The Vault

The Vault Victoria Street

Today I had a meeting at The Vault in Newton Stewart on Victoria Street. The venue is a quirky place in the old bank and inside the old bank vault is still there with its chunk thick - fireproof and theft proof door.

I went to visit the Vault because it's one of the Newton Stewart and Wigtown Co-op causes this year. When you use your Co-op Members card 1% of the value of your shop could be going towards this good cause.

The Vault is a venue for music and art. So as well as bands having gigs at The Vault on a weekend evening, they also have painting for sale on the walls, and they also have music classes and a youth group. 

They are music enthusiasts and wanted to create a venue for great music where the band wasn't an after thought pushed into a corner. They were also driven by the desire to bring something like this to the area. Compared to places, we are a bit further out in the sticks and we are smaller with fewer residents, but we still have a healthy interest in the arts and enjoy an evening of entertainment.

The old bank provides a great space for performances and it's in the town centre, so handy for all the locals and people from further a field have lots of choice for accommodation for the night.

Alongside this they also organise the Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music Festival which is held in July where a whole heap of stuff happens for the whole weekend. Traditional music, dancing workshops, stalls, competitions - an amazing event.

The Vault Arts Centre

The youth group sounds rather interesting. The youths meet up weekly or so and organise gigs and things. A great opportunity for people who want to get into the scene and to find out what's involved.

In a couple of weeks time the Spring Program will be available so keep a look out for that, and start planning on which performances you'd like to go along and see; and I might see you there!

Fairtrade at The Douglas-Ewart High School

Fairtrade Literature

This lunch time I went to the Douglas-Ewart High School with Fairtrade literature, bunting and Fairtrade samples. I went as part of the Co-op's Fairtrade Fortnight a time when we like to talk about Fairtrade and bring the ethical questions and products it produce to the fore.

Co-op Fairtrade Products

I turned up and set up my table and I sat and waiting for lunchtime to begin. There was soon a flurry of activity but the children were walking past me and didn't look as if they wanted to engage with me, so I started to tell the passers by that I was giving away free Fairtrade samples. Word must have got around because then lots of kids were coming over. Some spoke to me, some engaged with me about Fairtrade and most enjoyed the goodies. I had taken along dark, white and milk chocolate,
Indian Prince tea and English Breakfast tea bags, mini tomatoes, and bananas. I did wonder if I had gone a bit mad taking tea bags, but no, the kids loved them!

I had taken a whole box of bananas with me, everyone loves a banana don't they? I had only opened a few bags, but I soon had to open all the bags and the table was cleared of samples.

Co-op Fairtrade Teas

Co-op Fairtrade Mini Tomatoes

Co-op Fairtrade Milk Chocolate

Co-op Fairtrade Bananas

Attending the Meeting at the Kilgallioch Community Benefit Company

Kilgallioch Community
Fund Meeting

Last night I went to the Kilgallioch Community Benefit Company meeting in Glenluce. I had a chat with the Chairman of the community group and I was lucky enough to sit next to two ladies from the ScottishPower Renewables Kilgallioch windfarm. From what I gather, ScottishPower Renewables Kilgallioch give back to the local area (Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway and South Carrick, South Ayrshire) by awarding substantial amounts of funds, and the Kilgallioch Community Benefit Company was set up by residents to distribute the money between charities and organisations that approach them for grants. The members of the Kilgallioch Community Benefit Company are all locals from Old Luce, New Luce, Kirkcowan and Barrhill; and all volunteers give up their time to attend up to about 9 meeting a year.

I was invited to go along last night to see what happens at the meetings, but I had been told that because I wasn't a member that I wouldn't be allowed to vote.

After the welcome message and introductions, three organisations that had previously received grants and were asking for more help were invited to each give a five minute presentation about who they are, what they have done and how they had spent their grant and what impact this had had on the wider community. It was so interesting to hear their stories.

