Windfarm Community Fund takes a step closer

Windfarm Community Fund

Next week, the new Windfarm Dumfries and Galloway Wide Community Fund will take a step closer to being up and running. Members of the Communities committee will be asked to give the thumbs up to the remit and to the Chair and Vice Chair of the new Fund.

Windfarm Community Benefit monies now form an important aspect of community resilience and empowerment as they provide monies which are determined and allocated by the communities themselves. As such, Chair of Communities committee, Andy Ferguson will be appointed as the Chair of the Region Wide Community Fund and as Dumfries and Galloway Council representative. Vice Chair of Communities committee, John Martin, will be appointed as substitute.

The Management Committee for the Windfarm Voluntary Region Wide Community Fund is currently being recruited to. It will be made up of 9 members – four public sector members from the Council, NHS Dumfries and Galloway and Dumfries and Galloway College. Five independent members have been recruited through Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway as it has a lead role in volunteering. It is anticipated that the new Management Committee will be in place by the end of September with the first meeting taking place in November 2018.

Chair of the Communities committee, Andy Ferguson, said “Building the local economy is a priority for our Council. The Region Wide Community Fund will be a source of funding to local communities to support applications aimed at improving local business and skills, affordable housing, culture and tourism, community transport and their communities and environment. The potential impact that this funding will deliver in our communities could deliver long-term benefits”.
Vice Chair of Communities committee, John Martin, said “Getting the Management Committee set up will take us one step closer to having the new Windfarm Region Wide Community Fund up and running. Soon, we will be able to receive applications from groups and communities and award monies to enable them to deliver in towns and villages across our region.”

Addressing Safety Issues at Stranraer Harbour

Stranraer Harbour

The first of a number of phases of work will start from Monday 10th and throughout September at Stranraer Harbour. This work is not only needed but is compulsory and is the result of an inspection by the Health and Safety Executive which identified breaches of regulations.

A community warden is already on site to advise public entering the area of the risks faced because of the working nature of the harbour.

Initial work will include signage and the marking of safe routes for vehicles and pedestrians as well as the identification of hazardous areas to be avoided. A temporary vehicle gate will also be installed to ensure only authorised traffic is permitted to enter the working harbour area.

After completion of this phase the working harbour area will only be accessible by authorised users who have signed up to the Council’s Terms and Conditions for harbour use. Authorised users will be provided with the security code for the lock on the temporary gate.

A wider scheme of measures addressing issues on the harbour, promenade and surrounding area will be designed and implemented in the coming months resulting in a system which will be manageable, enforceable and compliant and will enable the Council to fulfil its duty as harbour operator.

Authorised Harbour Users are being contacted to make arrangements for their ongoing access and agreement to the Council’s related terms and conditions.

Archie Dryburgh, Chair of Dumfries and Galloway’s Economy, Environment and Infrastructure Committee said: “The cooperation of harbour users and the wider public over this time will be greatly appreciated and whilst there may be some inconvenience during the implementation of the above measures the Council will try to keep this to a minimum.”
Katie Hagman, Chair of this Council’s Harbour committee went on to say: “The harbour is an important hub of activity both for and within the local community. For this reason, it is essential that we, not only to comply with the health and Safety Executives findings, but also that we carry out essential work to ensure the safety of all our harbour users. This includes members of the public as well as those working within the harbour and voluntary groups.”

Communities in Dumfries and Galloway still feel safe

still feel safe

The results are in. People still feel safe in their local community. 90% of people told us that they feel safe where they live. This is compared to the national average of 87%. The survey results will be presented to Members at the meeting of Communities committee next week along with an update on what the Community Safety Team will be doing to tackle issues across the region.

Dog fouling continues to be the number one issue for local people. Over half of the respondents want the Community Safety Team to focus on dog fouling as the top priority. Littering and rowdy/nuisance behaviour also feature highly in the results.

In some communities in the region, respondents told us that they feel unsafe when out and about in their neighbourhood. To address this, Members will be told that new structured patrol patterns will be introduced so that the Community Safety Teams have a dedicated presence and can provide reassurance whilst focussing on deterrence and detection.

