The Crichton Magazine | 2022 | Issue 7

British National Road Championships

Welcome to the seventh issue of The Crichton Magazine.

We thought 2020 and 2021 were challenging years, but little did we know that 2022 would throw some new challenges our way. If we learned anything from the pandemic, we know our people, our places and our organisations are resilient and adaptable and that by working collectively we can rise to any challenge. It also taught us to look out for each other, to take time out for ourselves, to celebrate our achievements and to remain forward-thinking and optimistic about the future. Now is perhaps a good time to remind ourselves about the challenges and changes we have overcome and to trust that we can continue to overcome obstacles, to turn challenges into opportunities and to work together to achieve great things.

Here at The Crichton in 2022 we have faced challenges, but we have also celebrated some great achievements and in this issue of The Crichton Magazine, we want to focus on the achievements and celebrations and the opportunities for change.

Covid-19 touched all of us in different ways, personally and professionally, over the past few years and although it is still very much part of our lives and has changed some things forever, it has taken more of a back seat in most of our lives in recent months. Instead, we’ve had the devastating effect of the war in Ukraine to deal with, the passing of our longest-reigning monarch, rising energy costs, a cost of living crisis and, of course, the climate emergency to tackle. All of which, put a significant strain on our people, our places, our organisations and our planet.

We continue, where possible, to respond positively to challenges and our venues team have relished the opportunity to host live events again this year. As you’ll read in this issue, this has included some of the largest outdoor events we have ever hosted on site.

Our involvement in the local partnership response to welcoming Ukrainian families to the region, the ongoing appeal of The Crichton as a place to live, work, learn and collaborate, the ongoing success of our cafes, our contribution to Scotland’s Year of

Stories, achieving a Green Flag Award and making progress with the many projects that are currently underway at The Crichton to preserve and support the development of The Crichton are just some of the other achievements we are all very proud of this year.

We enter Autumn/Winter with an air of caution and concern about the possible impact of the economy, the climate emergency, ongoing war, the cost of living crisis, the uncertainty around Covid and in particular, the significant rise in energy prices and the subsequent and catastrophic impact on our energy bills and budgets at The Crichton.

Regardless, I am reminded that The Crichton has survived many challenges and so as the current generation of ambassadors at The Crichton, we will continue to embrace our role to protect, preserve and develop the legacy of The Crichton and will do so with the utmost determination to connect our people, our place and our past to shape the future.

Should you wish to work or collaborate with us on this next part of our journey, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

I hope you enjoy reading Issue 7 of The Crichton Magazine and that it inspires you to focus on your achievements and celebrations and to turn your challenges into opportunities whenever possible.

As this will be our last issue of the year, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our team, trustees, tenants, partners, suppliers, contractors and customers for their ongoing commitment and contribution to life at The Crichton and, of course, to wish you all the best for the new year ahead.

Gwilym Gibbons Chief Executive

AN UPDATE FROM THE CRICHTON

by Gwilym Gibbons, Chief Executive, The Crichton Trust

This feels like a good time to reflect on the months that have past since our last magazine, but also the time to focus our minds on what we hope to overcome, achieve and celebrate by the end of the year, and in the years ahead. Coming through, hopefully, the worst of Covid and seeing the gradual return of events, holidays, more familiar work practices and social activities, has meant we have enjoyed a fun-filled Spring and Summer of events, gatherings and celebrations, but at the same time tackling some significant challenges, which will continue to form the focus of our work in the coming months.

We are fortunate that due to some forward planning during the pandemic and the launch of a refreshed strategic plan in December 2021, we secured a grant from The UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund earlier this year to carry out important research and development projects and feasibility studies, which we hope will help us weather some of the storms ahead of us.

OUR TEAM

Like most organisations, particularly those involved in hospitality, we have struggled to fill some of our vacancies recently, but thanks to the commitment of our existing team members and the successful appointment to a few key roles, we now have a strong team behind us.

Naturally, we have also said farewell to a few members of the team, including Susan Sutherland who recently retired from her role as Head of Corporate Business, to Margaret Burton who retired from her role as a Trustee and to Sarah-Jane Burns, our Business Development Manager. I would personally like to thank Susan, Margaret and Sarah-Jane for all their hard work and commitment during their time at The Crichton Trust.

Following a recruitment drive earlier in the year, we were pleased to welcome four new trustees to The Crichton Trust Board and more recently to welcome two new colleagues to the Senior Leadership Team. You can read more about our new recruits later in the magazine.

AN EVENTFUL SUMMER

After many months of closed doors, staff shortages, limited service and reduced menus due to Covid and associated restrictions, we are pleased to have fully re-opened our venues, welcomed new and returning customers to our halls and cafes and to have enjoyed a busy summer of indoor and outdoor events, including music, charity, Jubilee, sports, business, community, education and family events, festivals and gatherings, many of which are featured throughout the magazine. We were particularly pleased to see events like The Royal Burgh of Dumfries Tattoo, the Doonhame Festival, British Cycling National Time Trial Championships and Year of Stories events going ahead on the grounds this year and to see the return of business events, weddings, graduations, awards dinners, concerts and charity events too. We have many more events to look forward to in the run up to Christmas and as ever, we would draw your attention to The Crichton What’s On Guide for the latest schedule.

Following the phased opening of Crichton Central, we are starting to see more demand for our meeting rooms, co-working space, memberships and our live lounge and event spaces at Crichton Central too. If you haven’t visited yet, please pop in and say hello.

THE CRICHTON COMMUNITY

We also experienced many changes to our business and third sector communities during the pandemic, but with this came the opportunity to welcome new tenants and partners to The Crichton and in recent months have been getting to know them better and doing what we can to increase engagement within the growing community of business, third sector and academic organisations on site. To encourage collaboration on site, we have continued to host Monthly Tenants’ Forums, quarterly Crichton Briefings and regular Walk and Talk and Coffee and Chat sessions for tenants and partners. Check out The Crichton Directory on our website for more information about The Crichton Community and for the latest availability of offices, salons and studios to let. Throughout this year we have featured many of our tenants in a series of Small Business Saturday posts and you can read about some of them on our social channels and throughout the magazine. It has been great to see tenants coming together socially too and I thank Sarah-Jane for hosting the community picnic in June and for providing regular opportunities for coffee, chat and walks too.

UK COMMUNITY RENEWAL FUND

In November 2021, we successfully secured £979,710 from the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund. With deadlines for expenditure and reporting by December 2022, the delivery timescales are challenging, but this funding has enabled us to take significant steps forward on a number of the feasibility studies and research projects outlined in our Strategic Planning Framework. Led by Jennifer Challinor, Head of Research and Development and supported by a project team and various consultants, these projects include everything from developing a Masterplan for the Ladyfield site in Dumfries to researching the feasibility of a District Heating System for The Crichton, the development of a 100 Year Plan for green spaces at The Crichton and a design competition for the proposed Centre for Memory and Wellbeing. It is hoped that the research and studies carried out this year, will help to secure further funding to develop plans and deliver on these important projects in the months and years ahead.

GREEN FLAG AWARD

Throughout the year, representatives from across our teams pulled together to prepare our submission for a Green Flag Award. Following an assessment of our written plan, desk-based research into our online presence and a site visit from a panel of judges in the summer, we were successfully awarded a Green Flag from Keep Scotland Beautiful for 2022/23. The flag now flies outside Easterbrook Hall and will require an ongoing commitment to work towards maintaining and improving our standards on all aspects of the site management plan if we want to retain the accreditation in future years. My thanks to everyone involved in achieving this award for The Crichton Trust.

WELCOMING THE UKRAINIAN COMMUNITY

With many Ukrainian families fleeing war in Ukraine, The Crichton Trust joined forces with various local partners to support a collaborative response to welcoming Ukrainian’s to Dumfries and Galloway. We have been supported by volunteers from local businesses, charities, employees, suppliers, churches, individuals and community groups all willing to help in different ways and we are extremely grateful for their kindness, generosity and support. As part of our efforts to make The Crichton a welcoming place for the Ukrainian community, we created a sunflower field (Ukraine’s national flower) in our grounds, added Ukrainian dishes to our menu in Easterbrook Bistro, promoted Easterbrook Bistro as a Ukrainian café and we are currently in the process of adding workshops and activities aimed at the Ukrainian community to our schedule of events taking place at The Crichton. Thank you to everyone who has supported us with this project.

GOING, GOING…GREEN

With the urgency to address climate change and our commitment to achieving Net Zero, we were pleased to have supported Scotland’s Climate Week at the beginning of October. Although we continue to take steps to reduce our Carbon footprint through various local initiatives, we utilised Scotland’s Climate Week to run an online campaign (GOING, GOING…GREEN) to showcase the work of our tenants and partners on their GOING, GOING…GREEN journey. You can read the case studies on our blog or later in the magazine. With thanks to Rachel and colleagues at Natural Power, Scottish Woodlands and Carbon Capture Scotland for championing Scotland’s Climate Week this year.

THE CRICHTON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

THE CRICHTON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

On top of core work and existing projects, The Crichton Trust has joined forces with partners to support the regional response to Ukrainian resettlement in Dumfries and Galloway and following a successful bid to The UK Community Renewal Fund, which secured £960,500, the Trust has been able to progress with numerous research and feasibility studies for several exciting and transformational projects at The Crichton. Key projects are outlined in the following pages.

THE UK COMMUNITY

RENEWAL (CRF) PROJECTS

MASTERPLAN FOR A 21ST CENTURY VILLAGE

The Crichton Trust is developing a detailed masterplan for The Ladyfield site in Dumfries which, in line with the Local Development Plan 2, seeks to dovetail the Ladyfield site with The Crichton. The land, currently owned by Dumfries and Galloway Council but once part of The Crichton portfolio, has been allocated for housing development for over 10 years. By working with experienced architects and consultants to develop the masterplan, The Crichton Trust hopes to influence the future use of the land, but this depends on whether Dumfries & Galloway Council adopts the masterplan as Planning Guidance.

