BRIDGE OF ORCHY HALL
We are grateful for the Community Benefit Grant Bridge of Orchy Hall received. Click our website link to see the finished work. bridgeoforchyhall.co.uk
By 2015 Bridge of Orchy Hall was in a bad state of repair and virtually unusable.
We are grateful for the Community Benefit Grant Bridge of Orchy Hall received. Click our website link to see the finished work. bridgeoforchyhall.co.uk
By 2015 Bridge of Orchy Hall was in a bad state of repair and virtually unusable.
Our community is considered to be “very rural” and the population of 55 had no public space, no school and very difficult access to services. We recognised that there was a particular problem with isolation, loneliness and depression. The community decided that it must help itself, to overcome its difficulties and the first step would be to provide a community hub in a safe public space.
The first phase was to improve the toilet facilities in the hall and importantly provide disabled access and facilities. With an award of £10,000 from Awards for All, a £5,000 pledge from the Dalmally Community Company (River Lochy Hydro Scheme Community Benefit Fund) and by raising matched funding locally, the community achieved this goal, providing a permanent external ramp access, completely refurbished toilets including a new disabled toilet and shower, all accessed by a wide corridor and new wider doorways. Encouraged by the success of the first phase, during 2017 the project moved ahead and raised a further £175,000 to undertake a complete refurbishment and upgrading of the hall which is now properly heated and insulated with a large open hall, commercial grade kitchen, small comfortable reading/quiet room and up to date toilet facilities and access.
The primary aim is to promote education, recreation and centralise simple services. Once again the goals have been met and the hall, which was first opened in 1960, has again become the centre of the community and is well used (100 people have used the hall in the past 6 weeks) with a varied programme of events planned for all ages and abilities. Although the hall cannot claim responsibility, the number of people living in the community is now over 60 and more importantly includes 14 children! Over the past months, and supported by Keep Scotland Beautiful, the community has also carried out projects to improve recycling, composting, energy efficiency, community vegetable production and shared car use.