5% of the respondents in North West Dumfries and 6% in the Nith ward expressed a view that they would like the Community Safety Team to focus on the issue of discarded syringes which is apparent in these areas. Across the region, the issue of discarded syringes has seen a downturn of 50% (282 discarded syringes were uplifted during 2017/18 compared to 565 in 2016/17) but there is ongoing work in this area.

The data collected will be used by the Community Safety Team to plan their workloads and allow them to focus on areas of concern to the public. The Community Safety Team will be focussing on trying to deter antisocial behaviour and through intelligence led patrols. So that the patrols are as effective as possible, members of the public are being asked to help. When they see any offending behaviour, the public are encouraged to report it.

Chair of the Communities committee, Andy Ferguson, said “I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to complete a survey. The excellent response shows that our residents care about their neighbourhoods. It’s only by knowing about the issues in our local communities that we can identify ways to address them. The Community Safety Team are just starting their next round of engagement days in towns across our region. I would encourage members of the public to go along and speak to the team about any issues in your neighbourhood.”
Vice Chair of the Communities committee, John Martin, said “I speak to our community wardens on a regular basis and their feedback when they are out and about is the same – people are sick of dog fouling where they live. The results of the survey prove this. It’s not an issue that we can solve on our own though; we need the public’s help. We are only as good as the information we receive, and our Community Safety Officers can only help to remove the problem if they know about it. I would encourage anyone to report persistent offenders to the Community Safety team, either by giving us a call or visiting our website.”

Heather is Getting Ready to Walk for Dementia

Dementia

Families across Dumfries and Galloway are being called upon to make their mark for dementia by signing up to the Alzheimer Scotland Dumfries Memory Walk – to help make sure nobody faces dementia alone.

Heather Watt of Dumfries will put her best foot forward at the Memory Walk taking place at the Dock Park on 23 September, in memory of her parents. The grandmother of five grandchildren will take part in Septembers walk, marking her third-year participating and walking to support the work of Alzheimer Scotland in the local community.

The 56-year-old who works in the local Tesco Extra will take part this year with extra poignance, having lost her dad to the illness earlier this summer. Heather says: “I’ll be walking this year in memory of my amazing mum and dad. We lost my angel mum in 2016 and lost my hero dad just over six weeks ago. They are together again after battling dementia, they are my inspiration for walking and for everyone living with dementia.

“This year I am hoping to take part with my friend who is a volunteer and who is very supportive to me and Alzheimer Scotland. I’m looking forward to the feeling of togetherness at the walk as everyone is there for the same great cause. I will be thinking of my amazing parents every step of the way and for everyone else living with dementia.”
Alzheimer Scotland’s Chief Executive, Henry Simmons, added: “Our Memory Walks are a great way for supporters to raise vital funds with family and friends. Every penny raised will go towards our vision – ensuring that nobody faces dementia alone. Our localities across Scotland are committed to providing the best possible care, support and information for everyone living with dementia, as well as making sure that people with dementia and their carers are recognised and valued in their local communities. Every step you take will help us to make a difference.”

The Dumfries Memory Walk will take place at Dock Park on 23 September with registration beginning at 12 noon and the walk itself starting at 1PM. There will be a warm-up by local fitness instructor, Fairy Bodmother, and children’s activities provided by local company, Events Vision.

Grab your boots and get ready to make your mark this year at the Alzheimer Scotland Memory Walk, to help make sure nobody faces dementia alone. For more information and to sign up today visit  www.memorywalksscotland.org.

Dementia is Scotland’s biggest public health issue. There are around 90,000 people living with dementia in Scotland and it is now estimated that 20,000 people will be diagnosed with the condition every year by 2020. If you have any questions about dementia and of the services available in your area call Alzheimer Scotland’s 24 Hour Helpline on 0808 808 3000.

 

D&G food and drink industry welcomes launch of new national Food Tourism Action Plan

Dumfries Galloway welcomes national Food Tourism Action Plan
Dumfries Farmers' Market at Dumfries Railway Station

Dumfries & Galloway’s food and drink industry has welcomed the publication of Scotland’s first Food Tourism Action Plan, with local businesses highlighting the opportunity that food tourism presents for our region. 

