Bringing services to Cairndow thanks to lottery funds

Cairndow Hall and Recreation Committee (HRC) has been given £5,000 of National Lottery cash to support the development of a clinic room and a community garden.

 

Situated at the head of Loch Fyne, Cairndow is distant from many health services beyond general practice.

 

Covid-19 has made travel increasingly difficult for many, with this exacerbated by ongoing disruption at the Rest and be Thankful.

 

Cairndow HRC aims to provide a range of activities and resources, with a core objective to support health and wellbeing and build community resilience.

 

A storage area in the hall will be developed into a private clinic room with telemedicine provision and a NEAR ME hub.

 

Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership has agreed to utilise the room and fund equipment including IT. The room will also be available for practitioners to hire.

 

This will be the first mainland non-NHS site NEAR ME facility in Scotland, and neighbouring communities will also have access to the service.

 

The hall was used this year for a flu clinic provided by Strachur Medical Practice, offering a valuable service.

 

The lottery cash will also allow the development of a community garden and kitchen garden, uniting people not previously involved with the hall.

 

The kitchen is the hub of any home and the intention is to achieve the same atmosphere with a kitchen upgrade in the hall, offering food, conversation, a place of friendship and connections.

 

Sharon Hepburn, acting chair of Cairndow HRC, said: 'This is a small rural community working together and with partners to overcome challenges, improve access to services and provide facilities for residents.

 

'The hall is entirely run by volunteers who both develop and support the ongoing delivery of projects and groups. All this has been made possible by people who play the lottery, so the HRC would like to say a huge thank you; you have made a great difference to our lives.'

 

National Lottery Community Fund (Scotland) chairman Kate Still said: 'In these uncertain times our priority is to ensure that National Lottery money continues to flow to charities, voluntary sector organisations and grassroots groups.

 

'I would like to congratulate Cairndow HRC on its award. Its is an important project and will support people now and in the future when they can physically come back together to make great things happen in their community.'