Newcastleton & District Community Trust

Achievements and performance April 2023- Mar 2024

Trustees focus has been on implementing the outcomes of the previous community consultations; creating and planting a new woodland at  planning and consulting on existing path/trails and developing new ones to augment and complement the established network.  Once completed this will enhance and add value to our tourism assets as well as provide new perspectives and routes for the community.

Much effort has gone into designing and scoping the Active Leisure Hub on Holm Hill.  The multi-use facility is designed to host events to serve the active leisure marketplace as well as local needs.  It is ideally suited to exploit the new Kirkpatrick Coast to Coast road user now seen regularly crossing the Holm Hill. The location provides a spectacular panoramic view of the Liddesdale valley overlooking the community, making this an appealing venue for new outdoor related events as well as community uses.  The new community garden and gathering site below this incorporates accessible paths and shorter meandering walks.  The community have yet to decide on planting, but we hope to tackle this as soon as funding/resources are available.

Unfortunately, development work was halted on submitting the Active Leisure Hub for planning permission when it became apparent that the cost of connecting the capital build program to the grid network would be substantial making this financially unviable until Scottish Power invest in the village infrastructure. This work was due to be completed this year but has not been started and no timeframe from them has been provided to complete this. This is not the first time the Trust has been thwarted in its aims to deliver regeneration and build sustainable business models locally. Until Scottish Power Distribution make their upgrade plans known for the community this barrier also impacts on other development initiatives in the pipeline. 

Ongoing cost of living rises continue to have serious impact on many, community services continue to be in demand.  However,  momentum behind our youth initiative Innov8 continues to grow and this is going from strength to strength; we continue to see regular attendance of young people in both the Tue and Fri drop-in sessions. 

None of our achievements would be possible without the support of our staff team who continue to go above and beyond to help when its needed.  The range of service provision has expanded and we regularly host legal clinics to glass making workshops. Buccleuch House now definitely feels like home,  its warm friendly environment welcomes many of you from young and old and even though its only 2 yrs old we often comment how did we ever manage with out it!

Trustees and staff continue to strive to try to maintain current services but we also need your support to do this. If you would like to find out more about what is on offer or to volunteer to support what we do,  then please do come and talk to us.  We would like to do more but resources hold us back.

Financial review once approved at the AGM to be held on Tue 3rd Dec 2024 the approved accounts can be found here.