Galloway & Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere Announces Two New Recruits To Its Internship Programme

Oct 3, 2023

The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere has announced the newest recruits to its team with two local young people joining in 12-month career development posts.

Following a successful first internship programme in 2022/23, the GSA Biosphere began advertising its next two Project Support Officer roles in July. Ribh Gallacher was successful in her application to join the Community & Education staff; born and raised in Crossmichael, Ribh graduated with a degree in Politics, International Relations and Social Policy, and most recently was a Research and Management Assistant with Better Lives Partnership.

Matthew McCulloch, who moved to join family in Bargrennan in March, will be working on the Biosphere’s Communications & Marketing. Matthew studied Film and Television at the University of Nottingham and subsequently worked with social media and digital promotions in the hospitality sector. Both Ribh and Matthew will help deliver and promote the Biosphere’s partnership projects, which cover more than 9,700km² of terrestrial and marine environments across three local authority areas.

Galloway and Southern Ayrshire was awarded its UNESCO Biosphere designation in 2012, representing international recognition of the region’s nature, wildlife, and cultural heritage, and local opportunities for sustainable development. It is a non-profit organisation with a programme supported by core funding from South of Scotland Enterprise and South Ayrshire, East Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway councils. The Biosphere’s two annual internships are aimed at fulfilling the organisation’s commitment to learning and sustainable jobs.

Commenting on becoming part of the Biosphere team, Ribh said, “As a young graduate with a year’s experience within the third sector, the opportunity afforded to me by the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere to take my learning further and develop a career within the area is something I am very grateful for. I’m really looking forward to my role as Project Support Officer where I will have the chance to meet some amazing people from all over the Biosphere and beyond, not only helping to support those I meet along the way but also to better my own understanding of conservation, climate action, sustainability and much more.”

Matthew said, “I’m looking forward to working with the Galloway and South Ayrshire Biosphere and helping get the name out there for our fantastic region and the many businesses and activities it has to offer. It’s a great opportunity to work across the Biosphere and develop my skills throughout this next year on some really varied projects. This is an exciting step for me and I look forward to helping out and learning more about the beautiful area we live in.”

More information about the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere is available at

www.gsabiosphere.org.uk, or email [email protected].

Dumfries To Receive £20 Million Funding From UK Government To Improve Long Term Future

Sep 30, 2023

UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak announces 55 UK towns Including Dumfries in South West Scotland are each to be given £20m endowment-style funds each over 10 years to invest in local people’s priorities

Seven Scottish towns have been named by the UK Prime Minister as part of £1.1 billion levelling up investment being provided to 55 towns across the UK.

Clydebank, Coatbridge, Dumfries, Elgin, Irvine, Greenock and Kilmarnock will each receive £20 million from the UK Government as part of a long-term investment plan for towns that have been overlooked and taken for granted.

The money will be provided directly by the UK Government to the relevant local authority and The UK Government will work with them and the Scottish Government to take a place-centred approach which maximises investment and opportunity.

Councillor Gail Macgregor, Leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council, said:

“I welcome the fantastic news of £20 million funding to invest in the long-term future of Dumfries town, our regional capital.
“This funding will make a massive contribution to improving the long-term prospects for Dumfries – and secure its rich history and culture for generations to come.
“The Council has been working with local community organisations, businesses and the third sector for some time in an effort to help support their ambitious plans for the social and economic recovery of Dumfries town centre.
“We all recognise the impact the closure of shops has had on the local high street, and we are confident that there is a bright future for Dumfries.
“I look forward to working with community leaders, businesses and local people to maximise the impact and opportunity this investment will have.”

Under the new approach, local people will be put in charge, and given the tools to change their town’s long-term future. They will:

· Receive a ten-year endowment-style fund to be spent on local people’s priorities, like regenerating local high streets and town centres or securing public safety.

· Set up a Town Board to bring together community leaders, employers and local authorities to deliver the Long-Term Plan for their town and put it to local people for consultation.

More than half the UK population live in towns, but half-empty high streets, run-down town centres and anti-social behaviour undermine towns in every part of the UK. Today’s announcement marks a change in approach that will put an end to people feeling like their town is ignored and empower communities to take back control of their future, taking long term decisions in the interests of local people.

This plan builds on the UK Government’s central mission to level up the UK by putting more power and money in the hands of people who know their areas best to build a brighter future for their community, creating bespoke initiatives that will spark the regeneration needed.

Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said:

“Towns are the place most of us call home and where most of us go to work. But politicians have always taken towns for granted and focused on cities.
“The result is the half-empty high streets, run-down shopping centres and anti-social behaviour that undermine many towns’ prosperity and hold back people’s opportunity – and without a new approach, these problems will only get worse.
“That changes today. Our Long-Term Plan for Towns puts funding in the hands of local people themselves to invest in line with their priorities, over the long-term. That is how we level up.”

Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove said:

“We know that in our towns the values of hard work and solidarity, common sense and common purpose, endeavour and quiet patriotism have endured across generations. But for too long, too many of our great British towns have been overlooked and undervalued.
“We are putting this right through our Long-Term Plan for Towns backed by over £1bn of levelling up funding.
“This will empower communities in every part of the UK to take back control of their future, taking long term decisions in the interests of local people. It will mean more jobs, more opportunities and a brighter future for our towns and the people who live and work in them.”

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said:
“I wholeheartedly welcome the launch of the UK Government’s Long Term Plan for Towns. It’s great to see that seven Scottish towns will benefit from £20 million each from the latest round of levelling up funding which so far has seen us invest more than £2.4 billion right across Scotland to help grow our economy and level up the country. I look forward to seeing these towns – and the communities within them – use this investment to breathe new life into the places where they live, work and play.”

‘Our Long-Term Plan for Towns’, published today, is carefully designed to complement the wider levelling up programme, working alongside funding for specific projects across the UK, our targeted support to the places most in need through Levelling Up Partnerships, and initiatives supporting economic growth in wider city regions like investment zones.

The Long-Term Plan for Towns will require town boards to develop their own long-term plan for their town, with funding over 10 years and aligned to the issues that research shows people want the most, such as:

Improving transport and connections to make travel easier for residents and increase visitor numbers in centres to boost opportunities for small businesses and create jobs.
Tackling crime and anti-social behaviour to keep residents safe and encourage visitors through better security measures and hotspot policing
Enhancing town centres to make high streets more attractive and accessible, including repurposing empty shops for new housing, creating more green spaces, cleaning up streets or running market days

Local people will be at the heart of decisions, through direct membership of a new Towns Board, which will include community groups, MPs, businesses, cultural and sports organisations, public sector agencies and local authorities for each town and through a requirement to engage local people on the long-term plan for each town.

The Government has also announced a new ‘Towns Taskforce, sitting in the Department for Levelling Up and reporting directly to the Prime Minister and Levelling Up Secretary. This will help town boards to develop their plans, and advise them on how best to take advantage of government policies, unlock private and philanthropic investment and work with communities.

A new ‘High Streets and Towns Task Force’ will also be established, building on the success of the existing version, providing each selected town with bespoke, hands-on support.

Galloway & Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere To Lead New Climate Hub for Dumfries & Galloway

Sep 30, 2023

The Scottish Communities Climate Action Network and Dumfries and Galloway Council have announced that the Galloway & Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere has been awarded leadership of a new regional Climate Hub, that will bring support communities and community-based organisations in delivering action on climate change in D&G.

Operating across the whole of Dumfries and Galloway, the GSA Biosphere will coordinate and share best practice tools to support action in addressing the challenges of climate change. Taking a place-based approach that combines experience and innovation, the hub will focus on issues specific to communities in D&G. These will include climate impacts on food production, energy provision, transport, and the cost of living, and the local response to extreme weather events such as fire and flood. Climate Hubs have been successfully trialled in the Highlands and Aberdeenshire, with more planned across Scotland over the next two years.

The GSA Biosphere is founded on principles of partnership working which unites diverse stakeholders for common goals, from volunteer groups and community councils to UNESCO’s international network with its mission to build peace, eradicate poverty, and achieve Sustainable Development Goals. The Biosphere’s work is supported by core funding from South of Scotland Enterprise and three local authorities including Dumfries & Galloway Council, who supported the organisation’s Climate Hub bid. The Scottish Government’s award of £140,000 to fund the new Climate Hub is initially until March 2023, with in-principal support to extend this to at least March 2024. The establishment of the hub brings with it new jobs for D&G and the Biosphere will shortly begin recruitment for Climate Officers to deliver the hub’s programme, with job announcements expected within the next few weeks.

The announcement of the D&G Climate Hub was made during Scotland’s Climate Week (25 th September – 1 st October) during which the Scottish Government and other agencies try to raise awareness of Net Zero goals.