The Crichton Trust aims to deliver an ambitious model of carbon-neutral, connected, smart, age-friendly housing. The masterplan will draw out the unique characteristics of the existing historic, social and natural setting to develop a masterplan for an aspirational and outstanding intergenerational community, married with best practice approaches to energy, conservation, active travel, housing, education and skills.

The development of the masterplan marks a further important milestone in the evolution of The Crichton Quarter into an integrated, nationally significant sustainable 21st Century community. Following months of planning, surveys, audits and community engagement events, the masterplan is near completion and will be submitted to Dumfries and Galloway Council by the end of the year.

The masterplan is being managed by Collective Architecture on behalf of The Crichton Trust, with support from RaeburnFarquharBowen, Buro Happold, nbm Construction Consultants and South of Scotland Community Housing. This collaborative team has a vast range of complementary skills and experience to create a transformative vision for Ladyfield.

More information can be found online Home - Love Ladyfield?

THE CRICHTON CENTRE FOR MEMORY AND WELLBEING

A design competition is currently underway to replace Merrick, the former hospital laundry, to create The Crichton Centre for Memory and Wellbeing; a new internationally important home to mental health, wellbeing and arts research and learning. This ambitious £15 million project will be one of the most significant cultural buildings in Scotland, transforming cultural provision in Dumfries and Galloway, while complementing and enhancing existing facilities at The Crichton.

This project will support an application for UNESCO Memory of World Status for The Crichton Royal Archive, currently in the custodianship of Dumfries and Galloway Council and NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

Part of this project also includes the need to develop a new purpose-built home for SHAX, the charity who currently occupy Merrick (see SHAX Project below) and the development of a Crichton Quarter-wide carbon neutral Neighbourhood Energy Scheme to include a mix of hydrogen, solar, ground source and waste to heat capture (see Neighbourhood Energy Scheme below)

The design competition for the Centre for Memory and Wellbeing recently attracted the largest response ever to a RIAS design competition with each of the shortlisted teams showcasing creative and intriguing collaborations across architecture and beyond. More information about the Crichton Centre for Memory and Wellbeing Project can be found online Crichton Centre for Memory and Wellbeing | The Crichton Trust and The Crichton Project

SHAX PROJECT

SHAX, a homeless support charity, currently occupies Merrick at The Crichton. As part of the proposals to development Merrick as the new Centre for Memory and Wellbeing (see Centre for Memory and Wellbeing above), The Crichton Trust is committed to working with SHAX to support the development of a new purpose-built home for them at The Crichton. In May 2021, SHAX, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with The Crichton Trust to formalise their shared commitment to the development.

Founded in February 2012, SHAX is an award-winning re-use furniture social enterprise and charity helping people in new and low-income households to start and sustain a home and provides essential support services and household supplies to those who find themselves homeless, living in poverty or in temporary accommodation. The SHAX warehouse is well-stocked with pre-loved furniture and household goods which as well as reducing the amount of household waste going into landfill, enables SHAX to generate income to fund client support services.

Merrick has served them well, but it is no longer fit for purpose and is prohibiting the growth and expansion of their salesroom and support services. SHAX and The Crichton Trust are exploring the possibility of new purpose built, low carbon premises for SHAX at The Crichton.

Anyone who would like to support the project can contact Joyce Harkness by email: joyce.harkness@shax.org.uk

EASTERBROOK HALL REDEVELOPMENT

As part of The Crichton Trust’s ambition to create a venue that is fit for the 21st Century, the Easterbrook Hall Redevelopment Project aims to ensure the venue meets or exceeds the needs and expectations of touring artists and is a venue of choice for conferences, weddings, meetings, concerts, celebrations, shows, concerts and broadcasts.

As one of the largest venues in the South of Scotland, Easterbrook Hall has the potential to compete with other venues of this scale throughout the country, but in order to meet industry standards it is in need of an extensive refit.

Plans include the need for a technical refit of backstage areas and Charcoal Blue have recently completed a technical feasibility study which would see improvements to lighting, sound and streaming technology.

Planning permission is also being sought to improve front of house and backstage access and facilities, which would improve the experience of the public, backstage teams and event organisers.

Consultants, architects and structural engineers are currently on board to support the feasibility studies that are required to take this project forward, while David Williams has been appointed to explore future business models and an audience development strategy.

This is a long-term project that will require substantial investment, but one that could make a significant difference to the South of Scotland.

LOCAL HEAT ENERGY NETWORK

The Crichton Trust is also using funding from The UK Community Renewal Fund to assess the feasibility of a Local Heat Energy Network. It is understood that the Dumfries Basin Aquifer could provide an accessible supply of low-grade heat at shallow depths that could be utilised as a source of renewable heat for The Crichton, so The Crichton Trust intends to assess the feasibility of capturing this heat and distributing it to the estate via a Local Heat Energy Network.

Due to the rising and fluctuating gas prices as a result of various external factors, The Crichton Trust has decided to accelerate their programme for the development of a Local Heat Energy Network for The Crichton Quarter with the intention of increasing energy security, reducing the cost of heating and power and to progress with their goal of becoming carbon neutral.

The Crichton Trust is therefore keen to explore the full potential of a Local Heat Energy Network for The Crichton Quarter, for both the short and long-term and is working with Natural Power to carry out a feasibility study by the end of the year. Initial findings should determine whether to progress with more detailed techno-economic feasibility work.

More information about plans for a Local Heat Energy Network can be found online https://www.crichton.co.uk/projects/heat-network-development/

THE CRICHTON SKILLS ACADEMY

The Crichton Trust has a bold vision of developing The Crichton Skills Academy to combat current and future skills gaps and to help build a sustainable economy in the South of Scotland. Based in the grounds of The Crichton, it aims to develop situational learning using its buildings, grounds, businesses and partnerships as assets for practical skills development, underlined by entrepreneurial skills development and net zero transition.

Already becoming known as a testing ground for innovation, a key driver for this work is to embed The Crichton Trust as a top destination for homegrown innovation developing first class skills for young people, reskilling an older population and generating inward migration of innovation and investment from other parts of the UK and overseas.

The physical assets at The Crichton can provide situational skills development in areas such as; horticulture, arboriculture, agriculture, countryside management, hospitality, tourism, events, venues, tech and construction. It is hoped that The Skills Academy would foster entrepreneurship and innovation through creativity, rather than focus solely on employment and employability.

Although there are barriers to overcome, initial research suggests that there is support for The Crichton Trust to develop Situational Learning opportunities and to inspire the ambition of people of all ages in the region. There is recognition that the process will be complicated and will require significant investment, however with true and meaningful partnership working, The Crichton Trust believe that this vision can be realised.

100 YEAR PLAN FOR GREEN SPACES

The Crichton Trust has engaged the services of Duncan Hall from Duncan Hall Garden Design to work with colleagues and partners to develop a 100 Year Plan for Green Spaces at The Crichton.

Given the nature of the project, the plan will evolve over many years, but work has already started on creating a Green Spaces Vision document to set out the vision and ideas for different parts of the estate. The plan is to work to a phased plan with short, medium and long-term development projects, with some expected to begin as early as 2023.

By the end of 2022, The Crichton Trust hopes to release details of the vision to enable colleagues, partners and the wider community to engage in and support the evolving plan.

The 100 Year Plan ultimately aims to enhance the wellbeing of the local community, contribute to Net Zero ambitions, develop spaces that inspire and enable creativity and increase biodiversity.

The plan will enhance green spaces for outdoor events, play and learning, develop new opportunities for volunteering, employment and skills development, create new areas of cultural and horticultural interest, develop areas where home-grown produce, wildflowers, and wildlife will thrive, preserve and restore historic features and structures, champion environmental, wellbeing, community and commercial initiatives, encourage active travel and healthy lifestyles and improve access, infrastructure and interpretation.

These projects are supported by The UK Community Renewal Fund. The UK Community Renewal Fund is a UK Government programme for 2021/22. This aims to support people and communities most in need across the UK to pilot programmes and new approaches to prepare for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.  It invests in skills, community and place, local business, and supporting people into employment.   For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ uk-community-renewal-fund-prospectus

OTHER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

CONNECTED HOMES

Connected Homes was a pilot project based in Dumfries that sought to explore the ways in which digital connectivity, data-driven services and home life are interconnected in a rural area.

Households are increasingly reliant on digital connectivity for many aspects of their daily lives, accessed via ‘lively technologies’ including tools, devices, and systems used for remote working, online learning, platform-based consumption, telehealth and digitallymediated care, streamed entertainment, and for digitally mediated relationships, technologies assessed via platforms, social media, mobile apps, smart devices, and sensors. Given this reliance, it is important to understand how connected homes meet the needs and desires of households so that they can better support household wellbeing.

Four local households were recruited to take part in household focus groups, walking interviews, and co-creation design methods including diary elicitation and a collaborative design workshop to better understand how connected homes can meet the needs and desires of households, enhance people’s home lives, and make Dumfries a good place to live.

The project is part of an ongoing collaborative partnership between the University of Glasgow and The Crichton Trust. Both organisations are keen to secure funding to build on this pilot project by facilitating a larger study.

The final report from the local study is available on The Crichton Trust website

Connected Homes | The Crichton Trust

KTP ASSOCIATE – DIGITALISATION FOR DECARBONISATION

Sonam Norbu has recently been appointed as a KTP Research Associate with The Crichton Trust in partnership with the University of Glasgow and is located in Grierson House at The Crichton along with other colleagues in the Research and Development Team.

Sonam is from Bhutan, where he completed a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from the College of Science and Technology (CST) at the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) in 2007, before achieving a Master of Engineering in Power Electronics & Drives from Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science at Hindustan University in India in 2010.

Sonam is currently working towards his final submission of his PhD thesis at the Institute of Sensors, Signals and Systems, the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. His PhD research is focused on exploring the issues of enabling resilient energy communities or local microgrids using the tools from distributed AI (specifically multi-agent systems) and cooperative game theory. Sonam’s research efforts and aspirations can be accessed at Sonam Norbu Google Scholar.

