Lochgoil community reaps benefits of working together

Lochgoil Energy Ltd owns 20 per cent of the Broadlands Donich hydro scheme and, in 2024, this investment delivered substantial gains and channelled much-needed cash into local projects.

Lochgoil Community Trust chairperson Sheron Hambly explained: “Lochgoil Community Trust uses the priorities in our local place plan to help us distribute funding from the Broadlands Donich hydro.”

Lochgoil’s 2024-29 plan includes developing more indoor activities for sports and more wellbeing activities, and this goal was reflected in the most recent round of financial awards.

In December funds were granted to the local climbing club which received £500 for activities for the primary school children.

In addition, the village bowling club received £5,265 for refurbishment and improvements to the bowling green. 

Sheron added: “Local place plans can also help to support fundraising. Over the last eight years, the trust has used the place plan and the previous community action plans to attract more than £170,000 of external funding for community projects such as the river walk and the community gardens. Other organisations have also been successful in using the plans to secure funding.”

The development of the Lochgoil place plan was led by a steering group of representatives from Lochgoil Community Trust, Lochgoil Community Council and Carrick Castle Community Trust and followed an extensive community engagement process carried out between June 2023 and March 2024.

 “Local place plans and community action plans are most successful when the whole community gets involved,” Sheron said. “And over the years lots of different individuals and groups have helped deliver priorities that are important to people in Lochgoil.”

Information on Lochgoil’s place plan can be found on the trust’s website.