First Ever Business Club Meeting

New Wigtown Business Club Meeting

I have just spent a lovely morning at Craigmount Bed and Breakfast in Wigtown with a handful of local, small business owners. They wanted to set up a group to help their businesses grow and flourish.

Collectively they have decided that they need to have more exposure to both locals and visitors to the area so that they can generate more awareness. They talked about doing this through a variety of media forums both online, leaflet and newspaper style marketing.

It was all very friendly and quick moving and several people were tasked with actions to investigate the possibilities further. But watch this space and the Business Club Meeting starts to evolve and to create something very special for local businesses.

If you'd like information about how to get involved or if you'd like to go along to the next meeting (that is scheduled for the 6th March 2020, at 12:30 lunchtime. Venue to be confirmed) contact Malcolm Court.

Meeting the Community Safety Enforcement Officer

Productive Meeting at Brew Ha Ha!

To day I met up with Andrew the local Community Safety Enforcement Officer with Dumfries and Galloway Council at Brew Ha Ha! A great meeting and lots of fun and very productive and lovely coffee.

We talked about the Dog Fouling poster competition and how we could work together to make it reach more people. We also discussed a whole array of issues in and around the problem of dog fouling, offenders, people who have had enough of it and what the council line is about it - Crikey - you don't half end up chasing your tail!

We also talked about the youth and youth clubs and activities in Newton Stewart for the young.

And we talked about rubbish, recycling, recycling points, beach litter picks, litter picking and fly tipping.

We also had a chat about Fairtrade, with the Co-op Fairtrade fortnight coming up on the 24th February to the 8th March this year, I wondered if we could work together in any way to promote this. He did give me a very good idea of what I could be doing which I shall reveal at a later date when I have done some organising.

New Youth Group for Wigtown

Wigtown Plan to Set Up a Group For Primary Aged Children

Last night was really exciting in the chatter in the I Love Wigtown Facebook Group. A group of people came together to talk about youth groups in the area. Apparently there is a youth group for older kids but not one for primary aged children. After establishing this, people were coming forward to offer to volunteer to help run and look after the children.

What struck me was how amazingly quickly it all started to fall into place, with so many offering to help too. What a wonderful thing they are creating and it will touch so many little people's lives - brilliant.

I will keep you updated with news!

Marketing the Poster Competition

The Poster Explaining the Poster Competition

The last couple of days I have been posting online about the competition for children to design a poster to remind dog owners to clean up after their pet and to inform dog owners where they can get free poo bags from in the town.

I have printed 30 posters with information about the competition, and distributing them about Newton Stewart in shops and public places.

Some people said that they had already heard about the competition. Other people said that they recognised me and had noticed my presence online and wished me well and that was so lovely to hear.

Can't wait to see the childrens posters starting to come flooding in!

Join The Co-op National Members’ Council

The Co-op National Members’ Council Needs You!

Applications for our 2020 Council Elections are now open...

Become a Council Member - Right now, The Co-op are looking for people to join our Co-op National Members’ Council and have a say in the way we run our Co-op. It’s a really exciting opportunity, as the Members’ Council gets involved in all parts of Co-op life.

Find out more here...

Our Foul Streets

Today I launched the competition for the local children to design the town a poster. I thought it would be a nice arty competition for the kids.

I have organised how it will work and arranged a competition drop off point at the Co-op in Newton Stewart. They also kindly said that they would make up a goodie bag prize for the winner of sweets and nice things.

I have printed off a few posters and tomorrow I shall take them around the town and asl local shops and businesses to display them for me, for anyone who's not joined the I Love Newton Stewart Facebook group.

Just Say NO!

Get the Poo Off Our Streets
We do have a bit of an issue in Newton Stewart with dog owners allowing their pets to foul our pavements and not cleaning up after them.
First and foremost, it’s an offence to allow you dog to foul the pavement and not clear up punishable with a fine.
It’s a health hazard to young children because it can cause blindness.
It’s horrible when you accidentally step in some and then walk it indoors or into shops.
It’s spoiling the town for everyone.

Good News!
The good news is that you can get free dog poo bags from the Newton Stewart council services desk inside the library and you can use any public bit to dispose of the poo, no need to go searching for specialists’ bins. To raise awareness of the unfortunate issue that is plaguing our streets, we are going to have posters all over the town to informing people to
Bag it and bin it.
Free poo bags are available from the Newton Stewart Council Services in the Library.
Please dispose in the any public use bin.

Poster Competition

We Need You to Design the Poster
* Any Child can take part.
* Your poster needs to be A4 sized.
* It needs to clearly include the three messages above.
* It can be drawn, painted, photographed, collaged, computer generated anything you like.
* A catchy slogan would be good.

The Collection Point for Entries
Entries should be taken to the Co-op, Newton Stewart. Entries should be submitted by the close of business on February 22nd 2020 . On your entry please include your Name and Age so we know who created the poster.

The Winner
The winner will be announced on Wednesday 26th of February and the winner will have their poster printed and posted all over town on notice boards and in local shop windows. The Newton Stewart Co-op is kindly creating a goodie bag of sweet to the award to the winner. (there will not be a cash alternative prize)

Please note: After the competition, if you’d like your poster back, either pop into the Co-op to collect it. Posters will be displayed on social media and the Co-op Window to show everyone in the town our artistic talent.