 

The action plan was launched by Scotland’s First Minister this week with the aim of delivering an additional £1 billion to Scotland’s economy by 2030.  The plan sets out a range of actions to maximise the economic potential of food and drink and tourism through activities such as increased marketing, developing local supply chains, industry events and collaboration.

 

The prioritisation of food tourism aligns closely with findings of the recent Dumfries & Galloway Food and Drink Business Survey where local businesses identified Food Tourism Development and Collaborative Opportunities as their top areas of interest.

 

Lorna Young of DG Food and Drink, who carried out the survey to inform the new regional food and drink strategy, said:

“Food and drink tourism is something that Dumfries & Galloway naturally excels at with high profile food and drink based visitor attractions, a vibrant network of food festivals and markets and exciting growth in our region’s hospitality sector.  The results of our D&G business survey shows very clearly that despite our already strong performance in this area, there remains huge potential to make more of food tourism opportunities. 
“Food and drink is the engine of our region’s economy and now more than ever we need to make sure the foundations of our industry are strong and that the potential of our industry is realised. We will incorporate the feedback from local businesses and the recommendations of the national action plan into our new regional food and drink strategy, due to be published later this year.”

 

Romano Petrucci, Chair of Stranraer Development Trust who organises Stranraer Oyster Festival which takes place from 14th September said:

“When we were exploring how to create a tourism focal point for Stranraer we immediately recognised that it was our local produce, in particular our native oysters, that had the potential to transform the way people think about our town. 
“Food tourism is one of the fastest growing tourism sectors in the world and Stranraer’s heritage means the town is perfectly placed to capitalise on that growing interest in themed food festivals.  Through the festival we can showcase the stunning beauty of Loch Ryan, our amazing local seafood and the hospitality of the people of Stranraer.  Our food and drink is an obvious way to show our region off to the world.”

 

Food tourism is also the focus of the new Heart of Galloway Visitor Centre, the community enterprise which took over the former Castle Douglas Visitor Information Centre.  Sarah-Jane Allsop who manages the centre commented:

“As the region’s Food Town we immediately saw the potential in combining visitor information with local food and drink, and it’s been enormously successful so far.  Visitors to our town and our region want local food and drink; they actively seek it out and food tourism is absolutely something we should be capitalising on.”

 

Deborah Firth from Wigtown has used local food and drink to promote her guest house for many years, winning numerous awards by doing so.  She welcomed the new action plan and said:

“I make a point of seeking out local food and it’s amazing and surprising what is grown and produced here. For example, last night’s menu included locally grown peaches for dessert, beetroot freshly dug from my neighbour’s garden and stunning local saltmarsh lamb.
“For visitors to our region the stories we tell about our food and drink, its provenance and the people behind it, helps to create an experience that is unique to our region.  So it’s not just what we serve our guests, it’s about sharing our passion for the flavours of our local area and our unique local larder.”

 

Linny Oliphant, Visitor Experience Manager of local Distillery said that providing quality distillery tourism experiences was an essential part of the business, she commented:

“Distillery tourism is booming throughout Scotland and creating and delivering consistently excellent tourism experiences has always been at the heart of the rebirth of Annandale Distillery.  This year’s visitor numbers to the distillery has again evidenced the clear demand from international and UK visitors who want depth and authenticity in their experience.  We are keen to be involved with any regional food tourism initiatives as we see huge potential.”

 

The region’s farmers’ market network is widely recognised as a way to make local food and drink more visible, while also providing an accessible route to market for new producers.  Chair of the region’s farmers’ market association, Sarah Burchell, said:

“There are a number of farmers’ markets in Dumfries & Galloway that have obvious appeal for day trippers from central Scotland and the north of England, in fact many of our regular customers at local farmers’ markets are anything but local to our region! So we have known for a long time that creating enjoyable local food experiences at markets has the potential to encourage visitors into our towns.  In Dumfries, Moffat and Kirkcudbright in particular the markets are going from strength to strength and we are keen to work more collaboratively to unlock their full potential.”

