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Helmsdale and District Development Group

The Helmsdale & District Development Group has been set up, with a view to assisting the development of projects that help make the area economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.

The project started in the Spring 2010 and the progress of the group will be advertised regularly.


Helmsdale & District Community Association

Local Development Officer,'Growth at the Edge' Initiati

Paul Harrington
01431 821141

Community Centre,
Dunrobin Street
Helmsdale
Sutherland
KW8 6JA
Scotland

Latest News from the Helmsdale and District Development Group.

FULLY SERVICED PLOTS in Helmsdale 

Newsletter Booklet - Update DEC 2011

The Newsletter - June 2011  

Helmsdale & District Development Group

The Development Plan – issue one – is now available.

To download a copy, please click on the link below.

HDDG Develop Plan July 2011

 

Press release: July 2010

Helmsdale and District Development Group (HDDG)
The HDDG are pleased to announce that they have appointed a Local Development Officer for the Helmsdale and District Area. Mr Pete Carson started in this role on Monday 12th July and will be based in the Community Centre in Helmsdale 5 days per week.

The community had their first chance to meet him in his new role at the Rose show on Saturday July 10th(pictured). The Development Group had a stand at the Community Centre which was well received and well attended by the community.



Pete’s role has been funded jointly by HIE and LEADER and the work includes supporting groups in the area to take forward projects which will enhance the economic, social and cultural benefits of the area.

Pete has a long history of working with communities. As a community Police Officer in the north for 25 years he worked with various communities, sourcing grants and setting up projects to benefit the local people.

As the Helmsdale “bobby” for 5 years Pete was involved in obtaining £ 30,000 of Lottery funding for a community minibus. He has also started several groups including Drama Clubs and Youth Theatres in the Highlands. While in Inverness Pete became heavily involved with Red Cross House, a residential home for young people with special needs. His fund raising abilities there ended up with him being tricked into going to London and there appearing on Esther Rantzen’s “Hearts of Gold” TV programme.

Pete said “ Since leaving Helmsdale on my transfer further south, I have always kept up with the goings-on in the Helmsdale area and have come back to the Games as often as possible. I still have many friends here and it is great to come back in a new role and be part of the community again. I know this will be challenging with the recession and cutbacks all over the place, but the community in this part of Scotland is amazing and a real example of what people can do when they are determined and work together. I am really looking forward to it.” 
 
Deirdre Mackay the Scottish Labour Party Councillor for East Sutherland and Edderton also attended the Open Day at Helmsdale and said  “ I am delighted that HDDG is now up and running.  As a local councillor I am well aware of the hopes and aspirations people have for their local communities. The reality however is that it has become more difficult for individuals and groups, on a voluntary basis, to have  the time or resources required to develop the increasingly complex funding packages, and project management, required to deliver a range of ambitious projects.  I have long believed that such plans can best be achieved by having a person dedicated to the task at the helm. I learned in June of last year that HIE were looking to develop such an initiative.  Helmsdale met the criteria and I pressed the case to have the village considered as an ideal candidate.  As we know Helmsdale is a very energised village, independent of mind and with a clear direction.  The HDDG committee, Pete and the wider community have hit the ground running and it is pleasing to see so many positive ideas being tabled for consideration.  It is my hope that this model of community development is one which could be replicated elsewhere in the ward, enabling other villages to realise their ambitions. '

Pete’s first task will be to publish the Local Development Plan for Helmsdale and District.  He will be contacting local groups in the area over the next few weeks to make sure that everyone has sufficient chance to make input to the plan.  Anyone can call in to meet Pete in the Community Centre to get advice and help or, alternatively, visit him at the HDDG stall at the Helmsdale and District Highland Games on Saturday 21st August.
 

Press release: 12th July 2010

Helmsdale & District Development Group (HDDG) Open Day – 12th July 2010.

The above Group had a small stand at the recent Rose Show held on Saturday July 10th at the Community Centre in Helmsdale.

The purpose of the stand was twofold, firstly to introduce the new Helmsdale & District Local Development Officer – Pete Carson – and also to ask the community for feedback and priorities for the new Development Plan for the area.

Pete was on hand, as were several members of the HDDG and also Deirdre Mackay the Local Councillor, to chat to people and to ask for their views. There was also the chance to explain a little of what some of the projects are that are currently being looked at in the area.

Apart from giving good feedback to the HDDG members on some of the projects that were listed, members of the local community also had the chance to add some other projects which were not already on the lists. This was welcomed by HDDG as they make it clear that the current list of projects is by no means complete.

There was also the chance for people to add their names to a list supporting the Right To Buy initiative, although Pete explains that there has been some confusion concerning what this is actually about.

Pete explains -

“ Since the Helmsdale and District Development Group (HDDG) decided that in the interest of the whole community, it would be advisable to register with the Land Register in Scotland, some misinformation and inaccuracies have been circulating round the area.

This always has a negative effect on any community and many good plans in the past in all areas, have been spoiled and damaged by such a thing.

Can I take this few lines to explain – briefly – what actually is being put forward.

If the people in Helmsdale & District wish to be sure that they are kept informed as to what land – any land – is up for sale in the area, it is necessary for a group from the community to register with the Land Register for Scotland. This is so that that group will be told as soon as any land comes up for sale and no land can be offered for sale without the community being aware.

If that community group is told of land being offered for sale, it would then be up to the members of the community whether or not they wanted to put forward a plan to buy that land. The planning process would be a long involved one and would only be started if a majority of the people in Helmsdale & District supported it. “

So all in all a very useful day and one which the HDDG will use to help shape the final Development Plan for Helmsdale & District.

 

 

Press release: 8th June.

Helmsdale and District Development Group Open Day
Open Day on the 10 July 2010, 11am - 3pm, during the LHFSS Rose Show.
We will be in a tent in the garden and it is an oportunity to see what the Group is about, there will be forms for peoples' input into the Community Plan and a chance to meet the new Development Officer - Pete Carson.

Press release:

Three members of this group were recently invited to the island of Eday in the Orkney Isles to learn from the community development work that is on-going there.

The island benefited from a community shop, countryside rangers, Community buildings and is just investing in its own Windmill and a Fastboat to go inter- island taking passengers and conducting wildlife excursions along the coast.

These were great achievements for an island with 150 inhabitants.

The members have taken these ideas back to Helmsdale and the Development Group is now seeking feedback from local committees to input into a local development plan.  Local committees will be asked for their ideas as to what should be the priorities for the development of the community.    When these have been collated, there will be a community event where everyone who attends will get the chance to prioritise what they think is a priority for the development of Helmsdale and District.

 

The minutes of the last meeting follow:-

Click below to downlod the minutes.

HDDG Minutes 25 August 2011

HDDG Minutes 29 September 2011 Sheet1 

Minutes of the Meeting of the Helmsdale and District Development Group held on the 17 March 2011. 

Minutes of the Meeting of the Helmsdale and District Development Group held on the 10 February 2011. 

Helmsdale Development Group's minute 6th January 2011  

HDDG Minutes 25 November 2010 Sheet1  

HDDG Minutes 14 October 2010  

 

 

 

 

 


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