Update from The Langholm Alliance
The Langholm Alliance came together as an umbrella group of people and organisations with a drive to improve the Langholm and surrounding areas. The Alliance was structured to represent the wider community and redevelop the area based on advice from two Scottish Government Ministers and our local MP. The Plan is the culmination of 2 years research and community consultation led by the Steering Group. The Alliance is a registered charity to benefit the community of Langholm and District comprising the area within the boundaries of Langholm, Ewes and Westerkirk Community Council.
The past year has been a difficult one; together with a number of other organisations in south Scotland, we lost the SOSE funding which had enabled the Langholm Alliance to operate and are now supported by the Cayzer Trust, Crossdykes, Ewes Hill 16 and Solway Bank Community Benefit Funds
Needless to say, it was an extremely difficult time whilst we awaited confirmation of funding. We faced significant challenges in maintaining operations and advancing our objectives whilst fighting hard to remain in existence. The community as a whole has shown us considerable support, however it is inevitable that some may not always be satisfied. The handling of these situations presented challenges that must be managed and results in diverting attention from ongoing projects. However, we remained throughout, dedicated through the collaborative efforts of local residents, businesses, and government representatives, to our vision for 2030. We continue to foster community collaboration and partnership, working closely with local groups and third-sector organisations whenever possible.
The challenges of dealing with external agencies is very time consuming and frustrating whether dealing with them directly or whilst lending support to a community group in their efforts as was illustrated at the recent town meeting.
Living in Langholm right now feels a bit like being somewhere in a domino rally, to get better transport you need more jobs, to provide more jobs you need to provide more houses, to build more houses you need to build better transport … round and round it goes, just willing that one domino to fall and start the cascade.
As an umbrella organisation, much of what we do goes unnoticed (and is therefore perhaps underappreciated). This is primarily because we often act as facilitators or offer organisational support to other groups such as the Community Forum, Producers Market and the NHS D&G Liaison Group. This work may be unsung or little recognised but is a vital part of our role. More visibly we also work together with other groups such as Xcel and the schools with whom we run the well-received Careers Fair and Mock Interviews or the Buccleuch Centre which is engaged with us to take forward the Remote Learning Centre/Digital Hub project. We also played an active part in the recent Langholm Housing Survey.
On our own account we have been intimately involved the production of the Langholm and Canonbie Place Plan which will be ratified the LEWCC and become a legal document lodged with the D&G Council. We had our experience with the Community Plan to draw on and much of this will be replicated in the Place Plan which will form part of the Scottish Government’s Land Development Planning.
We have organised and facilitated highly appreciated and successful health projects, the Hot Flash Café and Man2Man which remain on-going after completion of the initial programme. The proposed Community Laundry remains an ambition, and we are actively exploring ways of taking this forward as a test run in temporary premises before having our own.
Which leads on to our major project, the Langholm Old School site. As we announced last year, funding for our original concept was becoming increasingly difficult to obtain and, with the collapse of the Murtholm project and the Langholm Housing Survey in which we took part, The Langholm Alliance Board of Trustees revisited our plans for Langholm Old School.
At every single consultation, at every group we have engaged with, supported and worked with when we ask the same question “what does Langholm need to thrive and survive?” the top three answers every single time, jobs, better transport and houses for local people. Whilst we continue to support the efforts regarding transport, however frustrating this may be we can at least do something for housing for local people.
The overall goal for the project is to acquire the Old School site at Langholm from Dumfries and Galloway Council for the community and to create quality affordable, inter-generational local housing sustained with some commercial housing units linked with a vibrant community centre for promotion of well-being, community resilience and creativity.
The re-developed Old School site at Langholm will provide support to the local community under a series of broad themes; underpinned by our vision and mission:
- Affordable Local Housing:
- A gathering Space:
- Youth activity:
- Connectivity with Nature & Outdoors
Within the rejuvenated Old Dining Hall, we intend to offer information points of contact including counselling facilities for every age group alongside inter-generational activities making use of the indoor and outdoor areas and spaces. A warm and welcoming café/bistro space will be created. This will create an attractive public facing hospitality space where local people and visitors can ‘drop-in’ and socialise in a warm/pleasant environment whilst providing opportunities for work experience, training, and after school/weekend jobs for young people in the town and creating experience pathways for future employment.
It is important to note that we talk about quality, affordable housing NOT social housing.
The Board will continue to recruit other trustees who bring the same passion for the project, an understanding of the local community and additional skills to build the capacity of the Board to take this project forward. This will include recruiting specific finance experience, facilities management experience and capital project management experience
Despite all the trials and tribulations of the past year, the team are determined and have remained cheerful, resilient and committed and are looking forward. None of what we do and either achieve or lend a hand in would be possible without the support of this community. It gets very tough sometimes, no matter what you do it feels like there is always something there to knock you back. But there is optimism, there is passion, there is a way forward. We have very positive, passionate, community driven people in our communities, through continued collaboration and working as one we can continue to go from strength to strength.
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