BBC Scotland and the Big Lottery Fund have joined forces on Primetime, the biggest ever lottery cash award where Scottish viewers vote for the projects they want funded.

For Primetime, the Big Lottery Fund Scotland are looking for projects aimed at helping older people get together to keep healthy and active.

Then 18 projects will be chosen from around the country, which will be highlighted on a BBC Scotland television series next year.

Split into six regional areas, the winners from each region – voted by the public – will be in line for a £500,000 award.

The regional areas include; Highland and Islands, Edinburgh and Lothian, North East, Glasgow and West, Central and Fife, and Ayrshire and South Scotland.

Dougie Vipond, who also presents The Adventure Show and is a regular on Sportscene, said: "We are looking for ideas that will improve the health and well-being of the over 50s.

"We want people to get thinking ... not to be shy, to think big and be imaginative. It could be salsa classes, it could be hang-gliding for dare-devil grannies or a project bringing older and younger generations together."

Dorothy Paul said: "We all like to look in the mirror and say I'm looking quite good. We all have a bit of vanity in us and it is no bad thing. I say exercise for the mind, eat less for the figure, and giving up smoking is great for the face."

Alison Magee, chair of the Big Lottery Fund's Scotland Committee said: "At present Scotland's population is ageing faster than any other country in Europe. Half the population will be over 50 in ten years time.

"We want people in their 50s and over to be able to live life to the full, and share their skills, experience and talent for the benefit of the whole community."

In the initial launch period, when the project will be championed by MacAulay & Co and various other BBC Radio Scotland programmes, the aim is to get applications in.

Sample ideas of the kind of thing the Primetime project is looking for can be seen on a series of televised shorts, presented by Dougie Vipond, which will start broadcasting on BBC One Scotland and BBC Two Scotland from 1 June.

Further information is also available from 31st May at bbc.co.uk/primetime [3] with applications available to download from biglotteryfund.org.uk/primetime [4].

The public telephone number for applications is 0845 367 1020. The deadline for applications is 24th August 2007.