My Meeting With Colin at Wigtown Co-op

The Wigtown Co-op

Today I had a meeting with Wigtown Co-op to meet Colin the manager there, and I also happened to meet Heather, whose job I have not got. Heather is the Wigtown Co-ops charities person who organises raffles and fundraisers for locals in the town. It was great to meet her because I expect I shall be working with her a lot.

We talked about the Co-op members card and the three causes.

We talked about the Co-op Food Share Scheme and how we need to find some Food Share partners.

We also talked about a community party for VE Day in the town gardens, which would be really nice.

And we talked about some local people who are also involved in charity work in the town. David at the Sweet shop next door, Anne at the Wigtown Festival Company and the community shop. There seem to be so much happening in the town to help everyone and spread happiness.

I did pop in to see David, and he told me about what he had been doing in the town. He said he'd email the next time he organises a charity quiz.

Shouting About Co-op Food Share

Co-op Food Share Letters to Primary Schools

After my meeting last week at the Newton Stewart Co-op and the chat with Sarah and area manager about the Co-op Food Share and how it works, I have been writing letters to all the local primary schools.

It transpires that Newton Stewart Co-op has more fruit and veg that they can not sell than they have community groups to donate it to, so this food is going to waste. At Wigtown the story is much worst, none of the food stuffs are donated because no one has come forward in the community to make use of any of the food in the food share.

It occured to me that if I were to let the local primary schools know of this abundance of food, then maybe the schools could collect the fresh fruit and veg for the childrens mid morning snacks. It would help towards the children getting their 5 a day and it would reinforce the schools messages of healthy living and healthy eating.

So I have found 7 local primary schools (many of the schools in the area share a head teacher so I only wrote to one of the schools under that head) and I have wrote to them to let then know how to claim any food share contributions.

It's not something that will make a massive difference to peoples lives, but all the small things add up.

Tourist Information Signs

Newton Stewart Tourist Information Signs

When I first came to visit Newton Stewart I was on holiday and as a tourist to the area you are reliant on signs to show you where everything is. We especially wanted to know the directions to the swimming pool and the museum. I would have thought these were common places for tourists to want to visit.

There are the traditional looking tourist information looking signs in the town, which was great. Until we discovered that they are pointing the wrong way and took us on a wild goose chase.

These signs aren't important when you're a local because you already know where everything is, but as a visitor it's very frustrating when they are wrong, and it gives a bad impression of this wonderful old town.

Today I have filled in an online form with the council for them to correct these signs. They will keep an updated progress report here...

Meeting With the Newton Stewart Co-op

Newton Stewart Co-op Store

I had a meeting today with Sarah at the Newton Stewart Co-op, Duncan the area manager was there too, so it was a great opportunity to meet him and pick their brains. It was a lovely meeting and I found out lots of interesting things about the community and the groups that are woking in the community.


We chatted about the three causes which are
Wigtown Bowling Club

Galloway Fisheries Trust

Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music Festival

We talked about the Newton Stewart Co-op donating a prize for a competition I want to hold in the town. Which they said they would, which is fabulous.

We spoke about the food share scheme that the Co-op have and how that works.

And we spoke about up and coming events that the Newton Stewart Co-op will be doing in the near future.

A great meeting and a wonderful opportunity to meet some lovely people who work in the Newton Stewart Co-op. Lots of food for thought!

The Early Days

Reading the Facebook Groups Comments

So its my 3rd day of being a Member Pioneer and I have set up a couple of facebook groups I Love Newton Stewart and I Love Wigtown and this blog.

I have been overwhelmed with the response I have received. The groups have already got 193 members and the conversations are flowing. People are so passionate about where we live and some sound quite frustrated and desperately want to improve on things and set up new groups and facilities for the towns.

What I was surprised about was how many groups are already out there, each one of them trying to make a difference. It's so amazing to know that so many people are tentatively nurturing our community to lovingly make it grow into an all encompassing community that benefits everyone.

Crikey, we moved to the area because the place had a nice feel and a welcoming community, and after looking beneath the surface and seeing all the cogs and gears, you can see why it's such an wonderful place. It's these community groups that are working hard to create a community that people love and admire. Thank you for that everyone, thank you for taking the time and effort to nurture our community. I'm so thrilled to be joining you.

Who I Am and What I'm Doing

This is me outside the Newton Stewart Co-op

My name is Suzy Cowper and I am the Newton Stewart and Wigtown Member Pioneer.

I know what you're thinking, what is a Member Pioneer and what does she do? I know because other people I have spoken to haven't heard of the role either. I think its because the role name isn't very descriptive and because the role is very new and actually there aren't any hard and fast rules to the role as yet.

Basically I have to work a few short hours every week to make Newton Stewart and Wigtown even better places to live than they already are. This might be organising litter picks, to arranging more groups for preschoolers, to helping arrange a big town event. Anything that makes the peoples lives in Newton Stewart and Wigtown better in some small way. But then again, my role might be less than that at times, if I know of two groups in the town that are trying to achieve similar things separately, sometimes it just about connecting these people so they can work together, because as they say; two heads are better than one and they would stand a better chance working together than individually. So that is my understanding of a Member Pioneer.

Want to find out more about being a Member Pioneer, check out this link...