Dalbeattie Community Initiative is seeking to win the votes of people across the whole of Dumfries and Galloway in a bid to gain funding through an ITV programme. Tension is mounting in communities across the Border Television area as the final shortlist of groups competing for viewers votes and a lottery grant of up to £50,000 was announced last week.

The Initiative's project, 'Faces of Stone', is one of the two Border TV area Scottish finalists in the Big Lottery 'Peoples Millions' funding programme aimed at transforming their local environment. Both projects will be featured on Border TV's Lookaround programme on Wednesday November 2 and the winner will be decided by the viewers who will be asked to vote. The winning project will then receive the funding to carry out their project.

The other Scottish finalist is the Argus Playgroup from Selkirk who are hoping to create a childrens' play area. The 'Faces of Stone' project aims to develop a sculpture trail in Dalbeattie Forest using natural outcrops of granite along the easy Access Trail as well as establishing a community carving site on a large rock face. This will be used to hold stone carving workshops and for members of the public and visitors to explore their artistic and creative talents.

The project will be a permanent feature in the forest and will open the way for wider visitor appeal and pay a fitting tribute to the granite industry which played such an important part in the prosperity of the area during the 19th century. Ian McMickan, Chairman of Dalbeattie Community Initiative, said: "This is a very exciting project for the town and we hope to use the funds to employ professional sculptors who will work with local schools and other members of the community to design some of the images to be carved onto the rock faces.

"The trail is an all access trail and will be suitable for people with mobility problems and those in wheelchairs. Dalbeattie has suffered from a lack of funding in the past. Financial support for this project will make the forest far more accessible for community use and would be a great boost for the morale of the whole community."

The Initiative will be seeking around £30,000 from the fund to go with the £5,000 already allocated by Solway Heritage from the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme. The project has the support of the local community and will be developed in conjunction with Forestry Commission Scotland who manage the site as part of the Ae Forest District. Pharmendra Kanani, Big Lottery Fund's Scotland Director, added: "The People's Millions is a fantastic opportunity for lottery players to have a direct say in where their lottery pound is spent. I have been highly impressed with the committment and enthusiasm of the people behind the projects which will face the public vote. I hope that ITV viewers will get behind these projects to help them revitalise their communities and make lasting changes where they are needed most".

Border TV have been out filming in Dalbeattie forest with the enthusiastic support of a group of schoolchildren from the local primary school and it will now be up to the viewers to decide where the money goes. 'Faces of Stone' is the only Dumfries and Galloway project in the final and Dalbeattie Community Initiative is asking that the whole region gets behind this project and cast their vote to ensure the funding comes to this area.