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Findhorn Village Centre receives commendation at Calor Scottish Community of the Year Awards

The Findhorn Village Centre, a former school saved by the local community, has been commended in the Younger People and Community Life categories of the Calor Scottish Community of the Year Awards 2005.

Representatives of the Moray centre received commended certificates at an awards ceremony held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) and presented by Communities Minister, Malcolm Chisholm MSP, today, Thursday 8 December.

In total twenty-six short-listed communities attended the annual event, which this year attracted more than one hundred entries from communities spanning the length and breadth of Scotland.
Now in their eighth year, the awards encompass every aspect of Scottish life, providing communities with an opportunity to gain recognition and reward for its efforts. Their aim is to stimulate local people to take responsibility for their communities and enhance them for common good.

In determining the outcome of the awards, the judges sought best practices within community groups, which could be used as an example to others throughout Scotland.

“The Findhorn community has done a fantastic job in securing the future of the former village school and should feel justly proud of its achievements,” comments Hamish Husband, Calor Scottish Community of the Year manager.

“The judges were particularly impressed with how the youth hostel, located in the original building, finances and sustains the adjacent purpose built community resource centre.

“With a multitude of mixed facilities and resources available to younger people, such as after school clubs, toddlers groups, youth clubs and internet access, the Findhorn community has enabled the building to be retained for community use, and in doing so, has created a vibrant hub for the whole village.”

Since launching in 1998 the awards, which are supported by Calor Scotland in association with Communities Scotland and backed by The Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC), The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Business in the Community (SBC) and The Robert Gordon University (RGU), have been entered by more than a third of all Scottish communities from the Borders to Shetland, as well as all the country’s major urban areas.

The award’s categories include environment, business, younger people, older people and community life, as well as a stand-alone award for community websites. Judging the awards were representatives of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Business in the Community (SBC), Communities Scotland, the Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC) and The Robert Gordon University and a Community Council Support Officer for a local authority.

For further information regarding the awards visit www.communityoftheyear.org.uk

December 06 , 2005

Notes to editors:

Full lists of winners, highly commended and commended communities, are available on the Community of the Year website at www.communityoftheyear.org.uk
Photographs are available on request from

Ashley Ross
The PR Partnership
tel 01224 588900
Ashley@prpartnership.co.uk

For further information and pictures contact:
Ashley Ross
Awards Co-ordinator
tel 01224 588900
e-mail ashley@prpartnership.co.uk Ashley@prpartnership.co.uk

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