In his role as KTP Associate, Sonam will be involved in developing a dynamic energy audit model of The Crichton. He will focus on identifying realistic decarbonisation pathways to net-zero and will explore implementation of various innovative multivectoral smart local energy systems.

Enquiries about these projects can be directed to crichtonquarter@crichton.co.uk

UKRAINIAN RESETTLEMENT PROJECT

The Crichton Trust is one of several partners involved in supporting the work of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Resettlement Board and associated workstreams. As a result, colleagues from The Crichton Trust have been actively working with partners to provide accommodation, activities and initiatives to welcome Ukrainian families to the region. As part of their response, The Crichton Trust also created a sunflower field, has been flying the Ukrainian flag outside Easterbrook Hall, is promoting Easterbrook Bistro, Bar and Spa as a Ukrainian Café and Learning Centre and has been involved in a partnership project set up to offer bicycles on a short-term loan basis from a community bike shed.

All of this work has been supported by volunteers and donors from a variety of organisations including local trades, businesses, charities, community groups, churches, colleges and universities, as well as employees, trustees, tenants and suppliers. Many have volunteered their time and talents to support the project, while others have generously donated goods and services to ensure Ukrainian families felt safe, comfortable and welcome when they arrived in Dumfries and Galloway. The support has been gratefully received.

THE PLATINUM JUBILEE

On the 6th February 2022, The Queen became the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of service to the people of the UK, the Realms and the Commonwealth.

Celebration events took place throughout the year and on 28th May 2022, we welcomed the Annan Town Band to the Crichton Memorial Church where they hosted their Summer Jubilee Concert. The evening directed by Musical Director, Andrew Warriner was a fantastic way to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee locally.

Jubilee celebrations culminated in an extended Bank Holiday weekend from the 2nd to the 4th June.

THE LONGEST REIGNING BRITISH MONARCH

Sadly, in September 2022, we joined the rest of the country in mourning the passing of The Queen. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was aged 96 years, and the longest-reigning British monarch, when she passed away on Thursday 8th September 2022 at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire.

THE QUEEN’S TREE AT EASTERBROOK HALL

On the 18th September, the day before The Queen’s State Funeral, Alison Hall, Deputy Lord Lieutenant, laid a wreath at the base of The Queen’s Tree outside Easterbrook Hall at The Crichton. The beautiful Maple was planted by HM Queen Elizabeth II on 14 July 2010 with help from our Head Gardener, Gary McCormick.

Gary joined the wreath-laying ceremony along with colleagues; Gwilym Gibbons (Chief Executive), Dr David Hall (Trustee) and the Rt Hon David Mundell MP, who was also present for the original tree planting back in 2010. A short period of reflective silence was observed at the end of the ceremony in thanks and admiration for The Queen’s long life and service.

Photograph: Alison Hall DL, Rt Hon David Mundell MP, Dr David Hall, Trustee of The Crichton Trust, Gwilym Gibbons, Chief Executive of The Crichton Trust and Gary McCormick, Head Gardner of The Crichton Trust.

NEW APPOINTMENTS AT THE CRICHTON TRUST

RACHEL COWPER

Back in May, Rachel Cowper commenced her role as Chief Operating Officer at The Crichton Trust and is working closely with Chief Executive, Gwilym Gibbons, to drive forward the strategic ambitions of The Crichton Trust.

Rachel joins the Trust from the University of Glasgow where she was the Programme Director, responsible for the leadership and strategic management of Children’s Neighbourhoods Scotland programme.

Rachel has extensive experience and a successful track record in leading third and public sector organisations, developing and implementing strategic plans and managing finances, people, organisations and change, but she is most passionate about the health and wellbeing of children and young people and is an enthusiastic advocate for outdoor play and learning.

As a core part of the role, Rachel will also oversee and support the Heads of Service (Corporate Business, Venues and Property) to fulfil their roles and will have responsibility for managing and developing teams, finances and partnerships at The Crichton.

Rachel is optimistic about her new role and the contribution she can make at The Crichton. She said: “I am honoured to have taken on the role of Chief Operating Officer at The Crichton Trust and to have the opportunity to work in such a beautiful location with so much history and ambition. I fully resonate with the Trust’s ambition to ensure that people of all ages will continue to have access to and benefit from The Crichton and all that it has to offer. I am particularly keen to help promote the use of the outdoor spaces and build on the strength of business and academic community to ensure that the legacy of The Crichton as a place for learning, healing, health and wellbeing continues. It has been a busy start, but it has been a pleasure getting to know the team and partners and learning more about The Crichton and the organisaton.”

Rachel is based in Grierson House at The Crichton and has been busy meeting colleagues, tenants, trustees, partners, suppliers and customers. If you haven’t met Rachel yet, there will be plenty of opportunity in the weeks and months ahead.

Alex Banwell commenced his role as Head of Finance and Corporate Business at the end of July and now has responsibility for financial management, governance, budgeting, reporting and forecasting. As part of his role, Alex also manages the external consultants contracted by The Crichton Trust to deliver accountancy, ICT, Marketing and Communications and HR functions on behalf of The Crichton Trust.

Alex, who reports to the Chief Operating Officer, leads and manages a multidisciplinary Finance and Corporate Business team, ensuring sound governance in relation to financial management and processes, project management, human resources and relationship management, Trust administration, performance management and ICT systems, with direct line management responsibility for Trust administrators, admin assistants and project teams.

Alex is also a Trustee of The Usual Place in Dumfries and an active member of

NEW TRUSTEES

BANWELL

the Finance Committee of the Scottish Ornithologists Club.

Alex, who has over 20 years’ experience as an Accountant and Auditor in both the public and private sectors, finds himself back in familiar territory at The Crichton following his role with Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership (DGHP).

Speaking about his new role, Alex said: “It’s been great returning to work at The Crichton and getting to know my new colleagues. This is an important role for The Crichton Trust and particularly important in these challenging times.”

Gwilym Gibbons, Chief Executive of The Crichton Trust added: “Alex joins us at a crucial time for the organisation, so we are very pleased to welcome him to the team and to benefit from his extensive knowledge and expertise in financial and corporate management.”

The Crichton Trust has also benefited from the expertise of four new trustees this year.

The Chair of the Board; Dr Ian Macmillan (left) and Chief Executive of The Crichton Trust; Gwilym Gibbons (back right) welcoming (from left to right); Sheena Horner, Danielle Marlow, Tricia Hunter and Dr David Hall to The Crichton Trust.

ALEX

MEET THE TEAM

SENIOR

Gwilym Gibbons

Chief Executive

Gordon Clark Head of Property Services

Fiona Rands Head of Venues

Alex Banwell Head of Finance and Corporate Business

Rachel Cowper Chief Operating Officer

Jennifer Challinor Head of Research and Development

Gary Mappin

Philip Jones

Dr Laura Douglas

Paul Dickson

Danielle Marlow

Dr Janet Brennan

Kate Thomson QPM (Vice Chair)

Dr Ian Macmillan (Chair)

Sheena Horner

Dr David Hall

Tricia Hunter

THE CRICHTON SCOOPS GREEN FLAG AWARD

On the 26th July 2022, environmental charity, Keep Scotland Beautiful, announced that The Crichton and Dock Park in Dumfries had been awarded a Green Flag Award for 2022/23. The accolade acknowledges quality green spaces across the country and recognises the role they have in boosting the health and wellbeing of the nation.

The international Green Flag Award is administered in Scotland by Keep Scotland Beautiful and acts as a benchmark for recreational outdoor space. The award celebrates well maintained parks and greenspaces and supports the opportunities that they provide to enable exercise, improve mental wellbeing and provide safe areas for play – something that has been particularly important to everyone over the last couple of years. Across the UK 2,208 parks have achieved the award this year – with a growing number of them in Scotland. Amongst the 2022 award winners are spaces managed by local authorities, community groups and various other organisations.

Jamie Ormiston, Beaches and Parks Officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful, commented: “I would like to congratulate all of Scotland’s award-winning parks. Receiving this

prestigious international benchmark recognises all the hard work that has gone into maintaining and managing these precious green open spaces. As the only accreditation for park management of its kind in Scotland, we have supported local authority teams, land managers and communities across Scotland to drive up environmental standards at many of our parks and open spaces for residents and visitors alike.”

He added: “Parks attract a diverse range of visitors, all of whom look for different facilities and have different expectations. The Green Flag Award, and the collective expertise of managers and communities across Scotland, drives improvements through a framework which supports the management of our environment, our wildlife and the people who visit.”

Gwilym Gibbons, Chief Executive of The Crichton Trust said: “We are grateful and delighted to receive Green Flag accreditation from Keep Scotland Beautiful this year.  The Crichton is a beautiful and much-loved 85-acre parkland estate in Dumfries and as custodians of the estate, we are very proud and honoured to fly the Green Flag on site. I would like to take this opportunity to thank colleagues for their dedication to The Crichton and for their part in achieving this award. It is important that we also acknowledge the vision and expertise of all those who created, respected and

developed The Crichton in years gone by. Thanks to them, The Crichton has an established reputation as a place for healing and wellbeing. Locals and visitors truly appreciate, value and benefit from our green spaces and while we have much to celebrate, we also recognise that in order to preserve the legacy of The Crichton for others to enjoy in the future, we still have much more to do. As a natural fit with our strategic aims, we are fully committed to using the Green Flag framework to develop, protect and enhance our green spaces.”

Photo: Michaela Bitsanis from The Venues Team joined Head Gardener Gary McCormick and Gardeners; Robin Tilson and Steven Carson from The Crichton Trust to raise the Green Flag at The Crichton. L to R: Michaela Bitsanis, Gary McCormick, Steven Carson and Robin Tilson.

There was a double cause for celebration in Dumfries, with neighbouring Dock Park maintaining its Green Flag status for another year too.

