The minutes of our December board meeting, held on Zoom on Monday 4 December, are now available to read online: https://lovealyth.org.uk/about-alyth-development-trust/board-minutes/
December board meeting next week
It’s our December board meeting next Monday, 4 December, starting at 7.00pm. This will be a Zoom meeting, so if you’d like to sit in and see what we’re currently up to, drop us a line here or email aythdevelopmenttrust@gmail.com and we’ll send you the login details.
Alyth’s guiding groups get busy in the garden
Alyth’s popular and active Rainbow, Brownies and Guides groups are planning a garden makeover thanks to a grant from ADT’s Community Projects Fund.
The Alyth Friends of Guiding group have been awarded £1500 to help the girls give the garden at their hut on the New Alyth Road a mini-makeover. The funding will be used to create sensory areas, instal bug hotels and other improvements, as well as buying planters, hanging baskets, bulbs and other items to make the entrance more attractive and welcoming. The girls in all three groups will be doing this work themselves on group nights over the next few months.
At the same time, the grant will support essential maintenance work on the Guide Hut and ongoing garden-care like hedge- and grass-cutting, using local tradespeople to augment the efforts of the Friends of Guiding and the Guide leaders themselves.
James Magro of the Alyth Friends of Guiding said: “This project is needed to make both the garden and hut fit for purpose once again. Updating the garden would allow the girls to use the outdoor space on group nights so much more. It will make a big difference to the girls and leaders who use the hut most weeks of the year, and would enhance the planning of the leaders, therefore the activities and experiences of the girls.”
ADT’s Community Projects Fund distributes the community benefit funds provided for Alyth by the operators of the Tullymurdoch Windfarm, some five miles north of the town. Applications to the fund are judged by an independent panel of volunteers drawn from across the community. Apply at https://lovealyth.org.uk/projects/alyth-community-projects-fund/
It’s game on for 50-Plus Club!
Alyth’s long-running 50-Plus Club is now equipped with loads of new games, craft materials and a projector to help guest speakers, thanks to a £950 grant from pour Community Projects Fund.
The money has helped the Club to buy board games and table-top games, art and craft materials, and a small bingo machine as well as a projector for guest speakers to use and for other community groups to borrow if they need it.
The Club had been running for many years but had to stop because of COVID. It has restarted recently and membership is at a reasonable level, but the Club would like to encourage more members, especially those who are still reluctant to go out and about much.
The aim is to give people aged 50 and over an opportunity to socialise, learn new skills but also have time for a cup of tea and a blether. Some current members have said the club is a lifeline for them as they live alone and are rarely out of the house.
The Club’s John Lindsay said: “We want the club to provide the place where people can come for a get-together and socialise with a cup of tea and cake. However we also want to provide a variety of activities for the members to choose from, to help stimulate their physical and mental wellbeing. Our members told us they would like more craft activities and some more up-to-date board games, ones to play in groups.”
John added: “We hope the new equipment will create an enjoyable and informative experience for our members and also encourage more people to attend the club, especially those who live alone and would benefit from the social aspect of the meeting as well as the stimulation provided by the games, activities and talks.”
The Club is also now working with Alyth Primary School to encourage more interaction between the young and the elderly in Alyth. The projector would help with pupil presentations to Club members: the elderly would enjoy seeing the youngsters doing something and the pupils would get valuable experience presenting to groups.
ADT’s Community Projects Fund distributes the community benefit funds provided for Alyth by the operators of the Tullymurdoch Windfarm, some five miles north of the town. Applications to the fund are judged by an independent panel of volunteers drawn from across the community. Apply at https://lovealyth.org.uk/projects/alyth-community-projects-fund/.
AGM reports now available online
The Annual Report and Financial Statement presented at our 2023 AGM last Monday (6 November) are now available to download. Have a look at what we’ve been up to over the last year: http://lovealyth.org.uk/about-alyth-development-trust/annual-general-meeting-2023/
Clearance work starts on Millhaugh site
We are delighted to announce that work to make safe the former sawmill site at Millhaugh is scheduled to start next week. During these works the public are not permitted to enter the site for safety reasons. We estimate that the work will last from 13 November 2023 until 1 March 2024.