Scotland was one of the first countries in the world to declare a climate emergency in 2019, and has a target of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2045, five years earlier than the rest of the UK.

Commenting on the announcement of the D&G Climate Hub, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition, Mairi McAllan said: “Climate Action Hubs will put communities at the heart of net zero and I’m very pleased to see the Dumfries & Galloway Climate Action Hub joining our growing network. These hubs, which are being supported by the Scottish Government’s £4.3 million programme, will help coordinate local activity and increase public participation in climate action. Local communities have a crucial role to play in helping us to achieve our shared national climate change targets and I look forward to working with the Climate Action Hub and the many others that are being created across Scotland.”

Ed Forrest, Director of the GSA Biosphere, said, “We’re very excited for this opportunity in which the knowledge and skills our organisation has developed over more than a decade of work will be put to such important use. The fact that GSAB has been invited to step beyond its geographical boundary and lead the new Climate Hub reflects the Scottish Government and local authority’s confidence in our experience and expertise, and their faith in the UNESCO Biosphere model to deliver tangible outcomes for the people of Dumfries and Galloway.”

Jenna Cains, the GSA Biosphere’s Community & Education lead, said, “It’s increasingly well understood that now is the time to turn climate policy into implementation, and that this cannot be done without local people being part of the journey at every step. Through the new D&G Climate Hub communities across the region will have access to a suite of resources and supports that will equip them to take climate action from ideas to reality. It’s a hugely important boost for D&G.”

New Halloween Event Comes to Drumlanrig Castle

Sep 30, 2023

Halloween frenzy is taking over Drumlanrig Castle and Country Estate, near Thornhill, this October. In the lead up to Halloween, the estate, based in Dumfries and Galloway, have launched a brand new pumpkin patch at the Gardens and Adventure Playground, running from 14^th to 29^th October, excluding Mondays and Tuesdays.

Families are invited to book a spooky session which includes a themed trail through the Gardens, a specially created pumpkin patch with child-size wheelbarrows, Halloween crafts and activities, plus a great value lunch box. Entry to the Adventure Playground and wider gardens is also included.

Anna Fergusson, estate director says “We are excited to launch this new family-friendly Halloween event. There is nothing better than enjoying the beautiful Autumnal colours around Drumlanrig in October and we hope the pumpkin patch will be a new regular event for families as they explore the spooky season!”

Fancy dress is very much encouraged and participants who share their pictures online with the #DrumlanrigPumpkins will be in the running to win a 2024 Drumlanrig Castle and Country Estate Season Pass, worth £50.

The Larchwood Cabin Café will be open throughout the event serving a specially created Halloween menu with hot and cold drinks, light lunches, and delicious home baking.

Tickets are available to pre-book only from drumanrigcastle.co.uk/event/pumpkin-patch/. Tickets cost £15 for children (£5 for under 5’s) and include the trail, use of a wheelbarrow, a pumpkin, craft activities, lunch box and access to the adventure playground and wider gardens. Accompanying adults go free.

To keep up to date with the latest news and events at Drumlanrig Castle and Country Estate visit drumlanrigcastle.co.uk or follow @DrumlanrigCastle on Facebook or Instagram.

New Halloween Event Comes to Drumlanrig Castle

Essential Resurfacing On The A701 South Of Beattock Commences Monday 2nd October 2023

Sep 30, 2023

Amey, on behalf of Transport Scotland, are undertaking essential resurfacing on the A701 south of Beattock, south of the B7020 junction, from Monday 2nd October until Monday 9th October 2023.

This scheme will benefit around 4,600 vehicles using this route each day, by improving the condition of the carriageway and reducing the need for more extensive maintenance in the future. Tree felling will also be carried out alongside the surfacing works.

The work will be carried out using overnight and daytime road closures and a signed diversion will be in operation. We thank road users for their patience and co-operation while this essential work takes place.

There will be overnight closures of the A701 between 7pm and 6am each night, between Monday 2nd October and Thursday 5th October with traffic management removed by 6am on Friday 6th October.

There will then be a closure of the A701 between 7pm on Friday 6th October until 6am on Sunday 8th October, and a further overnight closure from 7pm on Sunday 8th October until 6am on Monday 9th October.

The signed diversion will operate as follows:

· Northbound traffic will take the A75 east to join the A709 eastbound at Brownrigg Roundabout, continuing to Lockerbie and turning left on to the B7076 to head north to join the A701 southbound.

