Category: Newsletter

A message from Richard Waite, chair of TDT

Your TDT trustees have been busy … and there’s not much chance of winter hibernation either!

So here are a couple of dates for your diary and things you can be involved in:

Light Up Thornhill   

Save the date – Saturday 6^th December

We may kid ourselves that this pre-Christmas celebration is for children.  Maybe! But it’s also a heartwarming midwinter gathering for everyone of all ages.  So come along and get involved if you can.

Advent windows, fancy dress, parades, music … what happens on the night (and in the run up) depends on collective enthusiasm and we would love to tap into yours!   LUT needs your ideas and help with planning, marshalling, lights, decorating, set-up and take-down.  If you can help a little or a lot, join us to plan it all out in the Community Hall at 9.30am on Friday 31^st October.   

Thornhill Energy Solutions

Save the date – Monday 1^st December, 7pm, Community Hall.

How can we make our homes more affordable, healthy and sustainable?  Compared with living in town, we use (on average) more fuel and electricity to live in a place like Thornhill.  This costs us more and produces more CO2.  Why?  More car use, weather, traditional houses with less insulation … the list goes on.   

Average household heating costs are especially high in a rural area like ours.  We don’t have mains gas (which is still by far the cheapest way to heat a home), so we spend more on electricity, oil, wood or coal.  

We have received a £3,000 grant from Forth Environment Link’s Climate Action Hub (thank you FEL!) and have employed Power Circle to consider what innovative heating technologies and solutions could fit best with our range of household needs and types.   We have specifically asked them to look at some new emerging solutions coming on to the market in the next few years. Advice is available from Home Energy Scotland on existing solutions. https://www.homeenergyscotland.org/

Power Circle (check them out) is a not-for-profit energy innovation company based in Bridge of Allan with considerable expertise and experience. 

What next?  Find out more at a public meeting in the Community Hall on Monday 1^st December at 7pm.  Power Circle MD Jon Cape and Community Renewables Manager Alistair Roberts will be on hand to describe what’s happening, how you can be involved and answer your questions.  Please pass the word.  

Jon and Alistair will ask households to complete an online survey about their house and heating needs.   Please take part – more survey completions will make their conclusions more valid and useful.  The survey results will be anonymised in the report and won’t commit you to anything.  This is for everyone, tenants, homeowners, all different house types and income ranges.  So, as well as completing it yourself, please encourage your neighbours – especially those who may benefit from assistance to keep a warm home and anyone who may need your help to do the survey.

As well as reporting on solutions for our different house-types, the process should get Thornhill on the radar of companies and public bodies wishing to invest in a rural community that is ready for low-cost, low carbon heating solutions.    It would be good to get Thornhill at the front of that queue!

An appeal for TDT Trustees

We are lucky to have a wide-ranging skill-set amongst TDT trustees, but we can only do so much.  There are currently seven trustees and we can have up to 11.  More is merrier!    It’s helpful to have energetic representation from all sides of the community.  Right now, we are missing local business and farming (or aspiring young farmer) perspectives.  If you or someone you know would be interested in shaping what TDT does for the community, please get in touch with me.

Best wishes,

Richard

Email: Chair@thornhillstirling.org

Dear TDT Member,

Greetings!

Invitation to the Annual General Meeting for Thornhill Development Trust.

TDT’s AGM is on 22nd May at 7pm in the Community Hall. You will receive a formal notice soon.  The meeting will describe what’s happened as well as plans for the next few months and there will be a motion to vote on minor changes to the constitution which keep us compliant with Community Right to Buy legislation.  Your questions and input are important.  The meeting should not be long and there will be time for chat over alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and snacks provided by Common Grounds FOC.  I hope you can make it.  

  Trustees

Please consider being a TDT Trustee

This year some of the Trustees step down – two have done the maximum time allowed. We will still have 7 trustees but that’s the minimum and it works better with more.  We meet one evening a month and need a range of voices, views and skills.  Whether you are farming, bringing up a family, working from home or away, commuting or don’t have a paid job, please consider being a trustee.   For a zero-pressure chat about what’s involved, speak to any trustee (listed on the website) or the chairperson Richard on 07799 412527.

It would be great to see TDT run by the next generation who know what’s important for a thriving place.  As Council support is cut to the bone, we have to do more for ourselves.  Today it’s the playpark, core paths and social gatherings (amongst others), another year it might be affordable housing for local people, business space or better local transport (just some of the ideas identified in the Local Place Plan).  TDT has a track record of doing things that make a difference (did you know that the Thornhill Playgroup was established and run by TDT before becoming an independent parent-led organisation a few years later?).  

Monthly Cafe 

    Common Grounds monthly cafe has been a great success – social and delicious!  Volunteers bake, set up and serve.  Payment is by donation.  If you haven’t tried it yet, the next one is this Saturday 26th April from 1030-1230, and will include an Easter Egg Hunt for children.   

Common Grounds is a great example of a member driving an idea forward with TDT’s backing.  So if you want TDT to help you do something for the community, let us know!  

Paths

  This winter’s wet weather demonstrated that the “Hedges Path” and “Minister’s Walk” (joining the South Common, Church and Norrieston) are no longer muddy after TDT Paths Group volunteers laid 60 tons of material in the last couple of years.  Phew!

Over the summer the Paths Group will replace stiles on the beautiful Muir Dam route along with other maintenance tasks.  Volunteers meet on the 1st Saturday of the month.  All are welcome – we work at our own pace on things we feel comfortable doing. There are TDT tools … and there’s usually cake!   Please join the Paths Group chat on WhatsApp (search for “Thornhill Community Network” on WhatsApp) or get in touch with Gary Richardson

If you’re unsure about routes, check out the links and info on Thornhill’s  walking and cycling routes

If you would like to join a guided walk to Muir Dam, let Gary know.  If there’s demand, we will fix a date.

Thornhill’s Local Place Plan showed many people wanted improvements to walking and cycling routes in and around Thornhill.  So, to begin with we want to make all weather / all abilities paths on existing routes to improve access around the Commons.  This will enable people to get to interesting bits all year without waders.  The Climate Action Hub team at Forth Environment Link are helping us find funding.  Depending on ££ we may get it professionally done or need to buy materials and do much of it ourselves.  We will be liaising closely with the North Common Trust, Playpark Group, School and Council to make sure we get it right.  Keep an eye out for updates and opportunities to influence what happens or join the project group now.

Play Park group

    Improving the Playpark is another initiative from amazing parent members supported by TDT trustees.  Phenomenal work has gone in over the last year.  Willow Den rescue and remodelling is just the start.  What a team!

Hope to see you at the AGM or out and about. 

Richard