Revitalise Clachan (Kintyre), Save Iconic Building

by Clachan Village Hall (Kintyre) in Tarbert, Argyll and Bute Council, United Kingdom

Total raised £10,825

raised so far

+ est. £2168.75 Gift Aid

74

supporters

We want to turn this iconic building into our village hub and bring the space back to a living, breathing, thriving venue for all to enjoy.

by Clachan Village Hall (Kintyre) in Tarbert, Argyll and Bute Council, United Kingdom

We're still collecting donations

On the 1st September 2024 we'd raised £10,525 with 70 supporters in 42 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.

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WHO ARE WE?

OUR VILLAGE

Clachan is a beautiful village in Kintyre on the west coast of Scotland, committed to looking after its ancient environment and the people. The events and activities run are valued and enjoyed by our remote and rural community with very limited access to amenities and transport

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  • Our nearest neighbouring village is five miles away.
  • Our nearest supermarket is 25 miles away
  • Our nearest general hospital is 120 miles away in Glasgow,
  • We do have a  busy Primary School, an active Church, a village shop and a filling station.
  • BUT  we have not had a suitable indoor community space to use since 20191721207560_map_2.jpg

What are we asking for?

We are asking for £32,500 from our supporters to be used as 15% match funding towards a major grant we are about to apply for. This will enable us to renovate the main hall space and complete phase one of our renovation project. If we raise more we can begin phase two much sooner!

Listen to Gaia speaking with passion about her life growing up in Clachan

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Governance

Clachan Village Hall (Kintyre) is a Scottish Charity Incorporated Organisation SC050324 originally formed in the early 1950s and incorporated in 2021. Currently there are eight trustees who work entirely voluntarily on behalf of the village.

Website: www.clachanvillagehallkintyre.uk

Aims

Our main purpose is to improve the general conditions of life, intellectual & educational development and physical & mental wellbeing of Clachan Village Community and the general public. The trustees manage and maintain all SCIO owned buildings and surrounding ground on behalf of the community.

The hall also serves the wider Kintyre community as well as a significant number of visitors to the area all year round.

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OUR  OLD HALL

The hall was once a thriving hub providing space for organisations, individuals, groups and the local primary school to participate in a huge variety of activities, with something happening almost daily.

Activities

School PE - Plant & Bake sales - Talks & Presentations - Youth Club - Exercise Classes - Halloween Parade - Tai Chi - Zumba - Pilates - Christmas Sale - Carol singing - Private Hires - Easter Trail  - Drama Club -  Jubilees - Weddings - FluVaccine Clinic - Windfarm Consultions - Plays - WI - Church Guild - Meetings - Singing - Old Pals Club - Bingo nights - Art Show - The Pantomime - A red arrows flypast - Harvest Supper - Choir - Quiz nights - Birthday Parties - Coffee Mornings - Carpet Bowls - Tabletop sales - Funerals - Charity Fund raising Events - Flood Protection Group - Tea Parties - Ceilidhs - Bonfire night - Community Council meetings - Play group - Smallholders Gathering - Classic Vehicle Event - Film shows - Car boot sales - Local history - Games and Scrabble evenings - Open Gardens Event - Fundays - Celebrations - Hall & Grounds Working Parties

Listen to how much impact the village hall had on one resident and why we need to raise money for the new hall.

Listen to Eilidh (AKA Iona Sky - Wrestler) talk about her family's experience of "moving to rural Scotland" and how the village hall helped them

Clachan Village old Hall was built around 1950.

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WHY DO WE NEED A NEW HALL?

Hall Demolishion!

The old village hall was condemned in 2019, and demolished  in 2022, due to outliving its shelf life as a prefabricated building with corroding portal frames beyond substantive repair. 

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Morag visits the old hall ground and talks about what the community is missing out on: https://youtube.com/shorts/SqUmaCYjThY?si=cehaSCs3LJP-Pgv_

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How did we get the building?

