Arrochar and Tarbet celebrates Calor Village of the Year title in style
Monday, September 28th, 2009Arrochar and Tarbet came together to celebrate in style at the weekend, (Saturday, September 26, 2009) to mark the official presentation of their title as Scottish Calor Village of the Year 2009. With a host of VIPs in attendance to present a total jackpot prize of £9500 for community investment, the day was a terrific success.
Mr Richard Lochhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment, Provost William Petrie for Argyll and Bute, Alistair Todd, Area Network Manager for Calor Scotland and Frank Gunning, President of the Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC), were amongst the VIP guests that were entertained by Inverary and District pipe band before heading up an official presentation to the community at Arrochar Parish Church.
Duncan MacLachlan, Chair of the Arrochar and Tarbet Community Development Trust was presented with the cheque and commemorative plaque before kicking off the fun packed day of games, food and entertainment, hosted by Calor Gas Ltd. This included a series of events for all ages, a barbecue to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Arrochar Parish Church re-opening, a fiddler’s rally and a spectacular firework display beside Loch Long to complete the day.
The community deservedly scooped the esteemed title, astounding judges with its vision for the future.
“Arrochar and Tarbet truly showed the determination and huge community spirit required to make the best out of rural living,” said Frank Gunning, one of the judges and President of the ASCC. “The community had once been a thriving hub for the Ministry of Defence’s torpedo range on Loch Long, but some parts had since started to slip into poor condition. Recognising the need to rejuvenate the scenic village, Arrochar and Tarbet worked incredibly hard to fundraise and regenerate the community into a shining example of what can be achieved when people come together and work towards a common good.
“The regeneration of Arrochar Parish Church is outstanding. Having seen a community come together, raise funds and give up time and skills to create one of the most beautiful churches in Scotland is just brilliant. By creating a village ‘hub’ through the development of a community hall and showing a vision for the future with redevelopment plans for Arrochar’s pier, villagers are making strategic moves towards developing the community for the future.
“The community has a great atmosphere and you can tell everyone involved really cares about the future of this spectacular village. Well done to them, it’s a fantastic achievement and I would like to thank them for their kind hospitality and a fantastic day!”
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment, Richard Lochhead added:
“Community spirit is an essential ingredient in the vibrancy of Scottish rural life. The energy and dynamism that exists in the village of Arrochar and Tarbet is rightly being celebrated and it was great to see for myself why it is such a worthy winner of this award.
“The Scottish Government is doing all it can to support the economic and social fabric of rural communities. By empowering them to make their own choices and decisions we can ensure they enjoy a bright future.”
Organised by Calor Gas Ltd (Scotland), with support from the Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC) and The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisation’s (SCVO) Rural Team, the awards are designed to allow Scotland’s rural communities to promote their success and achievements, share best community practice and demonstrate initiatives towards sustainability. Communities were judged on four categories this year; people, business, sustainability and communication.
• For more information on the Scottish Calor Village of the Year 2009 competition, contact Lynsey Shepherd on 01224 217345 or email info@calorvoy.org.uk
• For further information on Calor and its sustainability commitment, visit www.calor.co.uk
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Scottish Calor Village of the Year®
The Scottish Calor Village of the Year® competition is open to rural communities throughout Scotland with a population of 5,000 or under. Entry is open to all community bodies if they are in line with the following criteria:
• A ‘not-for-profit’ local organisation or trust set up to improve the social, economic or environmental health of the local community
• A strong emphasis on the involvement of local individuals or groups active within the community
• Partnerships, networks or forums acting within a localised community
Calor, the leading supplier of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) to those living and working in the countryside, has supported rural activities throughout the UK for 22 years through its Rural Sponsorship programme, which includes the Scottish Calor Village of the Year® competition. Please note that Calor Village of the Year® is a registered trademark and should be referred to in full in all circumstances.
ASCC
The Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC) is a national membership organisation, which was formed in 1993 as a representative association for Scotland’s community councils. It has worked with Calor on rural sponsorship programmes since 1998.
The objectives of the association are to:
• Actively promote the role, effectiveness and status of community councils in Scotland.
• Establish, co-ordinate and express the views of member community councils.
• Provide a forum for the exchange of information between community councils.
The Association aims to assist and support community councils and to help them represent their communities effectively, based on information and shared experience.
Further information can be found at www.ascc.org.uk
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisation (SCVO) Rural Team
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisation’s Rural Team has responsibility for content management of the Scotland National Rural Network website, delivery of the Rural Direct service helping communities to access funding and providing policy and information support for the voluntary sector in rural Scotland. You can find the Rural Network website at www.ruralgateway.org.uk.
For further information:
Lynsey Shepherd
AVC Creative Ltd
Tel 01224 248007
DD 01224 217345
lshepherd@avcmedia.com
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF CALOR VILLAGE OF THE YEAR BY AVC CREATIVE LTD