10 days to get your Community Projects Fund application in

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10 days to go till the next deadline for applications to our Community Projects Fund, distributing the community benefit funds Alyth receives from the operators of the Tullymurdoch Windfarm. If you have a big project for making Alyth even better, there could be a grant of up to £2000 waiting for you to help make it happen. Fill in the application form here: https://lovealyth.org.uk/…/alyth-community-projects-fund and we’ll do the rest. Applications are judged by an independent panel drawn from across the community, and they’re looking for more members now. You’ll be expected to read and consider applications to the Fund and discuss/approve them at quarterly meetings. For more info, email treasurer@lovealyth.org.uk

Allotments: which site would be best?

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Download a pdf of this map

Following yesterday’s very successful consultation event in the Town Hall, all the plans and supporting information are now available here, via the Allotments Consultation button at top right, along with an online form for you to submit your comments, and maybe even sign up to stay informed and get involved as the project develops. Have a look and tell us what you think – the allotments working group are committed to considering every view put forward. All this information will also be in the July issue of the Alyth Voice, and if you prefer to submit your comments on paper, there will be collection boxes in the Market Square Coop and the Library by the end of this week.

Alyth Show (or at least part of it) heads back to its roots

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At least part of the Alyth & District Agricultural Show will be returning to Alyth this year, thanks to a grant from our Community Projects Fund.

The Show hasn’t been able to be in Alyth for several years due to lack of a suitable venue, and hasn’t taken place at all since 2019 due to the covid pandemic.  When the Show Society decided to go ahead with an event this year, they made some changes to make the Show viable, one of which was to split the event into two.  

The traditional Industrial Tent will now be replaced by a Root & Produce Show to be held in Alyth Town Hall in November.  The grant from our Community Projects Fund will help towards the costs of hall hire, hall set-up, promotion and advertising.  The Society also plans to buy some seeds and recipe packs to encourage people who may not be able to afford them to take part, along with small medals and trophies for young prize-winners

Mel McFadden of the Society said:  “We hope to expand the schedule of what used to be the Industrial Tent to include home-grown produce.  We hope that this will encourage the community to take up growing some home produce, have a go at baking or some of the home crafts covered by competitions. By including a children’s section we hope to encourage children to garden, bake and create.

“Bringing at least part of the Alyth & District Agricultural Show back to the town will be a popular decision with Alyth residents. It will encourage more people to take up gardening, home cooking or some crafts.  Gardening and growing your own vegetables is great for both mental and physical health, and good for the environment as well.”

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.  The next deadline for applications to the fund is 15 July.  Apply at https://lovealyth.org.uk/projects/alyth-community-projects-fund/

ADT helps Alyth to be even sparklier

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Alyth is going to be even sparklier this Christmas, thanks to a grant from our Community Projects Fund.  The Alyth Christmas Lights Association is investing £2000 in a new Christmas tree centrepiece for the Market Square as well as new stars for Airlie Street.  They will replace old lights, many of which have been brightening Alyth’s Christmas for more than 20 years.

The official Christmas lights switch-on in the presence of Santa Claus in late November has been a highlight of the Alyth calendar for more than 30 years, with hundreds of people turning out to enjoy the display.

Lorraine Ogg of the Lights Association said:  “The lights are a real feel-good factor for the town.  They really cheer everyone up when the winter nights are getting longer and help set the festive mood!”

As well as the centrepiece and stars, the Association is considering other additions to the display, scheduled for the big switch-on on 25 November this year.

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.  The next deadline for applications to the fund is 15 July.  Apply at https://lovealyth.org.uk/projects/alyth-community-projects-fund/

Some of last year’s new lights

Latest Update on Sawmill:  Seeking Volunteers!

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Work is finally about to start on an ambitious project to transform the Millhaugh site into a gathering place to benefit the whole Alyth community.  Having secured funding from the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund and the Scottish Land Fund to purchase the site, we have commissioned contractors for the first phase of works – clearing debris and making safe the large sheds and derelict buildings on the land.

view of derelict buildings on Millhaugh site
Image courtesy of Richard Wilkins/Blairgowrie Advertiser

Starting in June and lasting up to eight months, the works will involve stabilising and making safe the former corn mill, Millhaugh House, the former sawmill building and sheds, and the old Scout hut, as well as removing disused fuel tanks and generally tidying up the site in preparation for Phase 2 starting, it’s hoped, later next year.  At this stage, there are no plans for new building on the site, and the works will comply with SEPA and PKC recommendations about how to best take care of the Den of Alyth, with Millhaugh as a new hospitable and accessible entrance to the Den and public education space which is covered but out of doors.