· Southbound traffic will take the B7076 south of Beattock, continuing south to Lockerbie and turning right on to the A709 to head west to Brownrigg Roundabout before joining the A75 westbound to reach the A701.

There will also be daytime Temporary Traffic Lights in place on Wednesday 4th October to facilitate the cooling of deeper layers of treatment.

Access for emergency service vehicles will be maintained throughout these works.

Please note, all schemes are weather dependent and may be cancelled or rescheduled if weather conditions are not favourable.

A free Road Work Alerts service is available from our website: https://swtrunkroads.scot/roadwork-alerts/ An email address is all that is required to sign up for the service.
To report a problem on the network please visit: https://swtrunkroads.scot/report-a-problem/
Real-time journey information can be obtained by visiting https://www.traffic.gov.scot/ or via Twitter: @TrafficScotland

D&G College Students Create Their Own Career Paths

Sep 30, 2023

Two Creative Industries students from Dumfries and Galloway College (DGC) have designs on reaching the top — after landing jobs before even finishing their studies!

Eilidh Sinclair was offered two graphic design roles and was delighted to accept an offer as a Junior Designer with Browns Food Group.

Browns have a track record of employing students from the college, with Navid Ali another recent acquisition from DGC. The company is certainly reaping the rewards following their visits to the college as part of their recruitment campaign.

Eilidh has quickly settled into her new role within the creative team at Browns, who have been delighted with her contribution so far.

David Sprott, Creative & Marketing Manager at Browns Foods Group, said: “I was very keen for Eilidh to be part of our in-house creative team after meeting her on my recent visit to the college and was delighted when she agreed to join us.

“I’m really looking forward to working together to further develop her skills and I’m sure she will quickly establish herself as a key member of the team.

“We have lots of exciting design and marketing projects ahead of us here at Browns Food Group — and with Navid having already joined us after graduating last year and now Eilidh, we now have a very talented team in place that will deliver first-class creative solutions for the group as we continue to grow.”

Another DGC student enjoying an exciting opportunity is Gareth Millar, who has secured a role as graphic designer at Solway Group (Solway Fuels, Solway Spas and Parkdale Garage)..

The company also contacted the college as part of their recruitment campaign to find students who were about to graduate.

They were so impressed with Gareth that they hired him on a part-time basis initially while he finished his studies with a view to him going permanent full-time as soon as he finished college.

Gareth said: “My new job is going well —the work is really fun and it’s great to get paid for it.”

Two Options For Wigtownshire Maternity Services To Go Out To Consultation

Sep 30, 2023

CONSULTATION on the future of Maternity Services in Wigtownshire is set to begin, after two options were presented to Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care IJB today.

However, seeking to clarify expectations, the IJB notes that neither of the two options means birthing facilities will be available to all expectant mothers in the area – instead exploring birthing options for the low risk pregnant population in the Wigtownshire area.

Chairman of the IJB Andy McFarlane said: “It’s well reported that hospital-based birthing services in Wigtownshire were halted in 2018 as a result of shortfalls in the number of qualified midwives required to ensure the safety of mothers and their babies.

“As a Board, we have recognised strong feelings on this issue, particularly around the current travelling required for many births, and a local desire to establish a way forward.

“Earlier this year, under two independent chairs and a national midwifery expert, engagement took place with people in the community and with staff in order to gain information to help shape potential options for the future of services.

“Several options were developed by the independent chairs following engagement with stakeholders, and these went through a scoring process.

“At the end of that scoring, two front-running options for births in the area were tied – the current arrangement which provides only for low-risk home births and a second option which would include pre-planned births at Galloway Community Hospital, again only for the same relatively small number of low-risk births.

“While conscious that this was an independently chaired service review, it is important to recognise that this was a local service review which should include contributions and views from professional NHS staff. By doing so, it was noted that both option 1 and 2 scored the same on the day, with option 2 narrowly preferred by the independent chairs when the local professional scores were excluded.”

The report by the independent chairs, NHS Ayrshire and Arran Medical Director Crawford McGuffie and NHS Ayrshire and Arran Executive Nurse Director Jennifer Wilson, came to the Transformation sub-committee of the IJB on August 10 2023.

Mr McFarlane said: “The two options were discussed at that committee. Feeling there was a lack of a decisive outcome, and with no proposals or options having yet been taken out for the public to consider, a recommendation was agreed that two options be taken out for formal consultation.

