Feelgood factor as groups unite to benefit Crieff
Plans and goals shared on community forum
Basically it’s people sharing what’s going on, what their plans are, where their struggles are Ailsa Campbell
The first two meetings of Uniting Crieff have taken place.
The new forum has been designed as a place where the town’s many community groups can meet to share their plans and goals and explain any struggles they are having.
Around 20 local groups were represented at the first meetings, including Crieff Community Council, Creative Crieff, Logos, Crieff Community Trust, Crieff Highland Gathering and Crieff Connexions.
Ailsa Campbell, chair of anchor group Crieff Community Trust – which is managing the Uniting Crieff website and its associated database – told the Herald: “There is a really good feeling about Uniting Crieff.
“A l t h o u g h C r i e f f Community Trust is managing this database, it is very much a whole community resource.
“It is meant as a way for the groups to support one another and potentially collaborate on funding applications.
“We have had two meetings on Zoom, two weeks apart, and will be having another one soon.
“Basically it is people
sharing what’s going on, what their plans are, where their struggles are and then ways we can help each other and work together.”
An award from the Perth and Kinross LEADER programme has paid for development manager Caroline Ness to set up the forum and finalise a comprehensive database of community groups, service providers, voluntary organisations and small community businesses on the Uniting Crieff website.
Mrs Campbell continued: “We have this funding until the end of March and we are hoping to have meetings every two weeks to keep the momentum going.”
She added that the collaboration of the Strath capital’s groups could also potentially lead to further funding to benefit the town from the Scottish Government’s Investing in Communities initiative.
She continued: “Crieff is really well-placed to benefit from this fund. We have an
action plan so we have the ‘ to- do’ list and we’ve got everyone working together with Uniting Crieff as a framework for that, so we are in a very good position to go for it.
“It’s just figuring out what is going to be applied for – what projects will be the ones and that’s a bit tricky because you don’t want groups to be feeling left out. We want to find a way that everyone is supported.
“A lot of groups are doing work that aligns with the fund’s priorities. Crieff will be stronger if there is a joint application and we are hoping to have this in by the deadline at the end of March.
“We have had some really great feedback. The response from groups has been great and there’s a feelgood factor about working together.”
Development manager Ms Ness added: “I am delighted to be involved again with Crieff to help bring the Uniting Crieff Forum to life and I have seen great collaboration already as a result of the meetings.”
The Uniting Crieff website can be found at www. unitingcrieff.org.uk.
It is also the home of the Crieff Community Action Plan, which runs from 202126.