Community Build for Brechin

"The Crickety"

We are almost there !!!! The much talked about community building is almost ready to start . All we need is a little funding so that others can be released . 

For 202 years cricket has been played in Brechin and for nearly the last 100 of those at Guthrie Park ( its present location ) This makes the club one of the oldest in Scotland and  just imagine cricket was played in Brechin at the time of Waterloo . We have been here for a long time and we plan to be here a long time more. 

Brechin Buccaneers are a youth charity (SC045079) based in the East End of Brechin  . We work with the local community to provide sporting and community facilities for the people of Brechin and in an area where it is most required . We feel residents of the area have a hard time. According to Scottish Government Statistics and As compared to the West end of Brechin and Angus in general : 

Life Expectancy is lower 

More kids need free school meals 

Health is poorer 

Incomes are less 

Less children leave school and go into work 

Exam Results are poorer 

There are less facilities 

There are high levels of social isolation in the area 

So why are services moved from this area into other town or area ? 

Why does a Brechiner have to travel to another town for services ? 

There is no good answer to any of these . We love the area , we have been here long enough . Most of us grew up here , played sports here , went to the club  and many have fond memories of school sports and other events held at Guthrie Park . As services have moved to other areas , conditions worsen and more and more people stop attending . 

SO WHAT CAN WE DO ? 

We inherited an old disused building at the bottom of the ground , once the centre of things in this area of the city but now just boarded shut. For the last 3 years we have been working on transforming our this old social club into a Community facility that is open to all  and that will allow people to access services in Brechin.  We want to see local issues dealt with by local people with local answers in a local venue.

With level access facilities, meeting rooms , changing rooms , indoor and outdoor seating, renewable energies to save costs, and a function suite available for hire , we believe that we can empower the local community to address the inequlaities the area faces. 

So what do we need ? 

We need your support to help take the final step toward this project getting off the ground . In total we needed around £300,000 for this venture and through a mixture of our own funds , grant funding and fundraising we now need just around £35,000 for this to take place.  We are looking for £4,500  towards this  so we can improve facilities and brings things back to this area. 

Why us ? 

Sport and Recreation : There are 3 sports clubs currently playing at Guthrie Park . Brechin City Youths Football Club , Brechin Buccaneers Cricket Club and Guthrie Park Table Tennis Club . This is boosted by work with Andover Primary School and the active schools network  The venue would provide facilites for changing rooms , improved coaching and a warm place to watch sport / children / grandchildren in comfort.  

Lunch Club : lets provide for locals locally , in an area they know and with some lovely green space outside. 

School Work : through renewables we can help deliver energy and carbon saving work . Level access changing and toileting facilities. 

Outreach work : lets bring training , blood donation , voting , cinema clubs, ukele bands  to the area . The list is endless. 

Events : lets bring music , and a social scene back to the east end

What can happen here is only limited by your imagination 

( the old building needing a little work