The Millhaugh project is responding to one of the priorities in the Community Action Plan by acquiring the sawmill site in town and undertaking work to make it a safer, more educational and more accessible entrance to the Den of Alyth.  We are now looking for volunteers to join a programming committee for the Millhaugh site.  This group will determine how we make the space available to all within the town for gatherings, events and educational programming.  If you would like to express an interest in this committee, which will begin meeting later this year, please do get in touch via millhaugh@alyth.online   We want to make sure that this important new space reflects the interests of our town!

June board meeting tomorrow (Monday)

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screenshot of Alyth Online calendar

It’s our monthly board meeting tomorrow, in Nonnina’s Kitchen, Barony Church, Commercial Street, starting at 7.00pm. Come along and see what we’re up to just now – all welcome! And don’t forget: you can keep up to date on forthcoming events via the Alyth Online calendar – https://alyth.online/events/category/calendar/

Grant awarded to help Alyth Musical Society

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Alyth Musical Society in their 2023 production of “Sister Act”

People in Alyth will continue to enjoy, and gain valuable skills and experience in staging, high quality musical entertainment helped, in part, by a grant from Alyth Development Trust (ADT).

ADT has awarded £2000 from its Community Projects Fund to Alyth Musical Society (AMS) to assist with the increasing production costs of its annual musical, which has been enjoyed by generations of Alyth people.

AMS put on its first production over 70 years ago, but the increasing costs of venue hire, costuming and musical expertise in the last couple of years threatened the continuation of this much-loved fixture of the local calendar.

Albert Halliburton of AMS explained:  “Our 2022 production of ‘Hello Dolly!’ incurred a significant loss, and this year we were facing increased costs for hiring rehearsal space and the performance venue.  This year’s production of ‘Sister Act’ also required additional paid musicians, putting the costs up still more. Increasing ticket prices to cover the whole deficit would have made them very pricey for many in the community, so the grant from ADT is of immeasurable assistance.

“Our annual productions are about much more than giving local people a great night out with live entertainment.  Our cast and crew – almost all local people themselves – get the opportunity to perform in, work backstage on props, lighting and staging, and front-of-house in ticketing and customer service.  Learning the nuances of preparing and putting on a stage show are very fulfilling and, especially for the younger generation, can teach valuable skills and experience.”

George Hall, chair of ADT, said:  “Alyth Musical Society is an important and established cultural asset for Alyth which has been delighting local audiences for decades.  We’re pleased to be able to help it continue to deliver a great experience for cast, crew and audiences alike.”

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.

New picnic benches for Jubilee Park

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new picnic benches in Jubilee Park, Alyth

Three new wheelchair-friendly picnic benches have now been installed along the new path in Jubilee Park. The benches, equipped with bbq hotplates, are the latest improvements to the Park organised by the Jubilee Park Working Group, using grants they secured last year from SSEN Transmission’s Drumderg Windfarm, Perth & Kinross Council’s Community Investment Fund, and Alyth Development Trust. The funding had already enabled to Group to install seating on the path and a brand-new hammock swing in the children’s play area (https://lovealyth.org.uk/news/early-christmas-present-for-alyth-with-new-jubilee-park-funding/).

Funding secured for another year of Alyth’s Food For Thought

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The Food for Thought team: Darren, Pamela and John

Alyth’s unique community initiative Food For Thought is looking ahead to another year of successful support for low income households, thanks to a total of £20,000 sourced from two local windfarms.

Alyth Development Trust has allocated £10,000 from its strategic funds, which come from the community benefit money donated to the town by the operators of the Tullymurdoch windfarm, north of Alyth.

In addition, ADT secured an additional £10,000 from SSEN Renewables, operators of the Drumderg windfarm, through their community funding scheme.

Food For Thought was set up by local volunteers at the start of the Covid pandemic.  Initially a service to help deliver prescriptions and other essentials to local people during the lockdown, it has since expanded into permanent premises in the centre of the town where people can get food, household supplies and information.

Managed since 2020 by Darren Gracey, the hub collects surplus food supplies from local shops and producers and makes them available to all on a “take what you need, pay what you can” basis.

“We’re supporting low income households across the Alyth area and helping to reduce food waste,” says Darren.  “It’s a great way of getting help to people who need it but don’t like asking for it.  The service is available to all, and aims to support the community in any way we can.   The new funding gives us stability to plan and make our operations more effective over the next year.”

George Hall, chair of ADT, said:  “Food For Thought has become a key part of the Alyth community in just three years, channelling resources more effectively and directly to those who need it most.  It’s a resource for the town that we value enormously, and we see this new funding very much as an investment in Alyth’s resilience and spirit.”

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