“This proposal was agreed at the meeting of the IJB on Wednesday 27 September, with a view that these possible options should go out to consultation so that the perspectives people offer in response can help inform and shape the ultimate decision making.

“For the avoidance of doubt, and contrary to some reporting, neither of these options would represent a full birthing service in Wigtownshire. High risk births have always been advised to deliver in the Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary and this would remain the advice.

“The second option is for pre-planned births in hospital which are assessed as being low-risk – and the last statistics for Wigtownshire showed that this was 23 per cent of all pregnancies in the area.

“We’ll be looking to move to consultation as quickly as possible, and expecting this process to provide everyone with full information and understanding about both these options, and their implications – with details to be published in due course.

“The IJB does not have a preferred outcome here, and we are keen that consultation takes place so that everyone within the community can help shape a model for childbirth that will serve Wigtownshire for years to come.”

Sharks Bite Into New Season At Home

Sep 30, 2023

The Solway Sharks, Ice Hockey Team began the 23/24 season at home at Dumfries Ice Bowl against Telford Tigers, providing an opportunity for both old and new fans to experience hockey in Solway and watch the organisation’s continuous growth.

The Sharks scored goals from Nolan Gardiner and Ross Murray in the encounter, but it was the Tigers who took the two points on the first night of the NIHL season, winning 4-2.

The Sharks’ next stop was Romford Raiders, where they put on a valiant performance
with goals from Kell Beattie and Nolan Gardiner, a spirited performance by the team
as they looked to bounce back from the previous night’s disappointment, but it wasn’t
to be as Raiders won the game 4-2.

The first of many weekends for the NIHL’s newest team, still learning and developing
under the supervision of Head Coach Martin Grubb, where they’ll be put to the test in
this historic season for the Sharks. The impression they made on the community and
fans old and new will be the most important takeaway, inspiring the next generation of
ice hockey players to step to the ice and strive to be the players of tomorrow.

The organisation has put in a lot of effort both on and off the ice to get ready for the
season, and as the weeks have gone by leading up to this inaugural season, they have
begun to notice an increase in local and international interest in their journey. Bringing
local talent together and recruiting to find the appropriate mindset to make this
inaugural season memorable for everyone involved.

The Solway Sharks take on the Sheffield Steeldogs at the Dumfries Ice Bowl on
Sunday, October 1st at 4pm (doors open at 2.30pm). Get your tickets to the Shark
Tank at https://sharksihc.com/tickets/.

Summer 2023 ‘Go Wild’ Outdoor Adventure Camps Are Celebrated!

Sep 30, 2023

This summer, a gang of P7 pupils from Galloway took part in the ‘Go Wild’ Summer Activity camps. These camps explore topics such as responsible outdoor access, provide young people with the tools to enjoy the Galloway outdoors, and are enormous fun for all involved! The 3 camps and activity through the summer culminated in a celebration event at the Galloway Activity Centre, with participants receiving the John Muir ‘Discovery’ Award.

The three camps catered for 30 participants, with activities including den making, river dipping, animal tracking, cooking and great fun outdoors. In light of the Galloway Glens imminent departure, the camps were largely supported and led by local partners. The Kirkcudbright Camp was supported by the Kirkcudbright Development Trust, the Castle Douglas Camp was led by the team at NTS Threave Estate and the Glenkens camp was supported by the Glenkens Community & Arts Trust.

The programme was overseen by Jan Hogarth, Galloway Glens Education & Community Engagement Officer. Jan presented the awards to participants at the Galloway Activity Centre, and said:

Go Wild is a fantastic opportunity for young people to have a week of fun while connecting with nature, learning about wildlife and conservation, and important outdoor “bush craft” skills. During the week the young people gain their John Muir Discovery Award. The Go Wild experience can foster a lifelong love of the natural word and the skills to enjoy the great outdoors with an ethos of ‘leave no trace’. Huge thanks to Galloway Activity Centre for hosting our awards ceremony again this year and for ensuring our Go Wilders get to meet and have fun together. Also thanks to the Castle Douglas Rotary for helping support the event at GAC.”

Maria Wheeler was a Go Wild participant in the Glenkens Camp. Maria said:

“I really enjoyed my Go Wild week. I liked having the river near our camp and exploring it. We had a fun day walking up the stream together, climbing over the rocks and through the trees. It was also really nice going to the activity/certificate day at the Galloway Activity Centre. It was good getting together with the all the kids from the other camps and hearing about the different things that they did.”