Chairperson of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Communities Committee, Cllr Archie Dryburgh and Vice Chair Cllr John Campbell, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled that Dock Park has again been recognised by Keep Scotland Beautiful and are proud to hang the Green Flag on the Dock Park flag pole. Our Council continue to invest in parks across the region, and we have a great selection of open spaces for locals and visitors alike to explore. Dock Park continues to prove a popular destination for children to play. Thanks to Keep Scotland Beautiful for once again recognising Dock Park in their green flag awards.”

Keep Scotland Beautiful celebrates sustainable and well managed parks and green spaces across Scotland. A detailed map of Scotland’s Green Flag sites can be found at: www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/parks

MEET BRIAN OUR VOLUNTEER RANGER

If you visit The Crichton you may already have bumped into Brian. Brian joined The Crichton Trust as our first ever Volunteer Ranger earlier his year - the perfect role if you love being outdoors and if you love The Crichton!

We are grateful to Brian for volunteering his time to help us keep The Crichton a safe, clean and welcoming place.

If you see Brian around, please stop and say hello and free to let him know about anything you spot on your visit that you think may be of interest to us, whether that's something that needs repaired or something that you've enjoyed about your visit!

Thank you Brian, we appreciate everything you're doing to support us at The Crichton.

In 2022, Year of Stories in Scotland, The Crichton Trust has taken to sharing the experiences of former staff, patients and residents of The Crichton Royal through a creative performance entitled Up the Middle Road.

The project began in 2020 with the appointment of Dr Valentina Bold, the first Heritage Officer at The Crichton Trust, responsible for the delivery of The Crichton Oral History Project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project recorded the lived experiences of former nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, administrators and housekeepers, an undertaker, a catering manager and a Master of Works, as well as

former patients and families who lived or worked at The Crichton, or ‘Up the Middle Road’ as it was also known.

When it came to sharing the findings Scotland’s themed Year of Stories 2022 couldn’t have come at a better time. Following successful bids and generous donations from the Year of Stories Communities Stories Fund, Event Scotland, Heritage Fund UK, Museums Galleries Scotland, Creative Scotland, The Crichton Foundation and the Archie Sutter Watt Trust, Dr Bold was able to form a project team to direct, produce and deliver ‘Up the Middle Road: Crichton Stories of Recovery and Resilience’.

UP THE MIDDLE ROAD: CRICHTON STORIES OF RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE

The scripted tour of The Crichton included creative performances from internationally known and award-winning singers, musicians, storytellers and tour guides; Emily Smith, Jamie McClennan, Amanda Edmiston and Kathleen Cronie and was supported by two apprentices; Zephyra Durkin and Dan Heinrich, colleagues from The Crichton Trust, Support in Mind Scotland and many other volunteers.

Two sell-out performances were delivered at The Crichton, or the ‘Village’ as it was also referred to during interviews, on the 24th and 25th June with around 200 participants touring the estate and taking in the views and tales of The Crichton with performance stops outside former wards including; Crichton Central, Solway House, Hestan House, Kindar House and The Willows. Guests enjoyed a break watching a football match taking place at the pavilion (another important aspect of The Crichton’s heritage) and finished with moving performances in The Crichton Memorial Church.

Dr Bold said: “It was an honour to record these stories and hugely important to share them too. I am immensely grateful to the people who kindly shared their experience with us and to the performers for the care, sensitivity and respect shown in the creation and delivery of the songs, music and stories written and performed for Up the Middle Road. Of course, we could not have delivered such a timely or creative response without the generous funding and support received from our funders. We are also grateful to have footage from the events as captured throughout the event by Mike Bolam and Rob McDougall. The Crichton was a place to be endured – but for many, it was a place of sanctuary and asylum and our stories communicate both experiences.”

Gwilym Gibbons, Chief Executive of The Crichton Trust said: “Hearing and sharing stories of The Crichton Royal through our Oral History and Year of Stories projects has been both difficult and inspiring. It is important that we remember the heritage of The Crichton and, although not all experiences were positive, imperative that we continue to strive to retain the more positive aspects of this place and to celebrate its legacy as a supportive, active and healthy community where people live, work, learn, socialise and thrive in an environment where the health and wellbeing of people come first. I would like to add my thanks to Valentina and all those who helped deliver these projects, we are truly grateful.”

LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Thanks to the funding received for the Year of Stories project, Dr Bold was also able to deliver a Learning Picnic for local primary school pupils from Brownhall Primary and Caerlaverock Primary. The picnic took place on site at The Crichton on a sunny day in June and as well as learning about The Crichton from Dr Valentina Bold (Heritage Officer at The Crichton Trust), pupils enjoyed tales from The Crichton as told by Amanda Edimiston (Storyteller) and enjoyed learning about Phrenology from Julie Stephen (Artist). The picnic was supported by Up the Middle Road Apprentices; Dan Heinrich and Zephyra Durkin.

Dr Bold added: “One of the many great things about Year of Stories has been our ability to share the tales and lived experiences of former staff and patients with all age groups. By hosting the learning picnic for primary school pupils and employing two young apprentices to support delivery of the events at The Crichton, we were also able to provide young people with new opportunities and learning experiences and it was fantastic to see them engaged in the project and interested in the heritage of The Crichton.”

More recently Kathleen Cronie represented the Up the Middle Road team at the 2022 Doors Open Day in the Crichton Memorial Church.

Click play icon to view the promo video and visit our blog for event coverage and ongoing updates.

THE CRICHTON TRUST: GOING, GOING…GREEN

The Crichton Trust is committed to becoming a Net Zero Nation and during Scotland’s Climate Week from the 26th September to the 2nd October 2022, took to social media to reinforce the role individuals, businesses and organisations have in tackling climate change in Scotland.

Rachel Cowper, Chief Operating Officer at The Crichton Trust facilitated the campaign. She said: “We recognise that tackling climate change is essential if we want to protect people, place and the past to shape the future, and therefore our ambition to reach Net Zero by 2030 sits firmly at the heart of our Strategic Planning Framework and ensures that our decision-making and actions positively impact the future of our people, our place and our planet. As a charity and social enterprise, we take our responsibility for sustainability seriously

and take steps every day to work towards our ambitions, whether that be reviewing our recycling practices, reducing waste, installing electric charge points, using electric vehicles, encouraging active travel, growing our own produce or reducing the food miles generated by our hospitality venues. We also support and work with partners and tenants to take larger strides towards achieving our goals and we used Scotland’s Climate Week to showcase the work of three organisations we are currently working with on our Going, Going…Green journey.”

GOING, GOING…GREEN WITH

As part of The Crichton Trust’s Going, Going…Green journey we are committed to decarbonising our supply chains.

The Crichton has a great history and a portfolio of historic buildings and venues, but we are faced with the significant challenge of finding a sustainable, efficient and cost-effective energy solution for our properties, whilst ensuring that the buildings and wider grounds are cherished and respected and continue to offer an accessible greenspace for all.

Natural Power share our ambition for change and are committed to meeting Net Zero ambitions.

ABOUT NATURAL POWER

Natural Power, an international renewable energy consultancy, employing over 450 renewable energy experts across 14 international offices, is headquartered in Dumfries and Galloway and runs its control room from The Crichton. It applies its extensive expertise in the renewable energy sector to help explore real do-able solutions to decarbonise the energy at The Crichton.

Natural Power works to create a world powered by renewable energy by providing planning and environmental, feasibility, analysis, construction and geotechnical, operations and asset management and due diligence services.  Uniquely it offers a full life-cycle consultancy service delivering technical advice from feasibility to finance and every project phase in between, so are well placed to join forces with The Crichton Trust on this renewable journey.

“Dumfries and Galloway is a fantastic place to live and work and The Crichton offers an excellent environment for both business and leisure with an amazing heritage and an exciting (and low carbon) future ahead of it.  Our control room facility at The Crichton offers industry leading services proving that you don’t have to locate to a major city hub to lead the way in renewable energy, and we are proud to be assisting the Trust in their ambitions to decarbonise. The Crichton is already a great place to be but, by applying our combined company visions to create a world powered by renewable energy, we can only enhance this further.”

Natural Power, September 2022

Find out more about Natural Power www.aturalpower.com

GOING, GOING…GREEN WITH

As part of The Crichton Trust’s Going, Going…Green journey we are committed to protecting nature and taking action outdoors.

It’s time for change. Here at The Crichton, we love our green spaces, but we know that we need to take immediate action to help protect what we love. As an organisation, protecting our 85-acres of green spaces is high on our list of priorities and so earlier this year we made a commitment to refresh our site management plan for The Crichton and to work towards achieving Green Flag accreditation.  We are now proud to fly our Green Flag at The Crichton and it acts as a constant reminder to keep working towards our goals to protect our people, our place and our planet.

Scottish Woodlands share our love of the outdoors and are committed to protecting the natural environment and meeting Net Zero ambitions.

ABOUT SCOTTISH WOODLANDS

Scottish Woodlands are an all-services Forestry Management Company specialising in providing management solutions for private woodland owners across the UK. They are 80% employee owned, which is unique in the sector, and gives their staff the opportunity to gain equity in the business and to grow and develop their career.

They manage over 300,000 hectares of private woodlands for a wide range of clients and harvest over 1.2m tonnes of timber per annum across the UK. They also play a significant part in new afforestation across the UK, planting typically over 35% of all new woodland creation sites. This is a mixture of roughly 60% productive and 40% native species. They also work extensively on new infrastructure projects for industries such as renewable energy, electricity and rail sectors along with resilience works on existing infrastructure.

In 2022 they planted over 16m trees and are the largest carbon project developers in the UK with over 200 schemes set to deliver over

2,200,000 tCO2e (tonnes of CO2 equivalent) which can be used to offset unavoidable emissions of UK based companies. This service is delivered via their office at The Crichton.

In 2021 Scottish Woodlands gained Achilles Carbon Reduce Certification recognising their commitment to manage and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions across their business, with a long-term goal to become net-zero.

