SPAR Scotland has awarded a combined £13,000 to two grassroots organisations through its 2026 Community Cashback grant scheme.
The funding has been awarded to the Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit (CRRU) in northeast Scotland and Missing Pets Dundee & Angus, supporting their work across wildlife conservation and local communities.
CRRU has received the largest share, with a £10,000 grant to support its marine conservation, field research, education and emergency wildlife rescue work.
The charity will use the funding to support research into the seasonal distribution and migration patterns of minke whales along the outer Moray Firth coastline, as well as gathering scientific evidence to inform management of the Southern Trench Marine Protected Area.
The grant will also contribute towards data collection equipment, student projects and data analysis, while helping maintain CRRU's 24-hour volunteer marine mammal rescue service for sick, injured and stranded whales, dolphins and porpoises.
CRRU said community support creates “a powerful sense of purpose and connection”.
Founded as a charity in the late 1990s, CRRU provides field training, research opportunities and emergency rescue support in northeast Scotland. The organisation has no salaried staff and relies heavily on public donations, corporate sponsors and charitable grants.
Missing Pets Dundee & Angus is a volunteer-led community Facebook page that has been helping reunite lost and found pets with their owners. Photo: Handout
Meanwhile, volunteer-led Missing Pets Dundee & Angus has received £3,000. The community Facebook group has been helping reunite lost and found pets with their owners for around 13 years.
The funding will help cover essential equipment, repairs and replacements, as well as the costs associated with keeping the group's van on the road. It will also contribute towards volunteer fuel costs, driver insurance and drone pilot insurance.
“To be lucky enough to receive this grant is amazing and it lets us all carry on with what we do for pet owners, without the financial worries,” Jenni Paton from Missing Pets Dundee & Angus said.
The group relies on volunteers who conduct ground searches alongside their full-time jobs, while a smaller team searches for escaped house cats in the evenings.
Paton said the volunteers are “invaluable”, adding that the group could not continue without their commitment and teamwork.
SPAR Scotland said the latest grants form part of its wider support for local causes. Its parent company, CJ Lang & Son, distributes to more than 300 SPAR stores across Scotland and works with more than 150 local suppliers. Its carrier bag initiative has donated more than £1m to local charities and community groups since 2013.