Cash appeal to save community centre
An appeal has been launched to help safeguard the future of a community hub in Cumnock.
Campaigners are trying to raise funds in order to secure a much bigger grant for the Barrhill Community Centre.
A JustGiving page has been set-up to try to raise the initial funds and so far, around 20 per cent of the cash has been pledged.
The great news is that other donations have flooded in- but campaigners still require the public to dig deep.
And if they reach a certain amount of donations, then the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund will step in with a whopping grant of £45,000.
The money will help with a major refurbishment project and ensure the centre is fit for purpose going forward.
One of the campaigners is Shaun Lowrie, who told The Post: “Barrhill Community Centre is a thriving community hub, accessed by over 30 different groups in a week. Well, that was until lockdown happened.
“The centre is managed by both Cumnock Area Musical Production Society and local volunteers. Built in 1907 as St John’s Primary School, it has stood as a community facility for the past 113 years and our aim is to ensure its sustainability and have it as a community asset for another 113 years.”
There’s been a considerable amount of internal refurbishment at the centre during the last few years including the installation of 50 new double glazed windows, a new kitchen, internal redecoration and external painting and signage.
Shaun continued: “The next phase of the refurbishment equates to almost £45,000 and a recent cash injection from the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund will make this project happen.
“However, we need the support of the Ayrshire Post and the wider community of Cumnock and Doon Valley.
“The grant award is conditional on the group being able to raise enough funds over the next six weeks and given the lockdown measures in place, scheduled fundraising events have simply been unable to happen.
“A crowdfunding page has been launched and we really need assistance to promote the project and the story of the organisation and what the next phase would mean to the community.”
The next phase of the project, if full funding is obtained, will see an array of improvements including new floors, disabled ramp, acoustic divide and soundproofing in the main hall, internal redecoration of the main corridor and two of the community spaces, replacement fencing, installation of new community noticeboards and a wall mounted TV.
Go to https://www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/barrhillcentre
Shaun added: “The team have worked tirelessly over the past six years to bring this tired old building back into life.”
Barrhill Community Centre is a thriving community hub, accessed by over 30 groups