GoodShare FoodShare Community Health and Wellbeing Project
As part of the FareShare Project, Kirkconnel and Kelloholm Development Trust established the FoodShare Project in 2019. This began simply as a community food sharing initiative, providing food for locals that would otherwise go to landfill. The FoodShare Project has now evolved into a community hub, providing services and support groups for locals with aims to combat social isolation and loneliness and improve community health and wellbeing.
- Community Tool Library
- ‘Welcome Inn’ Warm Space
- Hard of Hearing Group
- Check and Chat Service
- Food Share need
- Group Outings
Employability HUB
Following a Community Consultation carried out in partnership with the D&G Employability and Skills Project, KKDT invited local residents to share their ideas on how best to address the lack of support available to them, particularly around employment. Interestingly, participants unanimously agreed that the issue wasn’t the absence of a specific service, it was the absence of a reliable space they could turn to for guidance and connection.
In response, KKDT opened the Employability HUB within Hillview Leisure Centre and welcomed Project Worker, Kelsie, to lead the initiative. The HUB now provides a friendly, accessible space where community members can attend courses, take part in events, and drop in for a chat about the support available to them. The HUB has also since introduced a Community Cafe, which provides a space to socialise with other community members and an opportunity to chat with staff and volunteers.
Homes for Life
Housing has been identified to be one of our village’s top areas in need of improvement. In response to this, Kirkconnel and Kelloholm Development Trust is one of the leading organisations in the construction of ‘Homes for Life’ on Niviston Road, Kelloholm. This will consist of five two-bedroom homes for new supported accommodation. This project will aim to tackle issues of housing, as well as providing further support for our elderly residents.
Activities for Young People
Kirkconnel and Kelloholm Development Trust provides free activities for children, young people and families during holiday periods, which can often be dire times for households who are in need of extra support. Our most attended are the Amazing Summer activities; a variety of activities during the summer holidays which aim to encourage family involvement and provide the chance to explore new hobbies and learning opportunities. Our partners for this project included FoodShare, D&G Council Lifelong Learning Service and Kello Rovers FC.
Upper Nithsdale Inclusive Play Park
The Upper Nithsdale Inclusive Play Park on Kirkland Drive, Kelloholm has become a key asset for the young people of the community. The park was opened in July 2020 and continues to be a hub for safe and inclusive play. Kirkconnel and Kelloholm Development Trust thanks the park’s designers, Kompan, as well as sponsors, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Propel, Upper Nithsdale Community Trust, Community Windpower, Whiteside Hill, and Holywood Trust.
Ground Maintenance Project
In 2016, Kirkconnel and Kelloholm Development Trust purchased a community tractor and ground maintenance equipment as part of our Ground Maintenance Project. Trained volunteers and our Ground Maintenance Worker help to maintain the vast amount of open space in an around Kirkconnel and Kelloholm to ensure that the community is both safe and attractive for residents and visitors, in partnership with Dumfries and Galloway. This was one of our first community projects and remains as one of KKDT’s main focuses today.
Participatory Budget Schemes
Kirkconnel and Kelloholm Development Trust have previously run Participatory Budget Schemes, where our local community is given the opportunity to be part of decisions to distribute funding. Our most recent Participatory Budget event was in 2022 and focused on the allocation of funds from the National Lottery Community Fund to local community groups and organisations through a voting process. Projects who received funding included:
- Kirkconnel Miners Memorial Centre - £2,000
- Kirkconnel and Kelloholm Community Council – £2,000
- Violet’s Cuddles – £2,000
- Kirkconnel Scouts - £2,000
- Upper Nithsdale FoodShare 1 - £2,000
- Upper Nithsdale FoodShare 2 - £2,000
- Upper Nithsdale Riding for the Disabled – £2,000
- Kirkconnel Parish Heritage Society - £2,000
- WAGGS (Women and Girls Group) - £1,800
- Brighten Up the Beavers - £950
- Kirkconnel Cub Scouts - £478.20
- Upper Nithsdale Twirlers - £771.80