Scottish Woodlands moved to The Crichton from their previous location in Castle Douglas.  Talking about their move to The Crichton they said:

”We had been in our company owned office in Castle Douglas for over 30 years, but we had outgrown our facility, which very much lacked the modern touches our staff might expect. Grierson House at The Crichton was a very appealing alternative, offering extensive office space to suit our growing business and access to modern facilities and technology too. The setting was a major factor in our decision to relocate to The Crichton. It is an attractive and accessible location, the grounds are perfect for a lunchtime stroll and being able to access the “Hub” at Crichton Central and its excellent café are really important to our staff and clients. Importantly for us, being located at The Crichton and working more closely with The Crichton Trust, helps us to work together towards our Net Zero ambitions.”

Scottish Woodlands, September 2022

Find out more : https://www.scottishwoodlands.co.uk/

Scottish Woodlands | Forest, Estate and Land Management Services

GOING, GOING…GREEN WITH

As part of The Crichton Trust’s Going, Going…Green journey we are committed to taking action to help combat climate change.

Many of our partners and tenants are committed to reducing carbon emissions including Carbon Capture Scotland (CCS), who were one of only ten companies to receive a share of the Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (SIETF) at the end of September. The fund aims to help Scottish industries reduce carbon emissions through decarbonisation and energy efficiency projects.

The successful companies have recently been awarded a share of £9.4 million, with Dumfries and Galloway based CCS being awarded between £500k – £1m.

ABOUT CARBON CAPTURE SCOTLAND

Carbon Capture Scotland are CO2 capture, utilisation and removal specialists. They currently capture biogenic CO2 from a renewable process and utilise it in the form of dry ice, which is used in the pharmaceutical and food transport industries. The £4m project, commissioned in 2021, was a world first and has allowed the company to pilot and research novel methods of high-purity CO2 capture.

// Carbon Capture Scotland have already mitigated 2,000t CO2 through the capture and use of biogenic CO2.

// Carbon Capture Scotland are on a mission to capture 1,000,000t biogenic CO2 for sequestration or utilisation by 2030.

These activities are an essential component in the mix of solutions that are needed for

the climate and importantly, Carbon Capture Scotland are targeting projects that make a significant difference today.

Carbon Capture Scotland, who intend to take an office space at The Crichton in the near future said:

“We have projects in the pipeline that can mitigate and remove CO2 at megaton scale in the immediate timeframe. These projects are essential as they allow humanity to begin the task of working towards Net Zero before some of the earlier stage projects come to fruition over the next 5-10 years. Dumfries and Galloway is an excellent location as it provides good access to manufacturing capabilities and fantastic renewable energy infrastructure. All technology-based carbon capture requires relatively large amounts of clean energy and so Scotland, and specifically Dumfries and Galloway, is a logical place to locate such projects. We look forward to taking up office space at The Crichton very soon.”

Carbon Capture Scotland, September 2022

Find out more about Carbon Capture Scotland and the Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund

Dry Ice Scotland — Carbon Capture Scotland (Companies receive £9.4m to help cut carbon - gov.scot (www.gov.scot))

KINGSLAYER FILM SET

In October 2020, The Crichton was used as a film location for Kingslayer, a British historical action film about Richard the Lionheart before he ascended to become King of England.

The Stronghold production was written, directed by and featured BAFTA awardwinner Stuart Brennan in partnership with Golden Globe winning producer Gareth Wiley (best known for his movies with Woody Allen) and Emmy award winning cinematographer Douglas Milsome whose filmography portfolio includes movies such as Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Full Metal Jacket and Highlander.

The film also starred Welsh actor John RhysDavies, well-known for his role in Indiana Jones and The Lord of the Rings, David Hayman, Ryan Gage, Carolina Carlsson, Ian Hanmore, Mark Paul Wake, Sarina Taylor, David Haydn, Charlie Smith, John Wolfe, Mark Springer, Barry Smith and Ellie-Rose Mackinlay.

Two regional locations, The Crichton in Dumfries and Dunskey Estate in Stranraer, were utilised by the team behind the film, which is the fifth feature film produced by Stronghold to have been filmed in Scotland.

On the final day of filming, Jessica Fergusson from Dalriada Highlands, based locally in Moniaive, was on set at The Crichton with

her horse, who features in the film. Jessica had also joined the Kingslayer crew in Stranraer, where she provided animals for some of the earlier scenes filmed on the Dunskey Estate.

Stronghold were full of praise for The Crichton as a film location and also for the team who supported them during their time working on site. Mark Paul Wake from Stronghold UK wrote to Fiona Rands, our Head of Venues on his journey home to thank the team for their support. Mark said:

“Hi Fiona, It was wonderful to finally meet you and thank you for all your help with the catering arrangements. Your team really are amazing and everyone we have dealt with throughout this process has been very helpful, professional, enthusiastic and willing to lend a hand.”

The film was released on DVD by Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment on 26th September 2022, so we are excited to be able to share a few of the behind the scene action shots taken by local photographer Mike Bolam during filming in the Crichton Memorial Church.

If you are looking for a location for a tv or film production, please contact our Venues Team on 01387 702020 or email: events@ crichton.co.uk.

GOVERNOR OF THE BANK OF ENGLAND VISIT

As part of a visit to the South of Scotland, The Crichton Trust and partners from Dumfries and Galloway College, The University of Glasgow and The Scotland 5G Centre welcomed Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England, to The Crichton on Friday 17th June.

The meeting with Mr Bailey, who was accompanied by Will Dowson, Bank of England’s Agent for Scotland, took place at Crichton Central, The Crichton’s new co-working space and home to The Scotland 5G Centre’s S5G Connect Hub in Dumfries.

Mr Bailey met with Dr Ian Macmillan, Gwilym Gibbons and Rachel Cowper from The Crichton Trust and Julie Snell, Paul Coffey and Andy Todman from The Scotland 5G Centre. They discussed the role that technology plays in enhancing the impact rural communities, like Dumfries and Galloway, can have on the wider economy.

Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England and Will Dowson, Bank of England Agent for Scotland, meeting with representatives from The Crichton Trust, University of Glasgow and The Scotland 5G Centre at Crichton Central on 17th June. Left to right: Dr Guodong Zhao, Associate Professor in Robotics and Communications (Senior Lecturer), James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Gwilym Gibbons, Chief Executive, The Crichton Trust, Rachel Cowper, Chief Operating Officer, The Crichton Trust, William Dowson, Agent for Scotland, Bank of England, Dr Ian Macmillan, Chair, The Crichton Trust , Andrew Bailey, Governor, The Bank of England, Andy Todman, Business Engagement ManagerDumfries, The Scotland 5G Centre, Julie Snell, Chair, The Scotland 5G Centre, Paul Coffey, Chief Executive, The Scotland 5G Centre, Professor Muhammad Imran, Professor of Communication Systems, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow and Professor Chris Pearce, Vice Principal for Research and Knowledge Exchange and Professor of Computational Mechanics, University of Glasgow. Photo credit: Jenny Woolgar.

Mr Bailey, who was encouraged by the innovative and ambitious plans of The Crichton partners to put 5G technology to the test in rural areas said: “I was delighted to see some innovative uses of 5G technology being developed in Hubs like the one in Dumfries.  The potential improvements for how we live and work should have positive impacts for businesses and households, particularly in rural parts of the economy.”

During the visit The Scotland 5G Centre and the University of Glasgow showcased the potential of 5G technology with on-site robot demonstrations from the 5G testbed at Crichton Central.

Gwilym Gibbons, Chief Executive of The Crichton Trust said: “We appreciated our visit from Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England. It was a great opportunity for us to showcase our ambitions for The Crichton and the South of Scotland, but more importantly to demonstrate the potential for rural based innovation to generate technological solutions to the big challenges we face. Solutions which are born from the need of communities that are feeling first and most acutely the impacts of climate change, ageing society, and technological revolution; solutions that can be replicated and scaled from the rural to the urban and to the world. Inspiring places combined with innovative partnerships, knowledge exchange and local investment, means rural businesses and communities can influence change and make a real difference to the local and global economies. Due to our partnerships and the 5G testbed we have here, we are at the forefront of innovation when it comes to finding solutions to modern-day societal challenges and we are excited about the potential impact of our work.”

Paul Coffey, Chief Executive of The Scotland 5G Centre said: “We were pleased to host the Bank of England Governor visit to witness first-hand what the Crichton Centre and our Scotland 5GConnect hub at Dumfries has to offer. 5G provides huge transformational benefits to industries and working practices and adopting advanced connectivity, augmented through 5G network capabilities, unlocks growth and innovation and allows processes and outcomes to be re-imagined by using industrial automation, AI video applications, drones, and IoT sensing technologies.

“Importantly, advanced connectivity enables choice.  The place of work no longer needs to be the office. People will have access to a work environment, regardless of location, removing physical barriers and association of a job.  This has a tremendous advantage, not just at a personal level, but also to the economy as we lessen the impact such as the Covid-19 pandemic and rebuild a sustainable economy.”

MEET OUR TENANTS AND PARTNERS

Do you know that over 100 organisations are based here at The Crichton? Throughout this year we have profiled a small selection of our tenants and partners in our regular Small Business Saturday posts on social media and you can read some of them below. For more information about any of our tenants, feel free to visit The Crichton Directory.

If you would like to join our thriving community of business, academic and third sector organisations at The Crichton, please get in touch to discuss your requirements on 01387 247544 or by email: hello@crichton.co.uk

DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY LGBT PLUS

Introducing Dumfries and Galloway LGBT Plus.

Earlier this year, we welcomed Iain, Justin, Michael and Alice from Dumfries and Galloway LGBT Plus to Hestan House at The Crichton.

Their new home on the ground floor of Hestan House includes a spacious office, support hub, social space and library, making it an accessible, quiet, relaxing and welcoming place for clients and visitors.

LGBT Plus provide an important service to support the LGBT community and their friends and family in Dumfries and Galloway. Thanks to their support, the LGBT community feel safer and more confident about engaging with the wider community.

The team are very positive about their move to The Crichton, not just because of their wonderful new accommodation in Hestan House, but because of the outdoor spaces and Crichton Central too.