Adam Hutchings at the Galloway Activity Centre said:

“It was great to have Galloway Glens Go Wilders at Galloway Activity Centre earlier this month. After celebrating their achievements, we took them out on the water on canoes and paddle boards. It was just lovely to see them challenging themselves and having fun on the water.”

The Celebration events at the Galloway Activity Centre was supported by a contribution from the Castle Douglas Rotary Club. A spokesman for the Club said:

“The club has been active in supporting the Stewartry’s youth for years and in our 60th anniversary year it is fitting that these 30 young people got the chance to participate in what was, for club members, a common experience of adventure and discovery in our P7 days!.”

This week has seen the launch of a ‘Go Wild’ report, giving a detailed overview of how the Go Wild Camps came about, were developed and the results achieved. This report is available here: https://gallowayglens.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Go-Wild-Outdoor-Education-Camps-Report.pdf.

The Galloway Glens Scheme is an initiative of the Council’s Environment Team, funded by a range of partners including The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Wheatley Group To Support 10,000 Homeless People In Scotland By 2026

Sep 30, 2023

More than 10,000 homeless people in Scotland will be provided with homes by 2026, figures from Wheatley Group have revealed.

Scotland’s leading housing, care and property-management group made a pledge to tackle homelessness in its 2021-2026 strategy.

New figures show the Group is well on track to meet the milestone figure in three years’ time with 5773 people already moved off the streets or out of temporary accommodation and into a home.

In the first year, 2475 homeless people were given a home by Wheatley Group. In year two, 2207 people were helped to find a home. Up to the end of August this year, a further 1091 people have moved into their own tenancy.

Wheatley Group has also committed to giving 60% of its new lets in the central belt each year to homeless households.

In addition, Wheatley has turned 251 temporary furnished homes into permanent homes for people living in them since June 2020 and created more than 369 Housing First tenancies through a multi-partnership set up to tackle rough sleeping.

The Group includes four Registered Social Landlords – Wheatley Homes Glasgow, Wheatley Homes East, Wheatley Homes South, and Loretto Housing – and has around 63,800 homes for social rent across the country.

Wheatley Group Chief Executive Steven Henderson welcomed the latest figures. He said: “The importance of everyone having a warm, safe, and secure home should never be underestimated.

“As the largest organisation nationally in providing affordable housing, we have a clear role to play in increasing the number of lets to homeless people and families.

“Wheatley continues to lead from the front in helping tackle homelessness across the country, with over 5770 properties let to homeless people and families since 2021 and we are well on track to meet, and likely exceed, our target of 10,000 by 2026.”

A report last month showed homelessness in Scotland had risen higher than pre-pandemic levels.

The data released by the National Statistics Publication for Scotland in August, revealed a 10% rise in the number of households assessed as homeless to 32,242, up from 29,339 in 2021-2022, and a record number of households in temporary accommodation.

Sharon, 53, of Midlothian, found herself homeless after her former private landlord put her rented property up for sale.

Sharon said: “I must thank Wheatley for giving me my forever home – it’s amazing. I don’t have any words that can sum it up. Along with my dogs, this has saved my life and given me a future.

“I used to have my own home, and a second property I rented out. Life was good. Then I fell on hard times. My marriage ended and my mental health deteriorated. I lost my business and, with no family or close friends around me, I had nothing. Life changed overnight. It was horrific.

“I got myself back on track and, as I couldn’t get a mortgage, I found a private let. I was happy and settled for almost 14 years.”

However, a change in circumstances meant the landlord wanted to sell the property, leaving Sharon homeless. In December 2022, Sharon was offered her own tenancy with Wheatley Homes East.

She added: “I’ll never forget when I was told I was being offered a property. I burst into tears with the housing officer. It seemed unreal. I thought she was joking.

“If I was to speak to someone in my situation, I would tell them there is light at the end of the tunnel and there are people who will help. They should speak to organisations like Wheatley Group. They will help. They saved my life.”

Robert, 20, of Glasgow, ended up homeless after a family breakdown. After spending several years in the care system, he found himself sofa surfing for a year and a half.

He said: “My mum kicked me out when I was 17 and although we got back on track for a while, we were constantly arguing, and it became impossible for me to stay.”

Robert was offered a Wheatley Homes Glasgow property in May this year and is enjoying having a place to call home.

