THEPARK | RURAL DEVELOPMENT 38
COMMUNITIES DRIVE THE PARTNERSHIP FORWARD N early 50 people from community groups all across the National Park area, from Crianlarich to Drymen and Sandbank to Thornhill, gathered recently to launch the re-shaped Loch Lomond & The Trossachs Community Partnership. The partnership was originally set up by the National Park Authority in 2004, through the award-winning Community Futures programme, to support communities as they embarked on their first community action plans. The partnership, a charitable company, went through significant change six months ago to become a membership organisation accountable to the communities themselves with some support from the Park Authority. Other key agencies are associate members, including Stirling Council, Central Scotland Police and Forestry Commission Scotland. The membership is continuing to grow and may reach around 100 by the AGM in November. The partnership provides support, especially in training, networking and information gathering and sharing. It has a support team of two part-time members of staff, but a vast amount of the work is undertaken by volunteer directors. The partnership has already built up a valued programme of events and member services, the big event each year being the Community Gathering held on the first Saturday in November. This is a great opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss common issues and challenges.
The partnership also runs a number of Park-wide projects such as the National Park Apprentice Scheme for small businesses in construction and Community Futures Goes Green for communities tackling energy efficiency in homes and community buildings (see page 44). Other Park-wide priority projects identified by the communities are ready to go as soon as the partnership has the funding in place.
The National Park is a place where people want to live and work. Chairman Iain MacInnes spokes about exciting times ahead with all the initiatives set out in the Business Plan. He said, “This is a memorable evening bringing together for the first time all the community members to take the organisation forward as a strong community-based organisation. It has taken a huge amount of effort to get to where we are now, but we can now look forward to getting things moving on the things that matter to us and in a way that will ensure that the National Park is a place where people will want to live and work.” Eleven people were nominated as Directors by their community organisations spread across the National Park. The evening also launched the Community Partnership Volunteering Award Scheme 2010. For further information contact Christine Nelson on t: 01389 727762 or e: christine.nelson@lochlomond-trossachs.org www.lltnp-cp.org.uk
Community Partnership successes, benefitting local communities include: Apprentice Support Scheme Supporting 17 local businesses employing 19 young apprentices, including two employed by Tradstocks near Thornhill, and two with James Bissett. The scheme continues until 2013.
Community Futures Goes Green Supporting eight communities around the Park to take steps to reduce their carbon footprint through household and community energy saving.
Annual Community Gathering Since 2005 this event has attracted around 100 participants to network, learn and share information about their community projects.
Website Training Building a hub website to link community websites in the Park and providing support to local community websites.
Argyll Forest Landscape Partnership Securing funding from Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission and the Park Authority to support local projects that improve the heritage landscape in the Argyll Forest.
National Park continues close working with communities
O
ur communities are of special importance to the National Park Authority in all our efforts. The formal agreement last summer with the National Park Community Partnership, the independent voluntary organisation representing the interests of communities all across the Park, consolidates the Community Futures work over the last nine years as described in a new report (see page 39). The Community Partnership is now taking on a significant role in delivering support to communities, with our firm backing. We are especially keen to see the Community Partnership’s facilitation role grow, developing the support offered to community organisations, training, networking and information sharing opportunities, such as the area networks and the annual Gathering and continuing to help with community-led projects which deliver wider benefits for the National Park. The Park Authority’s community development staff, Neil Black, John Forth, Diane Davidson Kinghorn and Hannah Robinson are
focussing on community projects across the Park that clearly support National Park aims. Their role will continue to be providing capacity building, facilitating and acting as the link with other National Park teams for specific projects. Many others members of staff, such as ranger and access officers, also continue to work with community groups to progress priority conservation and visitor experience projects. Iain MacInnes, Chair of the Community Partnership, deserves a special mention for his leadership and commitment to Community Futures over the last nine years. Like Iain, there are many, many local folk who give their time voluntarily for the future of their communities – by helping prepare action plans, being members or directors of a community organisation, by fundraising, managing projects or turning up for community action such as litter picks. Without this phenomenal support the National Park Authority and its partners would be unable to deliver the practical solutions to ensure the continued enjoyment and conservation of this magical landscape.