If you would like to meet the team or find out more about the work of Dumfries & Galloway LGBT Plus, please follow the link below to The Crichton Business Directory or visit them in Hestan House: https://www.crichton.co.uk/businesses/dumfries-galloway-lgbt-plus/

JUST BREATHE O2

Introducing Beth Morrison from Just Breathe O2.

Beth, and her four-legged office companion Ouzo, can be found on the ground floor of Grierson House.

The Crichton is promoted as a place to breathe and a place for healing and so it is a great fit for Just Breathe O2. Just Breathe O2 is a Community Interest Company (CIC) set up to make Oxygen Therapy, or Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy as it’s also known, accessible to people living in Dumfries and Galloway.

According to Beth, a planned programme of time spent relaxing in the chamber can reduce the impact of stress and anxiety, improve fitness levels, allow our bodies to regenerate and recover from illness and injury and can help manage the symptoms of various long-term health conditions including everything from Diabetes to Parkinsons, Fibromyalgia, Asthma, Stroke, ME and others. Oxygen Therapy can help with wound recovery and skin conditions too. As a powerful anti-inflammatory, it can also help tackle post-Covid symptoms and generally makes us feel good!

If you would like to contact Beth to arrange an informal chat or if you want to find out more about Just Breathe O2, please follow the link below to The Crichton Business Directory: https://www.crichton.co.uk/businesses/just-breathe-o2/

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Introducing Suzanne Mitchell from DG Chamber.

We would like to introduce you to Suzanne Mitchell who is the Member Services Manager at DG Chamber. Suzanne and her colleagues from Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce are co-located with DYW Dumfries & Galloway and are based in Eskdale House at The Crichton.

DG Chamber is a not-for-profit organisation run by a Board of Directors to support business in Dumfries and Galloway. It is a membership organisation offering access to a range of business support products and services from HR, Legal and Tax. Additional services cover everything from Business Mentoring, Chamber Healthcare, Energy Solutions, Merchant Services and AA Fleet Assist to Private Healthcare.

Tiered memberships offer different levels of support starting from £10 per month and are perfect for SMEs and larger organisations keen to enhance their profile and grow their network and business.

DG Chamber encourages local businesses to come together and to celebrate their achievements by hosting events such as, the Dumfries and Galloway Business Awards and Dumfries and Galloway Business Expo, both of which have taken place in recent months at Easterbrook Hall.

As always, The Crichton Trust was pleased to sponsor the 2022 awards and Gwilym Gibbons, Chief Executive attended to present the winner of the Outstanding Tourism Business Award, which was awarded to Mostly Ghostly Tours.

If you would like to find out more and Dumfries and Galloway Chamber of Commerce or to talk to Suzanne about membership options and services, please follow the link below to The Crichton Business Directory: https://www.crichton.co.uk/businesses/dumfries-chamber-of-commerce/

PARAGON

Introducing Charlotte and Lucy from Paragon.

Paragon is an inclusive arts organisation based in Grierson House at The Crichton and in Glasgow.

The team of professional musicians and dancers aim to bring people together from all walks of life to create music and dance, develop new skills, meet new friends and discover their true potential.

Paragon run regular funded sessions for all ages including group workshops and oneto-one mentoring sessions that are fully accessible to people with a wide range of additional support needs. They can also offer bespoke sessions and often work with partners such as the Better Lives Partnership, Loch Arthur and the Parents’ Inclusion Network.

Paragon recognises the impact music and the arts can have on health and wellbeing and aim to provide an inclusive environment where creativity and self-belief are celebrated and nurtured.

Resonate, funded by The Holywood Trust, is Paragon’s flagship programme in the region and is aimed at young people aged 15 - 25 years. Having identified limited musical provision for people with support needs over 25 years in Dumfries and Galloway, Paragon recently launched a programme of workshops for adults who want to participate in group jamming sessions.

As part of their role, Charlotte and Lucy also like to get to know parents, support staff, social workers and others in the support network to better understand the individual needs and aspirations of participants. They also encourage and support participants to develop their creativity further by taking part in their mentoring programmes. Paragon collaborate with a variety of local organisations across the arts, disability support, social work and health sectors and have established links with fellow tenants at The Crichton including PAMIS, Better Lives Partnership, The Holywood Trust and Leonard Cheshire. They also work with other organisations and venues across the region including Youthwork D&G, the Millennium Centre and Moat Brae.

Paragon is always on the lookout for new venues, partners, volunteers, artists, musicians, dancers and professional practitioners, as well as administrators and event planners, who can help make music and dance more accessible and inclusive for adults and young people in the region.

If you would like to find out more or to work with Paragon, please follow the link to The Crichton Business Directory below: https://www.crichton.co.uk/businesses/paragon/

Charlotte:

Charlotte joined Paragon in 2013 as a volunteer, but has since worked in a variety of roles, most recently taking on the role of Resonate Director. This involves developing Paragon’s inclusive arts activity throughout Dumfries and Galloway. Charlotte is also a Music Practitioner with Paragon and plays saxophone and piano.

Lucy:

Lucy joined Paragon in November 2021 as the Resonate Development Officer. She is passionate about connecting people to things that enrich their lives, so Paragon provides a perfect opportunity for this. Lucy is an established singer and composer with some of her original music being performed at Easterbrook Hall as part of the D&G Arts Festival.

VITALITY HOLISTIC THERAPIES

Introducing Alison Hastings from Vitality Holistic Therapies.

Vitality Holistic Therapies, based in Grierson House at The Crichton, is owned and managed by Alison Hastings. Alison provides professional complimentary therapies for natural healing and wellness and focuses on the delivery of KORE Therapy, which integrates a unique blend of Western and Eastern assessment and treatment techniques to support and promote the body’s own natural ability to heal. KORE Therapy is much more than a massage. Unlike most other therapies, it is a whole system approach. Instead of just looking at ‘what’ the problem is, KORE Therapy uses gentle muscle testing to find out ‘why’ the problem is there in the first place.

Alison is also an Independent Consultant for Arbonne. As well as quality skincare, Arbonne offer a range of nutritional, hair and makeup products all of which are 100% vegan, cruelty free and formulated gluten free. Arbonne have high ethical and quality standards and take a holistic approach to beauty, health and wellbeing, so they are a perfect fit for Alison, who said it was the spirit behind Arbonne that attracted her to the role. Having tried and tested the Arbonne range, Alison is only too happy to recommend Arbonne to her clients.

If you would like to get in touch with Alison or to find out more about Vitality Holistic Therapies or Arbonne products, please follow the link below to The Crichton Business Directory: https://www.crichton.co.uk/.../vitality-holistic-therapies/

SMART GREEN SHIPPING ANNOUNCES 5M INVESTMENT INTO FASTRIG WING SAIL TECHNOLOGY

On the 28th July 2022, Smart Green Shipping (SGS) launched a £5m research and development project for its fully automated FastRigs wing sail technology and digital routing software that will harness the power of wind to deliver major fuel and emissions savings for the shipping industry. The collaborative three-year programme has been made possible by a £3.2m investment from the private sector, which unlocked a further £1.8m grant from Scottish Enterprise.

At the launch, which took place in Easterbrook Hall at The Crichton, SGS founder Diane Gilpin said, “Scotland’s decision to support this project shows that wind technology has the might of a maritime nation behind it. Shipping has a long history of harnessing the power of wind, but digital technologies are allowing us to work towards making zero emission vessels a reality. Smart Green Shipping’s FastRig wing sail technology offers a financially and technically robust solution to help support shipping’s green transition.”

Scottish Business Minister Ivan McKee said: “The FastRig project is an excellent example of how innovation can help us progress in low carbon technologies and ensure Scotland is playing its part in these developments, creating more green jobs and business opportunities to take us on a Mission Zero for transport.”

Over the course of the project SGS will initially test its FastRig wing sails at a land-based site at Peel Ports Hunterston Port and Resource Centre in collaboration with Clydebased specialist engineering partner Malin. It will further develop its weather routing TradeWind software that creates route plans for wind optimisation. Following successful land-based tests, a demonstrator on board a vessel is expected to be tested by 2023.

Major industry partners include Drax, Malin, Peel Ports and LR, who, alongside SGS’s naval architects, consulted with crews and marine engineers, and have already optimised the technology and design to ensure easy retrofitting and cargo access during port operations.

Lloyd’s Register has granted 1st stage Approval in Principle for the FastRig technology, which augments a ship’s powertrain.

The FastRig technology is expected to benefit up to 40,000 vessels in the global merchant fleet - primarily bulker and tanker ships. Modelling tests, undertaken by SGS in conjunction with the University of Southampton’s Wolfson Unit, show that the technology could create at least at least 20% fuel savings and GHG reductions for retrofits, with as much as 50% fuel savings possible for small and medium sized new build ships.

The three-year project will address barriers to wider industry uptake to the technology, with a host of technical, digital and financing solutions. In addition to creating agreements with renewables finance providers to fund installations of the technology onboard ships, the SGS team is developing insurance products that will give confidence of predictable financial returns to commercial operators.

The FastRigs technology has been developed alongside industry, with a year-long InnovateUK and Institute of Mechanical Engineers-backed feasibility study in 2018 and in-depth consultations with the wider shipping industry to overcome obstacles to adopting the innovation, including funding mechanisms. SGS developed its digital tools to predict and optimise winduse in shipping in collaboration with the European Space Agency business incubation centre in 2019.

Find out more: Smart Green Shipping smart green shipping alliance

NEWS FROM THE SCOTLAND 5G CENTRE

S5GConnect Dumfries Innovation Challenge Showcase

This year, The Scotland 5G Centre launched its first innovation Challenge - “Shaping Digital Health and Social Care” outlining 3 core challenges within the Scottish health and social care sector, with the purpose - of bringing 5G solutions and services into the supply chain, or closer to market realisation helping to overcome these challenges.

As part of the Challenge, each of the winning companies took part in a 15-week development programme; with access to the 5G testbed in Dumfries and one-to-one technical expertise to support technical development.