The works due to be carried out can only be done by trained and qualified construction staff. The tasks to be done are:
- Asbestos removal works – Disturbed asbestos dust and fibres are highly hazardous;
- Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) Removal – Deep excavations required which will be prone to flooding, plus removal of petrochemical impacted soils which are hazardous and toxic to humans;
- Demolition of dangerous structures – Hazards during demolition are falls, being struck, or buried in falling material or by the unintentional collapse of the structure;
- Working at height – Potential of items falling from above can cause serious injury.
For all these reasons, we cannot permit any public access to the site during the work. We appreciate your cooperation during this phase and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Find out more on the Millhaugh project page:
Local footpaths promoted with new leaflets
Alyth’s wonderful network of paths connecting it to the beauties of the surrounding countryside is getting a welcome profile boost thanks to a grant from our Community Projects Fund.
The Fund has given £2000 to the WalkAlyth project to fund the design and production of a range of leaflets detailing individual walking routes along existing footpaths starting and finishing in Alyth. The routes vary from one hour to four hours in length and the leaflets provide not only a route-map but also pictures and interesting information about things to see along the way.
The leaflets are available from the local library, local accommodation providers and businesses, and can also be downloaded from Alyth.Online so that ramblers can use them on their phones or other mobile devices.
Local artist and craftsman Ron McGill , who has done all the research and photography for the leaflets, commented: “Alyth is a wonderful centre for exploring the amazing local countryside, flora and fauna. Until now, there has been little information available to visitors and members of the local community who want to enjoy this unique environment.
“Walking is an increasingly popular pastime, which has many benefits for physical and mental health. We hope that these leaflets promoting walking around Alyth will contribute to the wellbeing of local people and also help to increase the number of visitors to Alyth, with benefits for the local economy.”
Leaflets/maps of walking and cycling routes around Alyth were identified as a priority in the Alyth Community Action Plan 2021-26.
ADT’s Community Projects Fund distributes the community benefit funds provided for Alyth by the operators of the Tullymurdoch Windfarm, some five miles north of the town. Applications to the fund are judged by an independent panel of volunteers drawn from across the community. Apply at https://lovealyth.org.uk/projects/alyth-community-projects-fund/.
2023 AGM confirmed
Our 2023 AGM combined with November board meeting is scheduled for Monday 6 November, starting at 7pm in Cafe in the Square, Market Square, Alyth PH11 8AA. Come along and find out what we’re up to – all welcome! You can confirm your attendance here: https://www.facebook.com/events/836392171556655/
Date for your diaries – Skatepark consultation event, 17 November, Alyth Town Hall
The volunteers bringing the Skate Park to Alyth would like to invite you to an opening evening consultation on Friday 17 November in the Alyth Town Hall.
With thanks to your feedback earlier this year, the volunteers have worked with PKC to bring you six possible locations to vote on.
The session in the Town Hall will run from 7-9pm and you may enter at any time to review the location options and make your vote.
During the evening you will be able to see up close the drawings for each site, read feedback from some of the children of Alyth, the target audience of the skate park, and children attending can enjoy the “design-a-skateboard” craft area.
In the first week of November we will share the six locations on the Alyth.Online site so if you are unable to attend and vote at the open evening consultation on 17 November you can register your vote by emailing skatepark@alyth.online.
ADT helps Community Council celebrate local heroes
We’re proud to be supporting Alyth Community Council (ACC) as they prepare to celebrate the people and organisations in the town who have gone above and beyond to make Alyth the wonderful place it is.
A £1,175 grant from our Community Projects Fund is helping to fund prizes, catering, advertising and venue costs for ACC’s Volunteer Appreciation Event this coming Saturday (21 October) in Alyth Town Hall starting at 7pm.
As well as the ACC presenting the Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year and Community Group of the Year awards, it is planned that other groups will also present and/or celebrate their internal awards there. There will be refreshments provided after the awards ceremony.
We salute ACC for arranging this prestigious ceremony and social event, and we’re proud to be able to support it.
ADT’s Community Projects Fund distributes the community benefit funds provided for Alyth by the operators of the Tullymurdoch Windfarm, some five miles north of the town. Applications to the fund are judged by an independent panel of volunteers drawn from across the community. Apply at https://lovealyth.org.uk/projects/alyth-community-projects-fund/