CDT discussion session with members
Monday 21st January 2013, White Church
Led by Alan Caldwell, CDT Board volunteer
Introduction:
The Board are hoping to recapture the feeling of the Trust at the start. In 2006 we set off on a journey with projects that people wanted to see happen. 6 years on and many are still going strong. For example, the Cinema Club is still selling out and the skateboard group has gone on to form the Comrie Youth Extreme Sports.
When Cultybraggan Camp came along, it dominated the volunteer effort of the Trust. Now the money side of things is beginning to improve and the Camp is on a more stable footing. 16 businesses operate at there, providing 50 full-time equivalent jobs in our community. There has been a significantly positive effect on our community because of the Camp.
But now we want to figure out how we can re-connect with good village ideas. There is no shortage of them, as the recently issued bulletin shows – the Heritage Group has some events planned and one of the Camp businesses would like to organise a pottery festival, for example.
So, what can the Trust do to help you with your idea?
- It can put people with a good idea in touch with volunteers
- It can offer the office facilities for meetings, office equipment, communications etc
- It can offer advice on fundraising, pitfalls learned from experience, advice, guidance and support where needed.
- It may be able to offer some financial assistance if the members agree that would be a good idea. Not money to make a project happen but perhaps some “thinking money” e.g. organise trips to similar projects to get advice and inspiration
- Groups could make use of the Trust’s existing charity status to make funding applications rather than go through the time consuming process of applying for their own.
- It can offer huts. The Board have been discussing an idea to make huts available to local groups or businesses as a step to help make their ideas happen.
- There is also an idea to have a fun version of Dragon’s Den where groups could pitch their idea to a panel
THREE QUESTIONS:
- Do you know of any good project ideas being talked about just now around the village?
- What do you think of the offer from the Trust (money, huts, structure etc)
- What do you think of the Dragon’s idea?
FEEDBACK AND IDEAS:
- Community Pub at the old Ancaster
- Microbrewery
- Forest floor products
- using non-commercial timber waste
- providing employment as well as skills training
- Forestry Commission may be able to help
- Comrie Peace Corp
- To help the elderly in the village
- Provide skills training
- Put the older generation in touch with the younger generation
- PA system
- Lots of music events happen in the village
- People enjoy it and support it
- Could use the structure of the Cinema Club
- Also involves training to use the equipment
- Outdoor cinema
- Name the roads at the Camp
- Postie has trouble finding some businesses
- Offer them to people to purchase – have a street sign named after them.
- Buy a sign with family name on it – pay per length
- It would make a community impression on the Camp to have village family names on there
- Sign at the Entrance to the Camp
- [note from Alan Caldwell – the Trust is currently allocating a sum of money to signage and road improvements as well as improvements to the listed Nissen huts]
- Offer of money is a great idea – projects visits are valuable for providing inspiration
- Quilting facilities
- This is a growing movement
- A hut with good lighting and space for tables and machines would be helpful
- Quilts made could also be exhibited at the Camp.
- Arts and Crafts Centre
- A big hut could be split into sections dedicated to different crafts
- Recycling/resuse centre
- A place to bring unwanted items that could be broken down into their component parts to be sold on for another use.
- If still functional, could be stored to be sold on.
- Could be repaired or freshened up for re-sale
- A vehicle for skills training in joinery, upholstery etc.
- Training Centre
- Run courses in practical skills
- Bring together people who have skills with those who need them and those who want to learn them
- Apprenticeships
- Micro-brewery – boutique gin
- Tourism – ideas to put the Camp on the tourist map
- International – links with Germany
- Community shares
- Storage for people who have a car they need to protect the value of.
- Heritage Centre
- Important to keep the theme of the Camp
- Many examples of similar sites people had visited.
- Arts and Crafts
- One off training events
- Apprenticeships
- Business studies students could be asked to come up with ideas.
- Connect people with skills with those that need them
- Recycling Centre
- Like a permanent freecycle
- Help people to recycle and declutter
- Auction house
- Sports
- Climbing boulders – nearest climbing centre is Stirling
- Pitch and putt – not long enough for a driving range
- Indoor sports such as table tennis and snooker
[note from Alan Caldwell – the Camp has been held back by a lack of changing and toilet facilities. The Trust is currently awaiting a funding decision. If successful, evnts will be easier to hold and these sports ideas can be developed]
- Funding – opportunity to benefit from the patronage of the Duke and Duchess of Strathearn (like Duchy originals in Cornwall)
Alan Caldwell thanked everyone for all their ideas. The only way to make these a reality is for volunteers to come forward and drive them.
Coming back to the questions posed. Did members think the idea of a friendly Dragon’s Den was good?
- It would be a good way to maintain the momentum of these ideas
- It would have to be serious as well as fun. Serious questions would need to posed to encourage people to build a good case and honestly assess problems form the start
- It might be a bit uncomfortable for some. A sense of being leapt upon and judgement being passed. It could kill stone dead a prohject with potential
- Perhaps provide an interim event to support ideas and help build a business plan.
- Provide support and advice first then help build.
- A mentoring evening.
- Could groups maybe nominate someone to present on their behalf?
- Yes – or perhaps they could be offered an alternative to “the den”
Alan thanked everyone for their feedback and asked people to continue to contribute their ideas via the suggestions boxes on the tables.
You can also continue to contribute ideas at the office which is open for drop-in Mon to Fri 9:30am to 1:30pm
Phone: 01764 670769 or e-mail: cdt@comriedevelopmenttrust.org.uk
