implementation of Discover Lanark’s ambitious business plan.
Discover Lanark delivered projects over four key themes: appearance and access, business, community, and working to capitalise on Lanark and New Lanark’s tourism opportunities. Highlights include town centre regeneration projects such as Wallace House, improving the appearance of Lanark High Street’s closes, developing the Lanark website, introducing seasonal markets to Lanark, launching a marketing campaign supporting businesses in the wake of Covid-19, and many more. Furthermore, Border Biscuits Community Support not only helped financially with Jurassic Lanark, but staff also volunteered directly to help run the family-focused event in 2023.
Discover Lanark has been successful in a recent ballot of the town’s businesses, meaning that it will continue to deliver services for another five years until August 2029.
BORDER SUPPORTS LANARK AMATEUR MUSICAL SOCIETY (LAMS)
Border Biscuits continue to support LAMS produce high quality musical productions in Lanark.
LAMS most recent production of Legally Blonde: The Musical saw the cast grow in size, welcoming new members of all ages to participate in culture and the arts with their local musical theatre group
Staged at Lanark Memorial Hall, the show sold tickets to over 1,000 tickets to members of the local community from far and wide. The theatre group are now looking forward to their next production, The Wedding Singer, in March 2024.
BORDER SPONSORS JURASSIC LANARK
Border Biscuits was delighted to be the principal sponsor of the Jurassic Lanark 2022 event, now in its second year after the success of the initial event last summer. Running from Friday 25th of June – Sunday 14th of August, the Jurassic Lanark event proved itself to be a fun day out for all the family and a chance to let imaginations run wild while hunting down 25 life-size dinosaurs along the trail!
Those who successfully completed the trail could also enter a competition for the chance to win a Bumper Border Biscuit Bundle. An amazing 1,800 entries to the prize draw were received, but it was lucky winner Nicole Thomson who scooped the prize!
Border Community Support and Discover Lanark extend a huge thank you to everyone who supported Jurassic Lanark this summer and we hope to welcome you back soon.
BORDER COVID-19 BISCUIT DONATIONS PASS 150,000 MARK
In 2020, Border Community Support made a commitment to provide key workers on the frontline within the NHS and care homes with a small treat during their shifts.
During this unprecedented national crisis, Border Community Support temporarily lifted its criteria to support local, and delivered biscuits as far north as Shetland and as far south as London.
BORDER PARTNERS WITH ROTARY CLUB OF LANARK FOR FUNDRAISING SUCCESS
Border Community Support partnered with the Rotary Club of Lanark to help local clubs and organisations struggling to raise funds during the pandemic.
The two organisations had been working closely together on an annual Christmas project since 2012 and for the 2020 iteration, Border donated over 4,000 gift tins and cartons. This helped the Rotary Club of Lanark and over 20 local organisations raise more than £12,000 in sales, bringing the total raised over the lifetime of the project to over £100,000.
BORDER SUPPORTS THE LANARK COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TRUST
Over many years, Border has supported a range of projects delivered by Lanark Community Development Trust (LCDT).
Lanark's own website, now renamed 'Discover Lanark', was funded and set up by Border in 2012 to provide a platform for local news and information useful for both residents and visitors alike.
Touchscreens information points have also been installed at various locations around the town and the New Lanark Visitor Centre.
Other projects included Castlebank Park, The Wallace Rose Garden, Lanark Festivals, The Cameronian Memorial, St. Kentigerns Church and the Lanark Vision project which realised the area's natural and cultural gems to be explored and developed for business and tourism.
BORDER'S LIFETIME SUPPORT OF THE LANARK AND DISTRICT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY CONTINUES
Border has been a longtime supporter of LADAS and continues this with the 'Hands on History' project. Two illustrated 250-page historical books called 'Clydesdale's Curiosities' and 'Falls of Clyde' have been produced with the help of the community of Clydesdale, with the main aim to work with local schools and communities, bringing together the history of the Clydesdale area alive.
LOCAL VOLUNTEERING
BORDER'S VOLUNTEERING PROGRAM
We are very proud of the charitable work our employees get involved in within the community, thanks to Border Biscuit's volunteering program.
Apart from lending an extra pair of hands and learning new skills, the annual fully paid days also provide opportunities for everyone to make new friends and have fun at the same time!
WHO CAN APPLY
Border Biscuits John Cunningham Trust funding is available to projects located within Lanark. We consider each application based upon the benefit we believe the project will offer. As a result, we only support projects that fit within the following categories:
- SPORTS
- ARTS
- HERITAGE
- LEARNING
- EVENTS
- LEISURE/RECREATION
- DIGITAL
The following list sets out the types of groups and activities not eligible for Border Biscuits John Cunningham Trust support:
- National charities outside Lanark
- Non community projects*
- National or overseas projects
- Core statutory services
- Individuals
- Political/Religious groups
- Health
- Social Welfare
*A group does not have to be a registered charity to apply, however, the project must benefit the local community within the set boundaries.
APPLY TO GET SUPPORT
Applications are open for 20 days at the start of each month. We aim to respond to all applications, successful or not, within two weeks after the grant review.
Before applying to the Border Biscuits John Cunningham Trust, it is recommended that you read our guidance notes prior to submitting your application. If, after viewing our guidance notes, you are ready to complete your application form for Border Community Support, you can do so right here.
Once we have received your application, a member of our community support team will be in touch.
