annual report 2013/14 · annual report 2013/14 fauldhouse community development trust 9 use and no...

Fauldhouse Community Development TrustAnnual Report 2013/14

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Fauldhouse Community Development TrustA company limited by guarantee

Annual Report 2013/14

Fauldhouse Community Development Trust Annual Report 2013/14

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Chairperson’s Report For the year ended 31 December 2014Fauldhouse Community Development Trust’s seventh full year of operation has been a very busy one.

FCDT completed the refurbishment and moved into ‘The Hub’, our very own building from which to base our work in Fauldhouse, in May 2011. Since then FCDT have undertaken a wide range of projects within the local community.

Community Events and FCDT Projects: A wide range of community events were organised by FCDT:-

• ThefirstSeptemberfestwasheld.ThiseventbroughttogethertheAnnualFairDay and The Music Festival. Over 500 people attended a month long series of events and music during the month of September

• The Annual Remembrance Service at the War Memorial. This event was very well attended

• The Santa Parade. This was a joint initiative between FCDT and Together for Health.Around300peopleattendedthefirstparade.Thiswillbecomeanannualevent

• Spring Clean Up & Spring Fair

• The Falla Hill & Benhar Bings Feasibility Study was completed in November and firststageapplicationsforfundingwillbemadeearly2015

• Tackling Sectarianism Research Project was granted a further years funding

• Children’s Cinema Club

• Senior Cinema Club

• Children’s Parties

• RentalofOfficeSpace

• Project Management and Support

• FCDT Community Design Services were initiated. This service will be widely publicised and marketed early 2015

• Credit Union

• Food Bank Collection Point

Foot note: Please see Project Update section of this report for further details of the events listed above


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Alongside this work FCDT has continued to publish and has expanded its quarterly newsletter from four to eight pages. The newsletter also offers advertising space. FCDT also provided a range of sign posting, information and support services to/for local people.

A feasibility study was conducted into the idea of a Heritage and Outdoor Activity Facility at the Falla Hill & Benhar Bings Sites. First stage applications for funding will be made in 2015.

FCDT successfully secured funding to employ a Communication and Engagement Worker and a Project Manager in September 2011. These posts are now full time. Funding came from several sources including, West Lothian Development Trust and the Big Lottery. The Big Lottery also provided much needed funds to continue these posts into 2015. This funding has enabled us to move forward with our Business Plan and establish FCDT as a social enterprise, community development trust.

In 2013 FCDT also secured funding for our Tackling Sectarianism in Scottish Communities Project, and our FABTimebank Project. These projects are now up and running and are doing very well. Funding has also been secured for these projects for 2015. We also employed four trainees through Community Jobs Scotland and we are implementing the Living Wage for all trainees and employees in 2015.

On behalf of my Board, I would like to extend thanks to the bodies that have provided vital funding to support our activities including Big Lottery Fund, West Lothian LEADER, Future Jobs Fund, Third Sector Enterprise Fund (Scottish Government), Leavenseat Trust, West Lothian Development Trust and West Lothian Council, Robertson Trust, Lothian and Borders Health Foundation. I would also like to thank all of the people of Fauldhouse who have supported the activities of the Trust during 2014.

An Annual Update, Report & Financial Statements (Draft) for the year ended 31st December 2014 will be made available at our Annual General Meeting. Alternatively, you can request a copy from FCDT at any time, or you can access via our web site www.fauldhouse.org.uk/about/documents

Robert Russell Chairperson


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Key Objectives• To relieve poverty, in particular fuel poverty, among the community of

Fauldhouse and its environs.

• To advance education and in particular to promote opportunities for learning for the benefit of the general public.

• To promote training particularly among the community of Fauldhouse and its environs; with particular reference to skills which will assist participants and help them gain paid employment.

• To promote and protect the wellbeing, recreation and physical health of the community of Fauldhouse and its environs and to assist in the relief of ill health and provision of health education of such members of the community.

