Forres Area Community Trust
Film Forres is returning to the big screen in the Forres Town Hall, this Friday 22 October 2021, with a family screening of ‘The Little Vampire’ just in time for Halloween.
6pm to 8pm, tickets available at the door.
Read all about the return of Film Forres in this news article, published in the Forres Gazette.
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]
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]
FACT – Pop Up Coffee Morning – Saturday 18 September – 10am to 12 noon – Forres Town Hall
As part of our new programme of events FACT will be holding a Pop Up Coffee Morning on Saturday 18 September, from 10am until 12 noon in the Forres Town Hall. Everyone is welcome to come along. This is one of a series of Coffee Mornings being held each Saturday in the Town Hall.
Here is a current list of dates and who the Coffee Morning is in aid of:
Saturday 18 September – in aid of Forres Town Hall
Saturday 25 September – in aid of Lossie Entertainment Academy
Saturday 2 October – Pop Up, to be confirmed.
Saturday 9 October – in aid of Moray Hydrotherapy Pool
Saturday 16 October – in aid of Forres St Lawrence Cricket Club
Saturday 23 October – in aid of Forres OAP Association
Saturday 30 October – in aid of Logie Primary School Parent Council
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.”
As FACT conclude the final stages of a Community Asset Transfer for Forres Town Hall, with support from the Scottish Land Fund, steps are now underway for a major Refurbishment Project for the Town Hall.
This project aims to bring the building up to current standards in terms of accessibility, building services and fabric insulation, and to repair and refurbish the building in order that the nearly 200 year old Forres Town Hall can continue to thrive in the 21st century.
Since 2017, following extensive community consultation, FACT has been able to develop a clear vision for Forres Town Hall, which will see its functionality transformed. The stated aims of that vision are:
To achieve the above future vision for Forres Town Hall, funding from the Scottish Land Fund, which also supported the Community Asset Transfer, has enabled applications for planning permission and listed building consent to be submitted to Moray Council’s Planning Department for a transformative project to refurbish, insulate and improve the building.
Links to the planning application and listed building consent applications can be found on Moray Council’s Planning Online portal under Ref.No. 20/00888/APP and Ref. No. 20/00889/LBC. The Design and Heritage Statement, one of the supporting documents submitted as part of the planning and listed building consent applications, provides a full summary of the design proposals.
The design proposals submitted for planning permission and listed building consent, sub-divides the Town Hall into three parts – a front section with foyer, toilets and a restored Lesser Town Hall, a central section with a large multi-purpose performance space and a rear section with three levels of flexible workspace, and meeting rooms. It does this by proposing:
The Long section drawing shown below gives an idea of some of the above changes.