After a positive community consultation, and thanks to a grant from the Scottish Land Fund in 2021, we were able to purchase the empty, deconsecrated Grade B listed iconic Kilcalmonell Free Church to serve as a replacement Hall/Community Hub.

Save this building

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This building is in the heart of the village and without our support will fall into disrepair and become a wasted asset and an eyesore in our beautiful landscape.  

We now seek substantive funding for renovation and extension of the building to meet the community needs. This will enable full resumption of old and new activities for the community & beyond, and save an historic iconic building from decline

The indoor space we sorely need is not fit for use, except to dry out the marquees as you can see if you take a 3D virtual tour inside the main building.

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WHAT IS OUR VISION?

  • We want to turn this old building, built by Sir William Mackinnon of Balinakill in 1878 for his estate workers, into a thriving community Hub, like the hall we once had.
  • We need to extend the building to include a kitchen, accessible toilets and storage area for tables, chairs and equipment etc.

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  • We plan a large open space for group activities such as  ceilidhs, sports, parties, drama & pantomime, youth club & playgroups, weddings and funerals, celebrations, events and private hires.

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  • The extension will include a small meeting room and resource area.
  • The surrounding ground and old hall grounds will be made more attractive and accessible with benches and attractive bee friendly flora and fauna. We will incorporate a permanent recreation and play area with small catering and toilet facilities into that vision.
  • Repair and restore the original clock and bell to make them work again.

A Quantity Surveyor has costed the renovation and extension project at upwards of £800,000. We have found it very difficult to find capital funders to grant us this amount of money. They all require around 20% of match funding.

This is why we are crowdfunding.


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HOW WILL WE ACHIEVE THIS?

Full planning permission has already been granted for the renovation and extension project.

We will break the hall project into four phases:

  • 1) the internal alterations & refurbishment 
  • 2) extension works
  • 3) old hall grounds upgrade and creation of an outdoor recreation area to include walkways, nature trail, sports and exercise area and a permanent chalet style unit to include toilets, small kitchen and storage to replace the old dilapidated shed
  • 4) clock and bell renovation

Each phase will take one year.

PHASE ONE - Estimated Cost £215,711

To refurbish the main hall we will

  • Sell our branded Merchandise at events and in the local shop. 
  • Continue to raise funds at events within the village and beyond.
  • Continue to promote Clachan and it's community and environment as a visitor destination to encourage people to attend events and give generously to the project.
  • Apply to a major funder for £215,711 in the next window (Community Ownership Fund or equivalent) 
  • Raise 15% of this cost through Crowdfunding

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Our Target is to raise £32,500 in six weeks

  • We will apply to other funders such as The Garfield Weston Foundation and Local Wind Farm Trusts for a further 5% or more for use as match funding.

Our stretch target is £50,000

  • Reaching our stretch target will greatly improve our chances of achieving our vision more quickly. We will be able to apply with more confidence to major funders as we have proved our project is worth investing in.
  • If we raise more than our stretch target we will use this towards match funding for phase two of the project.

PHASE TWO - Estimated Cost £592,315

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To extend the main hall and build the kitchen, toilets and meeting room we will:

  • Relaunch crowdfunder  
  • Apply to other major funders including any government Grant Schemes
  • Apply to local wind farm trusts
  • Continue to sell our branded merchandise at events and in the local shop
  • Continue to hold community and fundraising events.
  • Continue to spread the word about our project and its vision.

PHASES THREE & FOUR- Un-costed as yet.

  • maintenance work in hall grounds continues with regular volunteer working parties.
  • sub-groups are meeting to take forward plans for phases three and four. 

WHAT HAVE WE DONE SO FAR?

Some Events Continue

  • Since the old hall was demolished we have, with the aid of a Community Lottery Grant, been able to buy gardening tools and two New Marquees and a temporary welfare unit for use on the old hall grounds. 
  • We continue to hold some events such as the classic vehicle event, plant & bake sale, open gardens and annual bonfire. 
  • We also hire out the marquees, resources such as tables/chairs, crockery and the hall grounds to individuals and other organisations, as a source of much needed revenue income.