• To promote, establish, operate and support other schemes and projects of a charitable nature for the benefit of the community in Fauldhouse.


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The TeamFCDT Directors/Trustees

Robert Russell (Chairperson)

Thomas Lynch (Secretary)

Carole Russell

Flora Greenhorn Broughton

David Dodds

Lorraine Selfe

Dolly Murdoch

David Huddlestone

Albert Mancini

FCDT EmployeesJulie Smith, Project Manager

Lesley Dunsmore, Communications and Engagement Worker

Morag Buxel, Timebank Development Worker

Jim Dunsmore, Communities Tackling Sectarianism Together Coordinator

Mhairi Blake, The Hub Administrator

Mary Kain, Cleaner


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Project UpdateSub Groups

FCDT’s Sub Groups work with staff to ensure activities and events take place throughout the year. The Events Sub Group is chaired by the Communication & Engagement Worker. The Group works on The Annual Fair Day, the Septemberfest and the Remembrance Sunday Service, among others.

The Environmental Sub Group is chaired by the Timebank Development Worker and the group has set up a wide range of community events including the Spring Clean Up & Spring Fair, The Village Improvements (which has included new benches and planters within the village), Walking Routes and the Grub at The Hub cooking class. The Group was also instrumental in helping with the Feasibility Study regarding the land at Falla Hill & Benhar Bings.

ThereisalsoaHub,FinanceandStaffingSubGroupwhichischairedbyoneofFCDTTrustees.Thisgrouplooksatfinances,incomegeneration,roomrentalsandstaffingissues

The Newsletter Sub Group, which works to produce the quarterly newsletter, is also chaired by the Communication & Engagement Worker. The Newsletter is delivered to every household in Fauldhouse and has been expanded from four to eight pages. The Newsletter also contains space for advertising, it contains information and reports on local stories and events.

Below is a more detailed account of Sub Group activities.

NewsletterFauldhouse Community Development Trust’s newsletter ‘Fauldhouse Together’ has gone from strength to strength. The newsletter has doubled in size and all issues have been written, produced and delivered to every household in Fauldhouse; by both FCDT volunteers and staff. The newsletter highlights good news stories, provides information on up and coming events and it gives information on a range of services and resources available within the community. The newsletter has also been expanded to provide advertising space. Looking to the future, the hope is to attract further advertising from local businesses and expand the newsletters catchment area; we would like the newsletter to highlight information and news from the wider Breich Valley Villages. Currently the Communication & Engagement Worker and the group members are revamping the Newsletter and will re-launch with the ‘New Look’ 2015.

The Annual Fair Day/SeptemberfestFCDT’s Annual Fair Day in September is notorious for its bad weather. However, 2014 was, on the whole, a clear and dry day!

2014wasthefirstyearFCDTrantheAnnualFairandtheMusicFestivalasamonthlongseriesofeventsandcelebrations,thefirstSeptemberfestwasheld.Over500peopleattendedSeptemberfest, and it was a great success. The Septemberfest began with the Annual Fair Day onthefirstSaturdayinSeptember.Therewereover30stallsandawiderangeofactivities.The stalls were run by local crafts people, local community groups and local business. Activities


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included, face painting, the Animal Man (who was very popular with the children and young people) a bouncy castle and much more. The firebrigadeandthelocalcommunitypolice attended and the young ones were delighted to be able to use some ofthefirefightersequipment,whichincludedthefirehose.

The Events Sub Group took the decision to hold the majority of the stalls indoors (again) for 2014 and hired a huge Marquis for the Village Green. Events, activities and stalls were held in The Hub building, The Salvation Army and St Andrews Church Hall housed several stalls and served refreshments.

This event started off the month long Septemberfest, which was previously held in May.

The Music Festival was extremely popular. A wide range of music events were held in local clubs, in both local primary schools and in various church halls, pubs and social clubs around Fauldhouse. We would like to expand the Music Festival, building on this year’s success and making it bigger and better in future years.