 

The plethora of local produce on offer and the popularity of Kirkcudbright Farmers’ Market was one of the reasons for entrepreneur Nick Morris basing his new cookery school in the town, after a search that took him the length and breadth of the UK. Nick welcomed the new national focus on food tourism:

“As a new business and investor in the Dumfries and Galloway food tourism sector I realise its massive potential for this region in terms of supporting existing local food suppliers and producers.  By focussing on food tourism we can grow two of our most important industries in tandem.
“I’m fairly new to this region but since we first arrived here it’s been obvious to me that for too long Dumfries & Galloway has underestimated the quality of its outstanding food and drink.  From passionate artisan producers and local meat, dairy and seafood that is second to none, food tourism is THE big opportunity for our region and its time we worked together to make more of it.” 

 

The Dumfries and Galloway food and drink strategy is being developed by Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Business and Enterprise team and DG Food and Drink with the target of doubling the value of region’s industry to £2.5 billion by 2030.  The regional growth ambition aligns with the national food and drink strategy, ‘Ambition 2030’ which aims to double the value of Scotland’s industry over the next twelve years.

 

Autumn food festivals in Dumfries and Galloway include:

  • Stranraer Oyster Festival 14-16 September
  • Kirkcudbright Food Festival 27-28 October

 

Despite Bad Weather 15000 Attend 2018 Galloway Country Fair

Galloway Country Fair
Galloway Country Fair - Les amis d'onno

Thousands of visitors descended on the picturesque Drumlanrig Castle and Country Estate from across the region and beyond for Galloway Country Fair on 18 and 19 August.

Thanks to programme sales and generous donations from visitors, organisers will donate £1,000 to their chosen charity.

Anna Fergusson, Drumlanrig Castle and Country Estate Manager, said: “Our exciting entertainment schedule was packed and had something for everyone, attracting more than 15,000 visitors to Galloway Country Fair this year. It was also great to support local traders, from food and drink suppliers to crafts and clothing, who proved popular over the weekend.
“I’d like to thank everyone who attended, our fantastic traders and entertainers and especially a big thank you to our sponsors for their continued support. Last but not least a massive thank you for all donations that helped us raise such a superb sum for charity.”

Entertainment highlights for 2018 included current Scottish Trials Champion Craig Houston and world champion trial rider Dougie Lampkin MBE performing electrifying displays in the Buccleuch Ring, as well as breath-taking tricks from stunt horse team Les Amis D’Onno.

Youngsters spent countless hours with the Team Challenge activities and hundreds of attendees got involved in the action from the gundog scurry and bake off to our fishing and clay shooting competitions.

Galloway Country Fair showcased the best of country pursuits, local craftsmanship, artisan food and drink as well as show-stopping entertainment.

D&G Strategic Housing Investment Plan Is Great Success

Strategic Housing Investment Plan

The Strategic Housing Investment Plan, otherwise known as SHIP sets out key priorities for affordable housing development in our region and identifies the resources needed to deliver the project.

Dumfries and Galloway Council recognises that poor housing can contribute to a range of socio-economic challenges and the delivery of the Council’s SHIP can help tackle the negative effects on the lives of our most vulnerable residents. These include people on low incomes and those who are homeless or have specialist housing needs. The economic benefits of delivering new affordable housing also benefits those who are employed in the construction industry because of this programme.

The Council’s role is to provide strategic direction to the programme and enable delivery of new projects. At the meeting of this Council’s Communities Committee (6th September) Members will hear an update on the SHIP, including a number of new projects and will be asked to agree the removal of the projects which our development partners no longer consider deliverable within the Plan period.

There are clear links between good quality housing and improved health. In addition, there are the added benefits of energy efficiency, warmth, good ventilation, space and safety. As well as this a portion of the new housing will be designed to meet the needs of people with disabilities. For example, 4 fully wheelchair accessible homes are to be built on the Carrs Billington site in Annan by Cunninghame Housing Association following consultation with local residents.

Early indications from our Registered Social Landlord (RSL’s) partners are that they will be able to fully utilise all funding allocations within our region for this financial year. They will add to the overall level of investment by raising their own private finance to meet the total costs of new housing.

