Community plan launches in Sandford and Upper Avondale

Residents in Sandford and Upper Avondale are invited to a FREE Community Led Action Plan Launch and Coffee Morning, this Saturday 21 March.

Tea, coffee, cakes, and kids activities will be provided alongside information on the five-year plan for the area. Residents will be able to find out how their views helped shape the plan, and how they can get involved with the plan, moving forward.

The Launch and Coffee Mornings take place in Sandford Village Hall, 10am – 12 noon, and in Gilmourton Hall, 1 – 3pm. Residents are encouraged to drop-in to either session where they can pick up their own copy of the plan, have a cuppa and enjoy a chat with their neighbours.

The plan sets out a five-year vision for the area, after consultation with residents on what they felt would make the community a better place to live, work and play. 14 priority projects have been identified through the process, which include organising community volunteer days, establishing a new Community Development Trust and new and improved play facilities.

Sarah O’Sullivan, Community Action Lanarkshire, says, “There was a great amount of community feedback from the consultation process – 154 residents completed two surveys, 46 attended drop-in workshops and 82 pupils from both Sandford and Gilmourton Primary Schools took part in workshops and surveys. The draft results were finalised with local stakeholders, including South Lanarkshire Council.”

The finalised Community Led Action Plan will be used to kick start the projects identified, serving as evidence of what the community needs for potential funders and partners.

The community-led action plan is led by Sandford and Upper Avondale Community Council (SUACC) with support from LEADER funded Community Action Lanarkshire, and is being delivered by Community Links Scotland.

The plan is funded by Banks Renewables, the developer and operator of Kype Muir Wind Farm near Sandford. An integral part of the company’s ethos is to share the benefits of their developments with the local community and so the Kype Muir Community Fund (KMCF), has been set up, which is able to provide financial assistance to community groups, voluntary organisations and the local community. The fund will be shared equally between council areas of Lesmahagow; Sandford and Upper Avondale; Stonehouse; Strathaven & Glassford; and Blackwood, Kirkmuirhill & Boghead. Find out more at www.banksgroup.co.uk.

Jeannie Raine, Community Relations Manager at Banks Renewables said, “It’s excellent to see that Sandford and Upper Avondale Community Council have undertaken thorough community consultation to better understand what their local community want to see delivered from the Kype Muir Community Fund in the next five years.”

Copies of the plan will be available at the Community Plan Launch and Coffee Mornings, and will be available to view at www.suacc.com and www.communityactionlan.org. For more information, contact secretary@suacc.com / 01555 664 665.