The Remembrance ServiceThe Remembrance Service is held at the Fauldhouse War Memorial on Remembrance Sunday each year. The yearly inter-denominational service was to honour those who gave theirlivesinthetwoWorldWarsandinmorerecentconflicts.

The service is organised, on behalf of FCDT, by Arthur Mooney. Arthur is retired from the Air Force and does an excellent job making sure everything runs smoothly on the day. The service is very well attended; over 350 villagers came along to pay their respects at the 2014 service.

Santa ParadeFCDTandtheTogetherforHealthTeamworkedinpartnershiptoorganisethefirstFauldhouseSantaParade.Over300peopleattendedtheevent.Thiswasafantasticturnoutforthrfirstparade and everyone had a brilliant time. Santa gave every child a gift, there was hot food and drinks and despite the rain, there were big smiles on all the childrens (and adults) faces. We now plan to make the Santa Parade one of our annual events, We are working with partners to try and source a Christmas tree for next year, and who knows maybe Santa can bring his reindeers, watch this space.

Timebank ProjectTimebanking is a way for people to come together to help others and themselves at the same time. Participants ‘deposit’ their time in the Timebank by giving practical help and support to others and are able to ‘withdraw’ their time when they need something done themselves. Everybody has something they can give to their local community, whether working as part of a group or individually within the FAB (Fauldhouse and Beich Valley) Timebank. The Timebank is free to


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useandnomoneyisinvolved.Activitiescouldincludegardening,shopping,simpleDIY,leafletdelivery, arts and crafts, music, IT, languages, cookery lessons.

The Timebank Project Worker also chairs the Environment Sub Group and has set up a wide range of community events such as, the Spring Fair, The Medal Route Walks and the Village Improvements Projects. The Group has been instrumental in helping with the Falla Hill & Benhar Bings Project.

FCDT’s FAB Timebank Project started in October 2013. Funding for this project came from Lothian Health Trust and the Robertson Trust. Funding has been secured for 2015-2016

Tackling Sectarianism Research ProjectIn 2012 FCDT carried out research on behalf of the Scottish Government into Sectarianism in Scottish Communities. The researchwascompletedinOctober2013.Basedonthefindingsof our research, FCDT made a successful application to the Scottish Government, funding was awarded and the Tackling Sectarianism in Scottish Communities was launched in January 2014. The Scottish Government have (through VAF) granted an extension to this funding for 2015-2016.

The Project has had a good response from within the community. The Anne Frank exhibition was a huge success, organised by the project coordinator, the exhibition saw 120 young people from

the local primary schools taking part in the exhibition, with follow up workshops at their schools. The project also attracted around 100 local people who came along to the exhibition and some tookpartintraining,discussionandreflectionsessions.Theprojectsremitwillbeextendedin2015 and will work with a wide range of partner organisations to work towards making Tackling Sectarianism a part of all our General Equalities work.

Community Jobs ScotlandFour young staff members were employed as Assistant Development Workers through Community Jobs Scotland. Two young people at a time are employed on a part-time basis (25hrs per week) for six months undertaking work experience, training and personal development during the period. Since leaving FCDT all four trainees have found employment, which is excellent news. The Trust will be employing a further four young people through Community Jobs Scotland in 2014.

The Senior Cinema ClubThe Cinema Club takes place on a Thursday afternoon, every two weeks. The club is fairly well attended. But in the winter months attendance is very much weather dependant! A future proposal to increase attendance in the colder months would be to have the club in the afternoon. We would also like to develop the cinema club further and maybe (for example) have themed evenings. We will work with local people to develop the cinema club.

We now offer the space for family parties and events. The space has also been used by other groups and organisations for meetings, conferences and events.


