Forres Area Community Trust
Congratulations to Debbie Herron on being chosen as Forres Rotary’s Citizen of the Year.
Debbie is the lead development officer with Forres Area Community Trust (FACT). Among other ventures they have taken over the responsibility for running the Town Hall.
We are sure you will agree that Debbie is a very worthy winner as she has done so much for Forres in a very unassuming way.
A big thank you to Kathleen McGookin and her colleagues from Johnston’s of Elgin for a huge donation to Moray Food plus.
Kathleen & friends made face masks and asked for donations. The cash generated has turned into this massive food donation!
Well done to everyone involved!
Forres Local have compiled a list of useful information about how COVID19 is effecting Forres and the surrounding area. They have info such as:
Visit: forreslocal.com
Following on from an intensive briefing day last Friday we hope to have the volunteer telephone befriending programme up and running by Friday this week. We can help with signposting to services that can help you if you are in need. This is a work in progress and will develop over the coming weeks as we understand the impact of the pandemic on our community.
Please keep in touch through social media or by calling us on 01309 674 388 and leaving a message. We will get back to you as soon as we can.
To see the latest information about what shops are closed, open and are doing free delivery, go to www.forreslocal.com/coronavirus/business
Following on from the current advice given by the Scottish Government and NHS, Forres Area Community Trust (FACT) have reviewed how we can respond to the current Coronavirus situation.
The FACT team still remain open for business but our approach is changing.
You may find the following information useful.
We are still here and happy to help however we can under the current climate.
For more information:
Following its acquisition of Forres Town Hall from Moray Council via a Community Asset Transfer and with grant support from the Scottish Land Fund, Forres Area Community Trust (FACT) is seeking a Project Officer to work on the development of Stage 1 of the £2 – £3m Town Hall Regeneration Project. This will secure the future of this significant Category B Listed Building as a multi-purpose hub for the local community.
The appointment of the Project Officer will be from April 2020 until the end of March 2021, during which time the project will be developed up to Planning Permission / Listed Building Consent stage. The role will involve 30 hours per week at a salary of £20,826 per annum.
For more information view the attached Job Description & Application Form.
A bid to buy Forres Town Hall and turn it into a venue for community, business and training events has been successful in the latest round of grant applications to the Scottish Land Fund.
Forres Area Community Trust has been awarded £116,365 to purchase the hall, which has been a feature of the town’s High Street since 1829, in order to provide community facilities, meeting rooms, study and workshop areas, training facilities and co-working hot desks.
Debbie Herron, Development Manager Forres Area Community Trust, said:
“We are delighted at the news that Forres Area Community Trust has been awarded the SLF funding to buy Forres Town Hall on behalf of the community. This endorsement of our work means that we can continue to work to support the development and resilience of our community into the future.”
Securing the Town Hall into community ownership and having the support of the Scottish Land Fund is the first step in redeveloping and refurbishing the building for the benefit of the community.
Fabio Villani Chair of Forres Area Community Trust said:
“The Scottish Land Fund’s generous support enables us to purchase Forres Town Hall as well as to further develop our plans for its future. It marks an important milestone in the history of Forres, as one more key element of the town’s heritage is fully returned to the direct care of the local community. It also marks an important milestone in the development of FACT as a key organisation in helping the people of Forres make the most of the Town’s many assets. ”
If anyone would like any further information, please do get in touch on 01309 674388, [email protected] or pop into the office between 10am and 1pm through the week.
by David MacKay, Press & Journal
A community group has submitted a bid to take over a cherished Moray landmark and bring it back to life.
Today is the first anniversary of Forres Area Community Trust (Fact) signing a lease to prevent the local town hall closing.
Now the charity is aiming to take over the ownership of the Victorian building, which has been a gathering point for generations, as well.
Today new art gallery will be opened in the hall during a party to celebrate the landmark, which dates back to the 1850s.
Annual Hogmanay bashes have been revived at the hall for the first time since the 1960s and the town centre venue is also now fully booked for Saturday coffee mornings until the end of next year.
Debbie Herron, Fact’s development manager, wants to preserve the building’s strong links with the community.
She said: “During the last year we’ve had a few people come in who have met their husbands and wives here – it used to be very popular with a lot of evening dances.
“The social history of the building is really important. We knew it was important to the community but I didn’t realise how much until this year.”
Forres Town Hall faced closure with similar venues last year due to budget cuts from Moray Council. Fact has applied to the authority for ownership of the hall to be transferred to them.
Meetings have been set up between Fact, other groups who have taken on their own community facilities and council staff so they can learn from what each other is doing.
The group has drawn up plans for a £1.9million refurbishment of the Forres hall to build on the success of film screenings in the venue with tiered seating and more gallery and office space.
Mrs Herron added: “The biggest challenge for us at the moment is the condition of the building.
“It’s nearly 200 years old now. The roof leaks in places, it’s safe but it’s just another thing that needs repaired.
“Ultimately we want to completely refurbish the entire hall over the next five years. It doesn’t make best use of space at the moment so there’s a lot of untapped potential.”
The celebration at Forres Town Hall today will run from 4pm to 6pm with regular users of the venue present to provide information about what they do.
by David Walker, Press and Journal
Campaigners, who plan to build a Skate Park in a Moray town, have launched an online survey to garner local support and input.
The Forres Skate Park Initiative want to hear from anybody interested in their project to become involved in the campaign which is just starting to gather pace.
However, before they can really get going, they are in desperate need of more members to achieve their goal of installing an all-inclusive skating facility in the community.
FSPI has yet to formally constitute a campaign group, apply for charitable status or gain funding for a feasibility study to support applications for funding.
That is why they have launched an online survey to gauge the public’s view on the Olympic training facility which would encourage the use of skateboards, roller blades, scooters and bikes.
Once they have gained enough support, they intend to commission a study that would look at materials, landscaping options and opening times.
Community development worker Vicky Flood is hopeful that the survey helps the group better understand what the people want.
She said: “There has already been consultation over this project, however it is still important for funding and covers Moray Council’s obligations regarding Community Asset Transfers.
“As the Bogton Road site next to Mosset Park was the second choice for a skate park in the Forres Planning for Real consultation, we have sent letters to residents closest to it.”
The group recently held a popular bright roller disco in Forres to raise funds and awareness of the initiative.
As of last week, nine people had expressed an interest in joining the group and becoming more involved in the campaign.
The group has gained the support of FACT (Forres Area Community Trust) and meets in the Town Hall, but it now wants to stand on its own two feet.
Committee member Fiona Rodgers added: “If we can get people together who can see the potential for an all-year-round skating facility, hopefully we can get the right people on board to make it happen.”
Anyone interested should email [email protected].