On 5th October 2022, the three winning companies presented their 5G-enabled solutions at the S5GConnect Dumfries hub to The Scotland 5G Centre and Challenge Partners, in the closing Innovation Challenge event, marking the end of the 15 weeks accelerator programme.

Safehouse Technology

John Griffiths, Chief Technology Officer at Safehouse Technology explained the journey of the existing Safehouse Monitoring & Anomaly Detection device and how Safehouse 5G was conceived, designed and realised in The Scotland 5G Centre’s Dumfries Hub. With enhanced capabilities and reduced points of failure, Safehouse 5G is the next step in monitoring technology for at-home social care.

Care Reality

Ross Toomer, Founder and Chief Executive of Care Reality and Jake Spreadborough (Lead Developer) showcased how their VR Training Environment for healthcare workers was transformed, by the increased bandwidth and low latency of a Private 5G Network

in streaming activity led training content, positioning their software and the advanced network ahead of existing headset technology.

DDM Health

Arjun Panesar, Founding CEO and Head of AI at DDM Health, guided the audience through a precision health experience using the Gro Health App. The Gro Health App is a personalised treatment platform proven to support sustainable weight loss, blood glucose control, and improvements in mental health and wellbeing. Arjun detailed the process of testing this already successful tool in a 5G environment to ensure its readiness and roadmap for the future.

This demonstrates how 5G technology can be applied to different sectors, products and needs and how it enables innovation and use-case development and implementation. In the coming months we will share in further detail outputs and achievements of the companies as part of this programme.

This is a huge milestone for the Centre, for the South of Scotland region and for the aforementioned sectors, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the partners of this Innovation Challenge: NHS Dumfries & Galloway, Scottish Care, Dumfries & Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership, CGI, AWTG and Urban Foresight.

The three winning companies will continue to receive business and investment advice and introductions to potential customers and ongoing access to S5GConnect business and technical support until March 2023.

For more information about The Scotland 5G Centre and S5G Connect Hub Dumfries, please visit The Crichton Directory:

S5GConnect Dumfries (The Scotland 5G Centre) | The Crichton Trust

PRO CYCLIST ANNA SHACKLEY

DELIVERED COACHING SESSION FOR LOCAL PRIMARY SCHOOL

On Wednesday 25 May, professional cyclist and under-23 national time-trial champion, Anna Shackley, led a cycling coaching session for children from Loreburn Primary School in Dumfries.

The session, which aimed to inspire interest in cycling at a young age, took place at The Crichton in Dumfries ahead of the British National Road Championships in June.

Anna Shackley, 21, who rides for UCI Women’s World Team SD Worx and at that time was the under-23 British National Time Trial Champion, also represented Team GB at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Speaking at the coaching session, Anna said: “I’m very excited to visit The Crichton and see the great course ahead of the British National Time Trials in a few weeks’ time. I’m really looking forward to racing British National Road Championships again and to fight it out with the hopes of retaining my title, particularly in my home nation. With the incredible breadth of British talent out there, I’m sure the race on Scottish soil will be one to remember, for both riders and spectators.”

Anna went on to compete in the Time Trials, which started and finished here at The Crichton on Thursday 23 June and in the road race in Castle Douglas on Sunday 26 June. As part of the event, circuit races also took place locally in Kirkcudbright on Friday 24 June.

Lesley Farrell, Head Teacher at Loreburn Primary said: “This is a really exciting opportunity for the children. You can see the excitement with their enthusiasm on the bicycles today - they are having a great time! It’s great that they will experience the British Cycling events first hand in the region in a few weeks’ time and can go out and cheer on the cyclists!”

Anna Shakley with pupils from Loreburn Primary at The Crichton in May, ahead of the British National Road Championships in June.

Gwilym Gibbons, Chief Executive of The Crichton Trust said: “It was lovely to see local young people taking part in cycling activities and amazing to host the time trials at The Crichton this summer too. It was fantastic to have the British National Road Championships taking place in Dumfries and Galloway this year, so a huge well done to our partners from Dumfries and Galloway Council and Event Scotland for working with British Cycling to make this all possible.”

DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY HOST 2022 BRITISH NATIONAL ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS

It was a great day for the region when British Cycling announced that this year’s British National Road Championships would take place in Dumfries and Galloway from 23-26 June 2022, bringing the time-trial, circuit race and road race championships to Scotland for the first time since 2013.

Having previously hosted many rounds of both the Tour of Britain and Tour Series, Dumfries and Galloway Council has a track record of hosting major cycling events, and with the support of EventScotland, local organisations and communities, the region was able to host the national championships for the first time this year.

The event involved three days of racing across the region including the time-trials in and around The Crichton in Dumfries, the circuit races on the streets of Kirkcudbright and the road races starting and finishing in Castle Douglas.

The championships kicked off with the time-trials on Thursday 23 June, starting and finishing at The Crichton. The under-23 women, under-23 men and elite women completed one lap of the route, totalling 22.1km, while the elite men completed two laps, totalling 44.2km. The route started in front of Easterbrook Hall before taking cyclists off-site passed Caerlaverock Castle and returning passed Glencaple and back on site to cross the finish line at the Crichton Memorial Church.

Spectators were treated to a great day of cycling in glorious sunshine at The Crichton, before heading off to Kirkcudbright and Castle Douglas for the weekend where they experienced some very exciting races in tricky conditions.

Preparations are now underway to host the first-ever UCI Cycling World Championships in Scotland in 2023.

On the 22nd and 23rd July, the Doonhame Festival returned to the grounds of The Crichton. There was a fair amount of rain over the weekend, but it didn’t stop festival goers enjoying themselves.

Performers included the Waterboys, The Feeling, Kyle Falconer, Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5, Shambolics, Alabama 3, Bad Banners, Skerryvore and Toploader as well as a range of local bands and DJs. The lawn next to The Crichton Memorial Church was transformed into a festival ground for the weekend and finished on Sunday 24th with Doonhame Kids - a children’s festival featuring tribute artists and family activities.

Plans are already underway for Doonhame 2023, which will take place on the 21st and 22nd July and a limited number of early bird tickets are already on sale online at www. doonhamefestival.co.uk. Look out for more information about the 2023 festival coming soon.

Photo credit: Joe Saunders and Martin McKeown

On the 22nd to the 24th September, Dumfries and District Flower Club celebrated 60 years of the club by hosting a Flights of Fancy Flower Festival in The Crichton Memorial Church. Over 25 floral exhibits inspired by local legends, stories and sayings were on display for visitors to view as they made their way around the church. The event was an exceptional showcase of local talent which was well supported by the local community and other flower clubs attracting over 1000 visitors over the weekend. Congratulations to Dumfries and District Flower Club on their Diamond Anniversary Year.

Photo: Sally Burns

OUTDOOR THEATRE

The sun was shining for award-winning outdoor theatre company, Illyria, when they visited The Crichton this summer. Three performances took place on the lawn next to The Crichton Memorial Church, each time attracting an appreciative audience. Performances included A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing and Pirates of Penzance. We look forward to welcoming Illyria back to The Crichton for more outdoor performances in 2023.

GOLD FOR ROSEMARY IN 2022

The Queen’s Baton Relay arrived in Dumfries and Galloway on 22 June, as part of a five-day tour of Scotland ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in July.

This was the 16th year of the Queen’s Baton Relay, set up to celebrate, connect and excite communities in the build up to the Commonwealth Games. It was an exciting day for baton bearer, Rosemary Lenton from Dumfries as she prepared to make her Commonwealth Games debut for Team Scotland at Birmingham 2022 in lawn bowls.

Rosemary, who plays lawn bowls on site at The Crichton Royal Bowling Club, has represented Scotland at three World Bowls Championships, winning silver in the mixed pairs in New Zealand in 2015 and who went on to win gold in lawn bowls for the para women’s pairs at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games with partner Pauline Wilson.

At the age of 72, Rosemary won Scotland’s fourth gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, which made her the oldest gold medal winner in Scotland at the time. Rosemary now hopes to compete in Australia 2026 when she will be 76 years young.

Congratulations Rosemary, what a fantastic achievement and what an inspiration!

BUTTERFLY REMEMBRANCE EVENT AT THE CRICHTON

Simpson’s Memory Box Appeal (SiMBA) are a Baby Loss Support Charity, who work in communities across Scotland to support anyone affected by the loss of a baby. During the summer of 2022, SiMBA hosted a series of Butterfly Re membrance events, including here at The Crichton.

Families who have lost a baby were invit ed to create a personalised wooden but terfly in honour of their baby and to dis play it at their local event. The butterflies were then gifted to the families along with wild seeds to sow at home in memo ry of their baby. The Dumfries event took place next to the Tree of Tranquillity at The Crichton on Saturday 30th July.

To find out more about SiMBA visit Home | SiMBA Charity, Simpsons Memory Box Appeal

STORYTELLING AT THE CRICHTON

Earlier this year, storyteller Gordon MacLellan from Creeping Toad, hosted family-friendly storytelling sessions for children on the grounds of The Crichton. As part of the sessions children enjoyed listening to stories, planting seeds and making puppets inspired by animals and plants from near and far.

DUMFRIES TATTOO TRIUMPHS AT THE CRICHTON

The Royal Burgh of Dumfries Tattoo took place on the grounds of The Crichton on Saturday 30th of April 2022. The biannual event, which was postponed in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID Pandemic, marked a significant step forward for the charity behind the event.

The event took place at The Crichton for the first time in 2022 and brought local and national performers together for a spectacular show. As well as attracting record crowds to the Tattoo itself, visitors also enjoyed a post-event ceilidh in Easterbrook Hall.