We heard from Aldouran Wetland Garden which is an garden and wetland with woodland trails and educational lessons for school children about nature. The Mull of Galloway Trail, a group who want to create, extend and make safe coastal path walks out of Stranraer, one going towards the light house on the Mull of Galloway and another going to Glenapp. The third group was Women Of Minnigaff And Newton Stewart (WOMANS) who are a group of volunteer women from Minnigaff and Newton Stewart who garden, tidy up, renew and regenerate areas of Minnigaff and Newton Stewart which mights involve trimming plants and weeding, as well as litter picks and installing benches. They have slowly been taking on more and more public spaces and working their magic.

After the presentations there was a quick recess and refreshments and then the members voted for which project they thought was most impressive. A very tough call I thought because each one was very worthy.

All three of the projects received more funding last night so everyone was a winner. But the voting was to select one project that would receive additional funding on top of the funding that they knew they'd be getting on the night.

It was a lovely evening and the atmosphere was really friendly and fun. It was a bit like a celebration of the great voluntary work that these community groups are doing, and a chance to show everyone what they were up to, a bit of civic pride and lots of giving and pats on the back. I think its lovely to have an opportunity to thank these people who do work in our communities for the greater good, its people like those who make our towns and villages nicer places to live.

VE Day Chat at the Newton Stewart Museum

Newton Stewart Museum

I had a flying visit today to the Newton Stewart Museum to discuss VE day following a emailing conversation. It was great to meet the museum workers who were taking a break, they have been spring cleaning the Museum in readiness for the big opening at the start of the season at the start of April.

We had a chat about the Cree Valley Community Councils plans for VE day, and we talked about what we were hoping to organise for Saturday the 9th of May 2020 for May Day. And I think our little tea party and the Newton Stewart Museum are going to have a little bit of a collaboration celebration that we might both do something on the Saturday, and we can tell our guests about what's happening at the other venue so that visitors can enjoy both activities.

The ladies at the Museum were really helpful and said they'd help me to source local history photos of VE day 1945 for us to show at the tea party, which will be so interesting to see.

Can't wait - I love a little party!

The Creebridge House Hotel

The Creebridge House Hotel

I had a meeting this morning at the Creebridge House Hotel. It was lovely and quiet when I arrived. It was cold and rainy outside and a lovely big open fire was roaring away in reception - how nice!

I was there to meet with Sarah Donnan about voluntary work experience placements. She wanted to know how it was going to work and what she might be able to offer to the Newton Stewart Youth Club members. We had a lovely chat and she said she would offer us a placement, working in the kitchens alongside the chefs.

With chefs and cooking programs on the telly being so popular, I think a role in a commercial kitchen is a great experience for a young person and will be a valuable introduction to catering.

Another brilliant placement that will bring something new to the young people at the Newton Stewart Youth Club.

Visiting the Bowling Green at Wigtown

The Wigtown Bowling Club Green

Today I had a meeting with The Wigtown Bowling Club; they have a social every Thursday afternoon, time for a cuppa and a catch up. It was lovely to meet a few of the members.

The Wigtown Bowling Club is one of the Co-ops three causes this year, so they are wanting anyone with a Co-op members card in the area to donate their 1% to them.

The Wigtown Bowling Club

They do have a long shopping list that their 1% needs to go towards. The green needs some astro covered back boards and there are lots of other ongoing maintenance and running costs. They will also be running some fun fundraisers throughout the year that local people and visitors can join in with.

The club also needs some new members, men and women, young and old. If you think you might fancy it you could go along one Thursday afternoon and meet everyone and find out more about it. They did say that they have competitions with other neighbouring towns, so it's a great way to get out and about and meeting people.

They told me how they'd gotten the local school children to come down one afternoon so that they could show them what it was all about. Some of the children did join the club and they'd like to attract more young people.

The club members did feel like a nice welcoming group of people who obviously enjoy the companionship of the other members as well as the game and tournaments. Here's hoping they raise lots of money this year to do all those little jobs to the green and club house that they would like to get done.

Here Are The Latest Competition Posters

It's been so lovely looking through the wonderful posters that have been created by the children. The posters are part of a competition to remind dog owners to clean up after their pets.