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The Children’s Cinema ClubThe Kid’s Cinema Club has been extended and now takes place every Friday afternoon. There is a regular group of children who attend. Numbers vary from approx. 16–24 children attending. FCDT would like to encourage new kids to come along and we have linked with the local schools to help with advertising and encouraging young people to come along. We will develop the services offered at the kid’s cinema club in 2015. We will also work with local groups and organisations, and with private individuals to advertise the use of the space for a wide range of functions and events, with the aim generating additional income from lets.

The Take a Break GroupThe group meet once a week on a Wednesday afternoon here at The Hub. Those attending take part in a wide range of arts, crafts and activities. At present the group are knitting baby clothes for the St Johns Hospital Neo Natal Department. The group is well attended and is always open to new members.

Firefly Arts GroupFireflyArtsrantwoeightweekFauldhouseArtBoxgroupsatTheHub.Thegroupswereaimedatthe primary four to primary seven age groups. The workshops were fully booked and attendance was extremely high throughout the two courses. The children and young people really enjoyed the arts and crafts sessions. Parents have said how much their children enjoy coming and have said that they would like to see more groups/projects like the Art Box running here at The Hub. With thisinmind,wearehopingtohaveFireflyArtsrunfurthersimilarworkshopsin2015.

The Fauldhouse FootersThe Fauldhouse Footers leave from The Hub every Thursday morning at 10am, whatever the weather. Walks around the village tend to be moderate and suit most abilities. There are around seven to ten walkers attending on a regular basis, and newcomers to the group always welcome. This group now works closely with the FABTimebank Project and helped to map walking routes throughout the village. Copies of the Walking Booklets are Available from The Hub.

Blackburn, Seafield and District Credit UnionBlackburn,SeafieldandDistrictCreditUnionareatTheHubevery Friday from 12noon–2pm.

Kid’s PartiesThe cinema room was marketed and promoted as a venue for children’s parties and events. The Communication and Engagement Worker will continue to market and promote the space with the aim of increasing revenue from children’s events and parties at The Hub.

Food Bank Collection PointFCDT regularly deliver food parcels to The Trussell Trust, in Whitburn. Food is donated by members of the community in Fauldhouse.


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StaffingWe now have six members of staff here at The Hub. This includes,

• Part Time Administrator• Cleaner• Timebank Project Worker• Communication & Engagement Worker • Tackling Sectarianism in Scottish Communities Project Coordinator• Project Manager.

These posts are supported by the Big Lottery, Lothian Health Board, The Robertson Trust, West Lothian Development Trust, Scottish Government.

Income GenerationThroughout2014FCDTcontinuedtomarketandpublicisetheuseofFCDT’sbuilding,offices,services and resources as a business Hub. The idea being that FCDT would generate income from letting out the various spaces to local self-employed people, local businesses and organisations. This was an expressed aim in FCDT’s 5 year business plan (2007–2012)

TheOfficesarenowrentedandtheCommunityspaceandadditionalroomsarewellusedbyother organisations, businesses and by local people for a wide range of activities. This ranges from rentals for Children’s Parties to Community Consultations. FCDT will continue to market these spaces for rent in 2015.

WestLothianSocialEnterpriseNetworkhasrentedofficespaceinTheHubfromAugust2013.

Above is an outline which highlights of some of the work, activities and events organised by FCDT’s board of trustees, volunteers and staff. As you can see 2014 has been a very busy year and much has been achieved. FCDT’s Board of Directors, staff and volunteers have all worked very hard to make FCDT a successful Development Trust. FCDT has produced a new 2013–16 Business Plan. The plan outlines FCDT’s aims and objectives for the future.

FCDT would like to thank everyone for their commitment and support over the past 12 months.


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Fauldhouse Community Development Trust The Hub 10 Main Street Fauldhouse EH47 9HX

tel: 01501 773 699 email: [email protected] web: www.fauldhouse.org.uk

Scottish Registered Charity: SC038616 Registered Company: 313776

Follow us on Twitter at @communitytrust2Like us on Facebook at FauldhouseCDT

annual report 2013/14 · annual report 2013/14 fauldhouse community development trust 9 use and no...

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