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This has helped keep the community together and raise some funds, but this only covers our revenue costs at present. Our insurance is 4x the usual cost because we do not have a secure indoor space.

Lori appeals for donations - "we are managing to function as a community... JUST....but we don't have the right space for it at the moment". 

In the New Hall we have:

With grants from Cour and West Kintyre Community Council Windfarm Trusts and using local build firms and specialists

  • Replaced all the windows to the original design and painted surrounds
  • Removed an internal ceiling. The church had been partially converted into a dwelling. 
  • Repaired rotten soffits and wooden architraving around the front door, bell tower and external corners.
  • Repaired roof tiles and made waterproof.
  • Repaired and replaced plastic guttering with original style gutters. 

With hundreds of logged hours of volunteer time we have saved costly expenses. 

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REWARDS

  • We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who donates to help us revitalise our community & save an iconic building.
  • If you have an address in the UK take a look at the variety of rewards you could be sent as a thank you gift. 
  • Why not sponsor one of our apple trees within the Entire Kintyre Orchard, or
  • Receive two tickets to attend our annual Harvest Supper.
  • If you'd like to give a larger donation your name or company could appear on the Supporter's Wall in the entrance hall of the finished building.
  • If your generous donation is substantial, you could have your name or company inscribed on a locally made park bench or picnic table, painted in the colour of your choice, and placed in the new and old hall grounds, as well as your name or company appearing the Supporter's Wall. 1722162975_1000008182.png
  • THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Rewards

This project offered rewards

£250 or more

Sponsor one of the Community Apple Trees

Have your name or company carved by a local artist into a wooden plaque and placed beside an apple tree growing in the old hall grounds. The trees were planted about ten years ago as part of the Entire Kintyre Orchard project. A photograph of your tree and plaque will be sent to you electronically.

£20 or more

Silicone Wristband

A silicone wristband with a debossed inscription of "Clachan Village Hall" and printed logo. Choice of two colours. Unfortunately, due to costs of sending abroad we can only send this reward to addresses in the UK.

£40 or more

A Tote Bag and A Silicone Wristband

A Tote Bag with large "Clachan Village Hall Kintyre" logo front and back, plus a silicone wristband with logo. Unfortunately, due to costs of sending abroad we can only send this reward to addresses in the UK.

£50 or more

Choice of Water Bottle, Snapback Cap or Beanie

Choose between a metallic blue, aluminium Water Bottle with carabena attached, a heather and black snapback cap from Result Headwear, or a Thinsulate 50% Recycled Yarn navy beanie hat. The hats have a white embroidered logo and the water bottle has a black printed logo. Unfortunately, due to costs of sending abroad we can only send this reward to addresses in the UK.

£100 or more

Two tickets to the Harvest Supper

Two tickets to the Harvest Supper in Tayinloan Hall on the 5th October. Enjoy a fun filled evening of delicious home produced food, banter and local entertainment.To be collected in person at the door, on the day.

£500 or more

Name included on Supporters Wall

Your name or company will be included on the Supporters Wall situated in the entrance hall of the New Hall.

£1,000 or more

Your name on the Supporters Wall + choice of gift

Have your name or company displayed on the Supporters Wall in the main entrance of the new hall. If you have a UK address we will also send you either, a waterbottle, a cap or a beanie as a thank you

£2,500 or more

A Park Bench dedicated in your name

A locally made park bench, painted in the colour of your choice, will be placed in the hall grounds with yours or your company name inscribed on it. We will also have your name or company displayed on the Supporters Wall in the main entrance of the new hall

£5,000 or more

A Picnic Table dedicated in your name

A locally made picnic table, painted in your choice of colour, will be placed in the hall grounds with yours or your company name inscribed on it. Your name or company will also appear on the Supporters Wall inside the main entrance to the new hall.

Show your support

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