Resource Planning Assumptions (RPA’s) indicate the annual amount of grant available to support the delivery of new housing. Our affordable housing development partners have already utilised £9.9 million of the allocated RPA for Dumfries and Galloway. This resulted in 142 unit approvals, 88 site starts and 44 completions. This spend is an increase from 2015/16 and 2016/17 when £7.3 million and £8.1 million respectively was invested in projects to deliver new developments contained in the SHIP. Projections for 2018/19 currently indicate that there will be 421 unit site starts and 174 unit completions, which will fully utilise the allocated funding of £19.279 million.

Chair of Communities Committee, Cllr Andy Ferguson said: “I am delighted with this hugely successful project. Dumfries and Galloway has been assigned the eighth largest RPA allocation in Scotland which highlights the significant role this area will play in meeting the national housing supply target. Our partners, Cunninghame Housing Association, DGHP and Loreburn Housing Association have requested a number of new sites to be considered for inclusion in the plan, including sites at Dumfries, Newton Stewart, Johnstone Bridge, Eastriggs, Langholm, Springholm and Stranraer. This will not only help people in our region to acquire good quality, affordable housing, but will also attract further investment to boost our region’s economy.”
Vice Chair of Communities, John Martin went on to say: “This project stretches further than the types of developments already mentioned. Partnership Support for Regeneration is also available to provide eligible developers with funding to bridge the gap between the costs of a development project and the sales value of the houses upon completion. The developers will obtain a defined return on the sale of the properties which will be sold to ‘priority purchasers’, such as first-time buyers, people who are unable to obtain social housing, people returning to the area for work or family reasons or local resident who are renting due to lack of opportunities to purchase their own home. “

Are you planning your retirement? Do you know someone who is?

planning retirement

Kara Gibson, Trainee Clinical Psychologist in NHS Dumfries & Galloway, is recruiting participants for an exciting study looking at the psychological impact of retirement. The study hopes to better understand how different people experience retirement, and in the long-term help people feel better-prepared for this major life change. If you are:

  • Aged 55+
  • Currently in employment (full- or part-time)
  • Planning to retire in the next three months, and
  • Willing and able to complete a few short, anonymous online surveys

 

Then you could be eligible to take part – and have the chance to win Amazon vouchers for every survey completed!

 

Visit the first survey page below, or email s0786407@sms.ed.ac.uk to find out more. Please spread the word to family, friends and colleagues who might be interested!

 

Dumfries and Galloway features in new Guide to Scottish screen locations

Wanlockhead

As Scotland marks the 130th anniversary of the birth of the Scottish “pioneer of television”, the national tourism organisation has launched a guide aimed at set-jetting TV fans.

TV Set in Scotland, produced by VisitScotland, contains details of more than 60 television programmes, which have either been filmed in Scotland or have Scottish links.

The 36-page book is dedicated to inventor and engineer John Logie Baird who was born in Helensburgh on 13 August, 1888 and is considered one of the fathers of television and the first to show TV pictures to the world.

TV Set in Scotland will be available free of charge in attractions and VisitScotland iCentres throughout the country and for download at visitscotland.com from today (29 August 2018). Its front cover features a photograph taken at popular beauty spot Scott’s View in the Scottish Borders.

From milestone documentary, Night Mail, to Agatha Christie adaptation, Ordeal by Innocence, the guide delves into the animations, documentaries, dramas, sitcoms and soap operas which have been filmed in or inspired by Scotland over the past 80 years.

Highlights for Dumfries & Galloway include:

  • Hope Springs (Wanlockhead) – This eight-part drama series featured Wanlockhead as a fictional Highland village where four friends hide out following a robbery that goes wrong.
  • Two Thousand Acres of Skye (Port Logan) – This drama series starring Michelle Collins was set off the coast of the Isle of Skye with filming actually taking place in the seaside village of Port Logan.
  • Wicker Man – there is special mention in the guide of the 1973 British classic that was filmed extensively across Dumfries & Galloway. The climatic and iconic scene of the flaming Wicker Man took place on the clifftops of Burrow Head near the Isle of Whithorn.

