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.