Past/Current/Future Projects for Caithness Southeast:

Current:

Housing Needs
To provide affordable housing for both Dunbeath and Berriedale Community Council area and Latheron, Lybster and Clyth Community Council area.

Dunbeath Youth Club
To provide a youth club for the Dunbeath area.

Lybster Youth Club
To provide assistance through a dedicated youth leader.

Renewable Energy - Wind power
SECDG working group plan to investigate whether it is possible to develop a community owned wind farm, with a view to generating monies which would be reinvested in the development of the community.

Footpaths
To reinstate footpaths in South East Caithness area.

Dunbeath Playing Field
Provide springies and Seesaw for the young children

Lybster Golf Club
To provide course equipment to accomodate the new Junior Golf Initiative

Lybster Senior Football Club
Replace the football goals post & nets, and also the dugouts as all are in very poor condition and beyond repair.

Dunbeath Heritage Centre
New facility an exhibition area and a museum store within a controlled enviorment.

Northland Glass Education Resource Centre and Gallery
Looking to establish at Quatre Bras in Lybster.

Dunbeath Daycare Centre - 5 Seater Vehicle
To provide a 5 seater vehicle for use by the Dunbeath Day Care Centre and the wider community. This will be a one year pilot scheme

Rapsons Extended Services
To provide additional services in the evening to accommodate the youth, hospital visits and possible jobs at the new retail park abd Tesco's.

Dunbeath Crofting Community
Horticultural Growing - Diversification Training / Horticultural Marketing - Marketing Training 

Future:

Hill O Many Stanes
Extend parking area

Dunbeath Harbour
Repairs to harbour wall and landing jetty.

Past:

Dunbeath Tennis Court Refurbishment
A new two meter high perimeter fence was installed, new gates were provided and the playing area was resurfaced - Completed August 2006

Dunbeath Football Pitch - New Protective Fence
Install new protective fence between football pitch and Portormin Road houses - Completed August 2006.

Upgrade heating - Lybster Outdoor Bowling Hall
To provide and install new heating system and loft insulation - Completed October 2006

Lybster Junior Football Club
To provide training kit and equipment for coaching activities. 
Sponsered by Barclays Sports August 2006 - Completed September 2006

Land Audit
Land audit for affordable housing for both Dunbeath and Berriedale Community Council area and Latheron, Lybster and Clyth Community Council area - Completed August 2006.

Rural Transport
To provide additional services in the evening.  Rapsons 1 year pilot scheme started May 2006.
To provide transport within South East Caithness area.  Caithness Rural Transport 1 year pilot scheme in Dunbeath area - Began in May 2006.

Housing Survey
Housing surveys for both Dunbeath and Berriedale Community Council area and Latheron, Lybster and Clyth Community Council area - Completed April 2006.

Dunbeath Harbour
Repairs to seabed in harbour landing area - Completed April 2006.

Renewable Energy - Rumster Forest
A feasiblity study  to investigate the potential to develop a community owned forest, with a view to creating jobs and generating monies which would be reinvested in the development of the community - Completed in February 2006

Dunbeath Tennis Court Refurbishment
The project to reinstate the tennis court at Dunbeath Playing Field was completed August 2006.

South East Caithness Development Group continues to improve amenities for people in south-east Caithness. The public tennis court at Dunbeath, which had been closed for over a year has been brought back into use.

The £10,000 project is part of the development plan to breathe new life into the area.

The Development Group is supported by the Scottish Executive’s Initiative at the Edge (IatE) programme to benefit deprived, outlying rural parts of the country.

The project to reinstate the tennis courts was identified at one of the early public meetings held to establish the priorities for local people. The funding package was secured, and the court has now been resurfaced and relined, and a new perimeter fence and gate erected.

IatE development officer Eric Larnach is delighted with how the scheme has come together. Speaking after Monday’s reopening of the courts, he said: “This was something which was flagged up early on both by Dunbeath and Berriedale Community Council and Dunbeath Community Centre, and everybody has since pulled together to make it happen.” Mr Larnach said the courts are an asset not just for Dunbeath but for the whole of the area. It is, he added, a small project but one which, when linked with other IatE initiatives, can play a part in reversing years of decline and depopulation. “It all goes towards our objective of providing suitable amenities and local infrastructure that will help attract families back to the area,” he said.