In a specially written foreword, Peter May, author and co-creator of Gaelic soap opera Machair, says Scotland’s “breathtaking scenery” makes it the “envy of the world”.

He writes: “Filmmakers and TV companies from far and wide make the annual pilgrimage to Scotland to fill their viewers’ screens with stunning images of snow-peaked mountains, silver beaches and turquoise seas. Scotland presents a unique landscape and culture for those film and TV companies as settings not only for documentaries, but for top-rated timeless dramas.”

In keeping with the ‘TV guide’ style, the book also has a selection of film highlights and contains special sections on Outlander, Doctor Who and famous Scottish small-screen characters, including Scrooge McDuck from DuckTales and Scotty from Star Trek.

TV Set in Scotland aims to capitalise on the growing trend of set-jetting. Research shows that one in five visitors to Scotland have been inspired to visit the country after seeing locations on the big and small screen.

Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop said: “Scotland’s scenery and built heritage, together with our diverse and rich culture have attracted countless filmmakers over the years.
“I welcome this new guide which maps out the locations of some of the great television shows that have been filmed in Scotland and will encourage TV fans of all ages to come and explore our fantastic on-screen locations in real life.”
Jenni Steele, Film and Creative Industries Manager at VisitScotland, said: “The list of television shows and locations featured in TV Set in Scotland is not exhaustive, but this fun and informative guide, which contains firm fan favourites alongside little-known gems, serves as a starting point for visitors wishing to explore the many on-screen locations and nearby attractions.
“The impact of filmmaking in Scotland goes far beyond production spend. Scotland’s appearances on TV have the potential to reach huge global audiences and, with research finding that one in five visitors are inspired to visit after seeing it on-screen, the opportunities for the tourism industry are immense.”

The latest figures show that spend on film and TV in Scotland in 2017 reached £95 million – the highest level since records began – and a £26 million increase on the previous year. Over the past decade, spend has increased by more than 300%.

VisitScotland previously published, Set in Scotland: A Film Fan’s Odyssey, which focused on the many films shot across the country.

For more on TV and film productions shot in Scotland and to download TV Set in Scotland go to: www.visitscotland.com/film

Innovative Barony team shortlisted for Scottish Training Federation award

nnovative Barony team shortlisted
vet nursing students

A project team consisting of e-Learning and Veterinary Nursing staff at the Barony campus of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) in Dumfries and Galloway, has been shortlisted in the category of “Innovation In Training” in the Scottish Training Federation (STF) Awards.

The project team produced a responsive collaborative digital teaching, learning and assessment environment for first year HND Veterinary Nursing students at the campus. The new online Graded Unit assessment was created to help students with planning, developing and delivering an educational and professional presentation on the importance of animal health and welfare to the public.

The student teams actively e-communicated and e-collaborated within online discussion forums, held frequent face-to-face and online meetings, co-created Padlet (web-based collaborative wall) presentations, peer-reviewed fellow teams’ video ‘prototype’ presentations resulting in confidently delivering professional and engaging presentations to campus staff, students and secondary-level school pupils.

Students also individually submitted outstanding e-portfolio digital evidence showcasing the successful steps in planning, development and evaluation stages of their online-based and interactive presentation projects.

Courtnie Toyer, one of the students involved in the project, said: “The new online Graded Unit project provided an exciting and interactive format in which we were able to successfully design and digitally submit our Graded Unit assignments. I feel using the new platform, although at times challenging as is learning with any new concept, improved the assessment structure and allowed us to gain new skills including teamwork, collaboration, digital skills, and assisted with confidently presenting a professional team-based presentation to the public.”

 

Ali Hastie, E-Learning Developer, said: “Within their teams, the Veterinary Nursing students worked extremely hard with their online-based and interactive presentations and the technologies provided to them. 
“Both staff and students at Barony are delighted that their hard work has been recognised as a potential contender for the highly acclaimed Scottish Training Federation Innovation in Training Award.”

The winners will be announced on 25 September as part of the STF Conference, Annual Dinner and Awards at Crieff Hydro.

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