He added: “I’m so grateful of the house I’ve been given. Having a roof over my head and space to call my own means a lot.

“I’m trying to get into work now to help me manage. That’s what is going to make the difference for me. I’m learning about money management and looking after the property. I’m getting support from Wheatley to do this when I need it.”

David Sprott, Creative & Marketing Manager at Browns Foods Group, said: “I was very keen for Eilidh to be part of our in-house creative team after meeting her on my recent visit to the college and was delighted when she agreed to join us.

“I’m really looking forward to working together to further develop her skills and I’m sure she will quickly establish herself as a key member of the team.

Gareth said: “My new job is going well —the work is really fun and it’s great to get paid for it.”

Chairman of the IJB Andy McFarlane said: “It’s well reported that hospital-based birthing services in Wigtownshire were halted in 2018 as a result of shortfalls in the number of qualified midwives required to ensure the safety of mothers and their babies.

“As a Board, we have recognised strong feelings on this issue, particularly around the current travelling required for many births, and a local desire to establish a way forward.

“Earlier this year, under two independent chairs and a national midwifery expert, engagement took place with people in the community and with staff in order to gain information to help shape potential options for the future of services.

“Several options were developed by the independent chairs following engagement with stakeholders, and these went through a scoring process.

Mr McFarlane said: “The two options were discussed at that committee. Feeling there was a lack of a decisive outcome, and with no proposals or options having yet been taken out for the public to consider, a recommendation was agreed that two options be taken out for formal consultation.

“This proposal was agreed at the meeting of the IJB on Wednesday 27 September, with a view that these possible options should go out to consultation so that the perspectives people offer in response can help inform and shape the ultimate decision making.

“For the avoidance of doubt, and contrary to some reporting, neither of these options would represent a full birthing service in Wigtownshire. High risk births have always been advised to deliver in the Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary and this would remain the advice.

“The second option is for pre-planned births in hospital which are assessed as being low-risk – and the last statistics for Wigtownshire showed that this was 23 per cent of all pregnancies in the area.

“We’ll be looking to move to consultation as quickly as possible, and expecting this process to provide everyone with full information and understanding about both these options, and their implications – with details to be published in due course.

“The IJB does not have a preferred outcome here, and we are keen that consultation takes place so that everyone within the community can help shape a model for childbirth that will serve Wigtownshire for years to come.”

“It was great to have Galloway Glens Go Wilders at Galloway Activity Centre earlier this month. After celebrating their achievements, we took them out on the water on canoes and paddle boards. It was just lovely to see them challenging themselves and having fun on the water.”

“The club has been active in supporting the Stewartry’s youth for years and in our 60th anniversary year it is fitting that these 30 young people got the chance to participate in what was, for club members, a common experience of adventure and discovery in our P7 days!.”

Wheatley Group Chief Executive Steven Henderson welcomed the latest figures. He said: “The importance of everyone having a warm, safe, and secure home should never be underestimated.

“As the largest organisation nationally in providing affordable housing, we have a clear role to play in increasing the number of lets to homeless people and families.

“Wheatley continues to lead from the front in helping tackle homelessness across the country, with over 5770 properties let to homeless people and families since 2021 and we are well on track to meet, and likely exceed, our target of 10,000 by 2026.”

Sharon said: “I must thank Wheatley for giving me my forever home – it’s amazing. I don’t have any words that can sum it up. Along with my dogs, this has saved my life and given me a future.

“I used to have my own home, and a second property I rented out. Life was good. Then I fell on hard times. My marriage ended and my mental health deteriorated. I lost my business and, with no family or close friends around me, I had nothing. Life changed overnight. It was horrific.

“I got myself back on track and, as I couldn’t get a mortgage, I found a private let. I was happy and settled for almost 14 years.”

She added: “I’ll never forget when I was told I was being offered a property. I burst into tears with the housing officer. It seemed unreal. I thought she was joking.

“If I was to speak to someone in my situation, I would tell them there is light at the end of the tunnel and there are people who will help. They should speak to organisations like Wheatley Group. They will help. They saved my life.”

He said: “My mum kicked me out when I was 17 and although we got back on track for a while, we were constantly arguing, and it became impossible for me to stay.”

He added: “I’m so grateful of the house I’ve been given. Having a roof over my head and space to call my own means a lot.

“I’m trying to get into work now to help me manage. That’s what is going to make the difference for me. I’m learning about money management and looking after the property. I’m getting support from Wheatley to do this when I need it.”

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