Mr Larnach explained that the courts have proved popular with locals, ranging from youngsters to people aged 60-plus.
The Lottery-backed Awards For All scheme contributed £5000, Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise contributed £4552 and Dunbeath Community Centre £400. A collection at the local shop paid for a new net.

Lybster Junior Football Club
To provide training kit and equipment for coaching activities.  Sponsored by  Barclays Sports August 2006.

BARCLAYS KIT BOOST FOR LYBSTER JUNIOR FOOTBALL TEAM

Barclays has come to the aid of Lybster Junior Football Club by donating a complete set of coaching kit and equipment to its football team. The award has been made as part of the £30m grassroots programme, Barclays Spaces for Sports.

The donation is one of 1,200 packs being awarded each year to ensure teams across the UK will benefit from the three year scheme.

Lybster Junior Football Club secretary Mark Hendry said “we would like to take this opportunity to thank Barclays for providing this kit and equipment that will benefit both our coaches and players. We now have 5 junior teams to run and as fund raising becomes more and more difficult it is very much appreciated. We would also like to thank Initiative at the Edge development officer for his support”

Michelle Smith, Barclays Sponsorship Director said “Barclays are delighted to be supporting Lybster Junior Football Club and hope this Kit will encourage their interest in sport and lead them to greater success!”

Barclays spaces for sport, a partnership between Barclays, Football Foundation and Groundwork, will create sustainable sports sites and provide coaching kit and equipment to communities in most need of help across the UK.

For further information please contact:
Eric Larnach
Development Officer
Initiative at the Edge
Tel: 01593731455

Notes to editor:

Barclays Spaces for Sports

Barclays Spaces for Sports is a three year, £30million community programme, which will create sustainable sports sites across the UK in areas without such facilities. Combined with the Premiership sponsorship, the investment makes Barclays one of the biggest supporters of sport in the UK.

Together with partners Football Foundation and Groundwork, the scheme will provide seven flagship sports sites every 12 months. 50 small sites, from basketball courts to grass pitches, will also be developed. In addition 1,200 sets of sports coaching kit and equipment will be distributed per year.

For further information see www.barclays.co.uk/spacesforsports

For a coaching kit and equipment pack application form ring 0800 027 4221 or email enquiries@spacesforsports.org.uk

Rural Transport
To provide additional services in the evening.  Rapsons 1 year pilot scheme started May 2006.
To provide transport within South East Caithness area.  Caithness Rural Transport 1 year pilot scheme in Dunbeath area started May 2006.

The handover of the keys taking place at Dunbeath Daycare Centre on 10^th May 06.  In the picture are some of the voluntary drivers with their MIDAS Certificates; Coreen Campbell (far left), manager of Caithness Rural Transport; and Clive (our old milkman) Duchart (far right), of CRT.  In the forefront a happy Gladys Lyon of Dunbeath Daycare Centre who has worked long and hard to get a community vehicle in Dunbeath.

The five seater people-carrier which has wheelchair access will be stationed at Dunbeath Daycare Centre.  The scheme is being run by Caithness Rural Transport. If you want to book, or find out more information please contact Coreen on 01955605588.

The vehicle will have regular runs ferrying the elderly people to and from the Dunbeath Daycare Centre.  Outwith the regular runs, the vehicle is available for use within the local community and it is expected the Pre-school, school, youth, sports and any other community groups will make full use of vehicle.  Membership to the scheme costs £1 per person.  There is a charge of 15 pence per mile to any user to help cover the running costs.  Please make full use of the vehicle as it is a case of “USE IT OR LOSE IT”.

The service is being subsidised through support from Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise, the Highland Council, the Development Group and Initiative at the Edge.

The next development group meeting is on:

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Tuesday 12th December 

at

7.30pm

in

Dunbeath Community Hall

If you require further information please contact the Local Development Officer (LDO) listed below

Eric Larnach
Old School House
Dunbeath
Caithness
KW6 6EF
Tel:  01593731455   Mob:  07917693261