Forres Area Community Trust
FACT will be holding its Annual General Meeting and 10th Birthday Celebration on Friday, 26th November 2021 at 5.30pm. Members and supporters are invited to join us for the meeting and celebration in Forres Town Hall.
For full information and documents please click the the link AGM Info or contact our reception office 01309 674388 or email [email protected]
On 4th October 2021 Forres Area Community Trust (FACT) became accredited as a Living Wage Employer. The Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at Forres Area Community Trust receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.50 in the UK or £10.85 in London. Both rates are significantly higher than the government minimum for over 23s, which currently stands at £8.91 per hour.
In Scotland, more than 15% of all jobs pay less than the real Living Wage – around 350,000 jobs. Despite this, Forres Area Community Trust has committed to pay the real Living Wage and deliver a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work
The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate calculated according to the costs of living. Employers choose to pay the real Living Wage on a voluntary basis, recognising the value of their workers and ensuring that a hard day’s work receives a fair day’s pay.
Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 45000 people in Scotland and put over £240 million extra into the pockets of low paid Scottish workers.
“FACT’s aim is to create a better place to live, work and visit” said Debbie Herron Development Manager for FACT, she continued “by making the commitment to our staff to pay the real Living Wage, we are actively delivering this vision. The timing of this achievement now is particularly important as this week is Challenge Poverty Week.”
Peter Kelly, Director of The Poverty Alliance said: Too many workers in Scotland are in the grip of poverty and employers choosing to pay at least the real Living Wage can loosen that grip. Payment of the real Living Wage allows those in work to become more included in society, better meet their everyday needs, and feel that their value and hard work is recognised by their employer. Congratulations to Forres Area Community Trust on their Living Wage commitment, and I hope more organisations follow their lead by becoming Living Wage accredited.
Lynn Anderson, Living Wage Scotland Manager said: “We’re delighted that Forres Area Community Trust has become an accredited Living Wage employer. They join a growing movement of over 1900 employers in Scotland who together want to ensure workers have what they need to thrive.
Our Living Wage employer network includes lots of smaller employers as well as larger and iconic brands like SSE, Standard Life Aberdeen, Barrs, Brewdog, & D.C. Thomson. We hope to see many more employers following their example.”
Sat. 16th October, 1-4pm
Forres Town Hall
Don’t despair, repair!
Wobbly chair? TV on the blink? Torn a favourite shirt? Want to learn how to fix it in a friendly atmosphere? Whatever it is, bring it along to the Forres Town Hall and we’ll teach you how! Repairs are free, donations are accepted.
RSVP so that we can see what’s needed and come prepared:
Please use this link, scan the code or email your request to: [email protected]
HomeShare is coming to Scotland!
Shared Lives Plus are the UK network for HomeShare. They believe HomeShare has the potential to change the face of social care in the UK. How? HomeShare enables two unrelated people to share a home for mutual benefit.
This scheme would be a great way to encourage key workers to come to the area or stay in the area such as teachers, nurses, midwives, doctors, care workers etc as well as providing low level support and companionship for householders.
Please see the links below for surveys regarding this service with a deadline date of 29th October 2021.
www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Scotlandsharer
www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Scotlandhouseholder
www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Scotlandorgs
To find out more visit www.sharedlivesplus.org.uk
Thank you so much for your help.
Welcome to the 51st Forres Youth Concert, organised by the Forres Community Activities Association. Due to general restrictions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, the difficult decision was made to hold this annual event showcasing the talents of local youngster, online this year in the form of a compilation video, please feel to share with all your friends and family.
The link for the YouTube video can be found here https://youtu.be/4WMYjhmrmUU
Forres Area Community Trust (FACT) has secured funding through the Beatrice Fund, Peoples Postcode Lottery Fund and the Strengthening Communities Recovery Fund to provide activities and resources to address social isolation and increase connectivity (both digitally and socially) across the Forres area
The project contributes to the following outcomes:
FACT will manage a programme to provide activities, responsive digital help and services to the Forres community. The programme includes free drop-in sessions, outreach sessions, evening classes, talks and community events and activities.
Essential
Desirable
This job description reflects the major tasks to be carried out by the post holder and identifies the level of responsibility at which they will be required to work. In the interests of effective working, the major tasks may be reviewed from time to time to reflect changing project needs and circumstances. Such reviews and any consequential changes will be carried out in consultation with the post holder.
