Facts & Figures |
| Organisation Name: | Creetown Initiative Ltd (CI) |
| Individual Name: | |
| Area Served: | Creetown, Dumfries & Galloway |
| Population: | 640 |
| Sketch: | A scenic coastal village and popular tourist area. Creetown’s traditional sources of industry were mining and fishing, but these have now largely been replaced by tourism. Creetown’s demographics are changing as young people leave for the cities and retirees move to the area. This has highlighted the need for more and improved services to respond to the needs of an aging population. Creetown is also the venue for the largest country music festival in Scotland. |
| Legal Form: | Company Limited by guarantee with Charitable Status |
| Volunteers: | 30 |
| People Benefitting: | All the community |
| Staff: | 1 |
| Turnover: | £70,000 |
| Earned Income: | £20,000 |
| Assets: | Creetown Initiative does not own assets, but a new company has been formed (a Building Preservation Trust) that will own the church |
| Value of assets: | The church is currently worth £125,000. It is anticipated that it will be worth around £350,000 after the planned upgrade. |
Roots & Links |
| Origins: | In 2002 a group of local people came together to examine options for providing affordable housing in the Creetown area. Subsequently, in 2004 the Creetown Initiative was set up to address a range of local needs. In 2006 the initiative accessed funds to employ a full time project worker to take forward its regeneration plans. |
| Governance: | Any local resident can be a member and vote at the AGM. There are 7 Board members who are accountable to the membership. |
| Community Links: | CI works closely with the Balloch Community Woodland project (who are a sub group of CI, but they have their own constitution). CI works closely with the community council and also links with other community groups in the area on an informal basis. |
| External Links: | CI works closely with the Dumfries and Galloway Council, the Southern Upland Partnership and is potentially working with other initiatives in the future, such as the Moffat Initiative |
Activities |
| Physical Hub: | The first project undertaken by the Initiative was to look at locations for a new community hall. Three options were considered. A majority of the community voted for St Joseph’s Church. Currently extensive community consultation is being carried out to decide what facilities are needed in the new hall, as well as looking into issues such as access and a ‘green’ energy supply. |
| Builds Local Capacity: | The woodland project provides specific training for volunteers. CI have applied to Volunteer Scotland for funds to provide skills training (including computer skills) for local people. |
| Delivers Services: | To date CI has re-developed the local square through a community based arts project and undertaken extensive community consultation over plans to develop the new community hall where it is anticipated a range of services will be provided, as identified by local people. |
| Develops/Manages Property: | Currently developing St Josephs Church as a community hall. A new company is being set up to own and manage the hall. Determining the best uses for the two buildings that won’t be converted into a hall. The Waverley Hall and the old youth club are currently in council ownership. Council have agreed to sell the Waverley Hall and give CI at least 50% of the proceeds.
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| Other: | Rather than relying solely on grants, the Creetown Initiative is now using the expertise it has built up to undertake paid consultancy work assisting neighbouring community organisations with the development of funding proposals and feasibility studies. |
| Main Achievements: | - Transformation of the local square
- Completed a successful community consultation and acquired funds to develop an old church into a community hall.
- Worked with subsidiary, Balloch Community Woodland Project, in acquiring and enhancing 80 ha of woodland
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What Next |
| Biggest Challenge: | Working with the complex and challenging bureaucracy. Statutory bodies tend not to trust community groups, and yet we achieve so much. |
| Lessons Learned: | You can’t beat the system! |
| Aspirations: | -Take the Waverley Hall back into the town’s ownership, sell it, and put the proceeds towards the new community hall
-Refurbish the tennis courts
-Seeking funding for a post to develop a wind farm project in partnership with a local landowner
- Plan to continue to develop the consultancy business to develop financial sustainability:
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Contact |
| Name: | Andrew Ward |
| Title: | Projects Manager |
| Address Line 1: | 91 St John Street |
| Address Line 2: | DG8 7EL |
| City: | Creetown |
| County: | |
| Telephone: | 01671 820654 |
| Fax: | |
| Email: | creetown@btconnect.com |
| Website URL: | |
| District: | |