Performance Director, Gavin GillonMaxwell paid tribute to the acts, citing their exceptional efforts in pulling of the spectacle. He said: “The acts represented what we stand for perfectly. We had local performances from Dumfries Pipe Band and from The Louise Smith School of Highland Dancing coupled with national performers from The Police Scotland Federation Pipe Band. Representatives from HM Armed Forces led The Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, The Pipes and Drums of the Royal Corps of Signals, British Army Band Catterick, The Pipes and Drums of the Royal Highland Fusiliers 2nd Battalion and The Royal Regiment of Scotland. Pipe Major Jimmy Scott led the evenings Piping ensemble,

while Jamie Bell, a Lance Corporal within the 1st Battalion Scots Guards, took the place of the lone piper.”

Chairman of the Board, Stuart Robb, thanked The Crichton Trust for their continued support and was delighted with the support received from sponsors and funders. He said: “We are very grateful to all the individuals and organisations who sponsored and supported the event including many local businesses, The Holywood Trust, The National Lottery and The Dumfries and Galloway Council Community Fund. Their funding helped contribute to the cost of putting on the event and ensured it was accessible to the local community. I am also grateful to The Crichton Trust for their continued support and encouragement and of course, to our Board of Directors, who organised and delivered the Dumfries Tattoo.”

The evening was a massive success and enjoyed by all those who attended. Watch this space for news of the next Royal Burgh of Dumfries Tattoo.

Congratulation to the Board of Directors behind the event; Stuart Robb (Chair), Margaret Robb, Gavin Gillon-Maxwell, Graeme Maxwell, William Gillon-Maxwell, Adam Wilson and Lyle Hamilton.

The Crichton is the largest multifunctional business park, academic campus and entertainment venue in the South of Scotland and is home to various indoor and outdoor event spaces and venues including Easterbrook Hall, Easterbrook Bistro, Bar and Spa, Crichton Central, the Crichton Memorial Church, lawns, gardens and playing fields.

The Crichton benefits from stunning sandstone buildings, vast open spaces, beautifully landscaped grounds and gardens, an on-site hotel, an ambitious vision, a dedicated team and a thriving community, making it the perfect location to work, co-work, study, research, collaborate, innovate, relax, socialise and celebrate.

Easterbrook Hall

Set in the wonderful surroundings of The Crichton, Easterbrook Hall is a unique wedding, conference and events venue offering a choice of wellequipped conference halls, function suites and breakout rooms. The flexible, spacious facilities make Easterbrook Hall an ideal venue for corporate events including meetings, away days, conferences, exhibitions and awards evenings, as well as for large or intimate weddings, tv broadcasts and family, social and charity celebrations, parties and balls.

To enquire about Easterbrook Hall please call 01387 702020 or email: events@crichton.co.uk

Crichton Central

Crichton Central is a high-tech co-working space with a busy café and a suite of rooms including a FlexiSpace and four meeting rooms. The coworking space is dedicated to members and pass holders, while the other meeting rooms and spaces are readily available for private hire. The café has a deli counter, bar, public lounge, outdoor terrace and serviced lawn and also offers takeaways and catering for meeting rooms and events. By day, the lounge is popular with site users and local residents for breakfasts, lunches and coffees, but can be transformed into an events space for early morning business breakfasts, evening art classes, live concerts, public lectures, product launches and networking events. Crichton Central is also home to The Scotland 5G Centre and local radio station; DCR Online and is equipped with the latest sound, lighting and streaming equipment making it suitable for live, streamed and hybrid events. Crichton Central also has a Changing Places Toilet and shower block. Memberships and passes are available.

t: 01387 702234 e: central@crichton.co.uk w: www.crichtoncentral.co.uk

Easterbrook Bistro, Bar and Spa

Easterbrook Bistro, Bar and Spa is a modern bistro-style café and bar set within the stunning grounds of The Crichton. Although accessed via its own private entrance, Easterbrook Bistro is part of Easterbrook Hall and is also home to the on-site swimming pool and spa and a privately run beauty salon. Open 7 days a week, Easterbrook Bistro is a popular stop for coffee, cake, lunches and afternoon teas and is also perfectly located for pre-event drinks, private receptions, group gatherings and spa days. Pool memberships and passes are also available. More recently, Easterbrook Bistro has become a Ukrainian Café offering a safe and welcoming place for Ukrainian families.

The Crichton Memorial Church

The Crichton Memorial Church is a wellknown and much-loved landmark at The Crichton. In 1890, work on the cathedral style sandstone church, designed by Edinburgh based architect Sydney Mitchell, commenced and was built as a fitting memorial for James and Elizabeth Crichton. It boasts an impressive oak roof, stone carvings by William Vickers of Glasgow, stunning Irish and Sicilian marble floors, stained windows by Oscar Paterson and a rare and much-admired Lewis Organ. The church is a regular place of worship and a unique venue for celebrations and events including weddings, graduations, funerals, choirs, concerts and tours and is also used for tv and film.

Outdoor Venues

When it comes to outdoor spaces, The Crichton has the flexibility to host a range of outdoor events and the facilities and expertise to provide hospitality and event management support too. The Crichton hosts everything from music festivals and outdoor theatre shows to the local Tattoo, picnics, storytelling events, history tours and drive-in movies and has also been used for large sporting events. Outdoor events can take place on the main lawn next to the Crichton Memorial Church, on the playing fields next to the pavilion, in the main carpark at Easterbrook Hall, on the lawn at Crichton Central and in the gardens. For larger events, the estate can be transformed into a sporting arena, showground and festival site.

offices and studios of varying sizes are available to let from The Crichton Trust. Offices are located within historic sandstone buildings and are spacious and well maintained with high-speed broadband, stunning views, landscaped grounds and other onsite amenities. There is a thriving community of over 100 public, private, academic and third sector tenants and partners occupying these buildings, including SME’s, universities, business support agencies and a growing number of wellbeing, environmental and tech organisations. For short-term use, The Crichton Trust can offer meeting rooms, board rooms, function halls, conference venues, co-working spaces and outdoor venues. t: 01387 247544 e: hello@crichton.co.uk w: www.crichton.co.uk

Whether you’ve recently got engaged or your wedding plans have been delayed, our Venues Team at The Crichton in Dumfries are here to make sure your wedding is everything you imagined and more. If you’ve been dreaming of a romantic church wedding, a small, intimate celebration with your nearest and dearest, or if you’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to host the party of the year with all your friends and family, then The Crichton is the answer to your dreams. The Crichton Memorial Church sits prominently in the heart of the 85-acre parkland estate and is a stunning venue for church weddings and for ‘Wine & Dine’ experiences. Easterbrook Hall is in full view of the church and has the flexibility to host intimate wedding celebrations in the Duncan Rooms and larger weddings in the main hall. The landscaped grounds and gardens provide the perfect backdrop for wedding photographs and outdoor functions. The Holiday Inn Dumfries is also conveniently located on site. If you are looking for a stunning venue in an idyllic location and the support of a friendly and experienced team of staff and wedding suppliers, combined with great food and well-stocked bars, then please get in touch.

On the 9th April 2022, Allison Harmon from the US and Michael McAnespie from Annan tied the knot at The Crichton. Allison and Michael got married in The Crichton Memorial Church in front of family and friends from across the globe and enjoyed their wedding breakfast and evening reception in Easterbrook Hall.

THE WEDDING ROOM: YOUR VISION, YOUR EVENT, YOUR WAY

When it comes to adding the finishing touches to a wedding or event in the region, The Wedding Room team are never far away. As the leading wedding and event décor specialist in Dumfries and Galloway, they can usually be found travelling from one venue to the next making sure every venue, table, chair and room has been personalised to suit the occasion.

With so many colours, designs, styles and accessories to choose from it can be difficult to know where to start, but the team take time out to speak to their clients and to get a feel for what they like, and dislike, before offering advice and presenting options. The occasion, the season, the time of day, the venue and personal choice all impact on the chosen style and themes, but when The Wedding Room are involved, clients are guaranteed to love the final result.

The Wedding Room is a family run business owned and managed by Jamie, Daniel and Moira and supported by a dedicated team of events staff.

As demand for their services continues to grow, so too has the business and in June 2020, they opened The Wedding Room Showroom in St Mary’s Industrial Estate in Dumfries. Despite the initial challenges of the pandemic, the showroom allows prospective customers to see a range of decorations and accessories, to

experiment with colours and styles and to benefit from the advice and expertise of the team.

Following the success of their first business; ‘Light up Your Venue’, the team have continued to expand their portfolio of businesses, products and services. As the name suggests Light up Your Venue includes a range of lighting options for weddings and events including everything from LED dancefloors to light up letters and numbers, while The Wedding Room focuses on room décor, tablecloths, seat covers, table decorations,

floral displays and centrepieces. The team also provide party accessories like balloons, banners, personalised clothing, table plans, backdrops, selfie boards and chocolate fountains. They have a range of indoor bean bags and wigwams to keep younger members of the party entertained too.

As well as welcoming customers into their showroom, the team also hold and attend Open days and exhibitions in venues throughout the region and the photos below show some of the many table decorations, chair covers, centrepieces and room decorations that were on display at The Wedding Room Open Evening at Easterbrook Hall in March.

The Wedding Room team can regularly be found personalising the venues at The Crichton for weddings and events, so if you are planning your wedding or hosting an event at The Crichton don’t hesitate to get in touch with The Wedding Room team who will be happy to help with planning and inspiration.

The Crichton DIRECTORY

The Crichton Trust lets high quality commercial properties within the 85-acre parkland estate at The Crichton in Dumfries and is proud to have one of the most vibrant business communities in the South of Scotland.

The Crichton Business Park has transformed the historic sandstone buildings of The Crichton into functional and attractive office premises. Retaining the impressive sandstone architecture and original internal features, many of the buildings perfectly combine the beauty of 19th century design with the connectivity and flexibility required for 21st century business.

With over 84 organisations on site, The Crichton has a strong business and academic community.

Find out more about all tenants and partners in The Crichton Directory online at www.crichton.co.uk. Anyone interested in leasing an office space at The Crichton should email: gordon.clark@crichton.co.uk or visit www.crichton.co.uk

www.crichton.co.uk/the-crichton-business-park

This magazine is published by The Crichton Trust

Photography by Mike Bolam