For more information please contact on [email protected] or 01309 674 388.
Great News.. Drumming and Gentle Seated Exercises with Sharon from Active Minds Moray, are back for good!
You will need 2 scarves and 2 small tins. The sessions are online or face to face in the Forres Town Hall.
Tuesdays, 1030am – 12 midday
Transport with the Osprey Bus is available for a small donation.
To book your place and transport, if required, contact Kirsty on 01309 674388 or email [email protected]
In March 2021 Forres Town Hall changed owners – thanks to a successful community asset transfer – and is now owned by the community. As many of you will know there are plans for a significant regeneration project for the building.
As part of this process, and in light of the Covid-19 pandemic which has meant huge changes for so many of us, we have to know more about what the community now needs from the Town Hall. The regeneration proposal transforms the Town Hall into multipurpose flexible spaces for a wide range of activities and services.
We’re keen to know in what ways the community would like to see these spaces used and what the likely demand will be. That’s why we’re sending out this short survey.
You can either complete it online on SurveyMonkey, download a digital version or pick up a printed version from the Town Hall Office or the Grant Park Event on 21st of August 2021.
Please return completed paper surveys to the Town Hall Office.
The survey is open for 4 weeks and closes on 9 September 2021.
Thanks for taking part!
An activity day where people can try their hand at drumming, listen to children’s storytelling sessions and enjoy a spot of Highland dancing and piping is taking place this month.
Forres Area Community Trust is staging a ‘Find Out the FACTs’ event in Grant Park on 21st of August.
The event is to showcase what the Trust does and how the Forres Town Hall is used.
Kirsty Williams, who is the Old Persons’ Project Co-ordinator with FACT and who is organising the day explained: “We are really looking forward to Find Out the FACTs which is really an opportunity for people to come along, have some fun and find out more about what we do.
“FACT works with so many different partners and we have a very busy schedule with loads of activities that support many different groups in the community. All we want to do at our Grant Park event is spread awareness of what’s available to do in the area, not just by ourselves but those organisations and groups we work in partnership with to make the area a better place to live, work and visit.”
“Through the pandemic, FACT really came to the fore and we worked with a range of partners to support those who were vulnerable or struggling during the lockdowns, but now things are getting better and restrictions are easing, we are working on promoting our classes and workshops and just want to showcase what we and our partners have to offer the people of the area.”
In March, it was announced that FACT had taken ownership of Forres Town Hall after a successful community asset transfer process. The Trust had been managing the building since 2018.
It is now pushing forward with a fundraising strategy to raise the £3.4 million for a regeneration project to redevelop the building as a thriving venue and facility fit for the 21st century and to provide services and resources for the area into the future.
Kirsty said: “FACT is delighted to be the custodian of the Town Hall on behalf of the community, and our event will also allow us to talk to the public about the hall and what the plans are for its future. We can also share with attendees about all the great activities that take place in the hall.”
Find Out the FACTs will take place between midday and 4pm on 21st of August.
FACT secured funding from the Scottish Government, via Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), from the Communities Recovery Fund.
Kirsty said: “HIE is co-ordinating the Communities Recovery Fund in the Highlands and Islands, on behalf of the Scottish Government, for all eligible community organisations, who are implementing changes to reintroduce the delivery of existing services and activities that have been suspended or severely reduced because of COVID-19 and/or deliver new services identified as a priority by the community as a result of COVID-19.”
“We are delighted that our event is able to go ahead after securing this funding. There will something for everyone. We have some great entertainment lined up and there is something for all age groups. We have drumming with Active Minds Moray, Forres Online will be there to explain how they can help people improve their digital knowledge, we will have storytelling from Margot Henderson, Scottish country dancers and pipers from the Forres and District Pipe Band.
“We invite people to come along and bring a picnic and spend the afternoon with us. It’s a real community event. Wave Radio are supporting us by handling the announcing and the organisers of the Forres Highland Games which have been hit hard by the pandemic are lending us tables and chairs.
“If a picnic is not your thing, we will be situated near Mather’s so there will be an opportunity to grab something from there as well, and for kids to not only enjoy what we have on offer but have fun at the playpark and in Grant Park too.”
