North Rural Communities Heritage Programme 2020-2023 Introduction Why a Heritage Plan? The Rural Communities Heritage Plans provide a clear and coherent Heritage Programme aims to support five rural strategy for the protection and potential of communities who have identified the potential heritage assets, these could be built, natural, of using heritage as a tool for regeneration archaeological or intangible, such as folklore after the creation of their community action plans. or oral histories. All the communities have a rich heritage, the To prepare plans we want to develop an legacy of mining across this area has left a approach that engages with as many significant and lasting change to the identities interested parties as possible, to ensure the of all these communities but there are also plans meet the needs of each area and connections to print and paper works, Scotland's canals, medieval farming and even support future development. Romans in Scotland. These areas are also part of important swathes of Bog and Heath encompassing the Plateau and some of the least disturbed active raised bogs in the central belt, Black Loch Moss.

Caldercruix Paper Mill Where will the project take place? The five communities we want to work with are spread across North Lanarkshire.

• Caldercuix • & Wattston • Harthill, Eastfield & Greenrigg • Plains • Upperton What do we hope to achieve? What will be created? Our aim is to ensure that by the end of the Heritage Plans: project each community feel they have the Each community will be invited to produce a confidence, skills and connections to deliver Heritage Plan, complementing the work heritage projects. Creating a network of links already undertaken in developing ‘Community between themselves and organisations such Plans’. as; Historic Environment Scotland, CultureNL, Community Grants Pilot: NatureScot, Scottish Canals, the National Budgets for small heritage projects will be Lottery and North Lanarkshire Council. Also available to apply for in a supported and connecting them to examples of where such accessible way. initiatives have created lasting change. Community heritage events & activities: Developing a series of community events/activities which help to celebrate and engage people with their heritage.

Miners rescue, Heritage Who will programme be involved

Project Heritage Advisory Heritage Manager and volunteer panel forum

Project officer group

Groups Groups proposed

• Accountable to National • Specialist knowledge • Develop approach to meet • Researching and Lottery Heritage Fund • Provide support for Forum community needs recording community • Project leadership • Strategic vision • Supporting reaching history • Project reporting • Approval of finances interested partners in • Creating an asset register • Employed by Community • Support connecting to community • Researching and Action Lanarkshire target groups • Designing guiding recording natural history • Supporting risk documents and approach • Sharing learning management • Developing events • Interrogating delivery of • Supporting gathering aims information to influence

development Responsibilities Responsibilities Living Landscape “improving Cumbernauld’s greenspaces for both people What success and wildlife, while helping everyone in the community connect with the nature on could look like their doorstep.”

Silverburn Park, fife "To develop Silverburn as a place of quiet enjoyment, supporting the health and wellbeing of the community, and respecting the habitat and biodiversity of the environment."

Land of Oak and Iron “Our aim is to create a legacy for regeneration and local economic development, which enhances heritage and increases prosperity” Findhorn bay Scottish Gansey arts To connect Project Through a series of creativity, people workshops, exhibitions and place by and events, Knitting the delivering high Herring seeks to capture, quality arts events preserve and highlight the and projects unique knitting heritage of coastal fishing communities of Scotland. Elizabeth Burns (Daughter of Robert Burns) Resident of Aims & Outcomes Harthill To survey the communities, built A wide range of people will engage in heritage and natural heritage assets Heritage Plans will be easily available and will be owned by each and develop a community Heritage Plan for each area which reflects existing community and Each of the 5 communities will be more engaged in their local regional plans. heritage and inspired to keep learning

To engage a wide A wide range of people will take the lead in heritage projects and range of develop new skills Through a number of events and activities, people will establish new audiences in friendships and networks exploring the Delivery of a number of activities in each community that improve heritage of five audience development and engagement rural communities. Activities will foster the development of new skills by working alongside heritage professionals and visiting other heritage projects and community heritage conferences Groups and individuals are able to participate fully in all activities Projects will improve wellbeing, focusing on areas including: Increased happiness, greater satisfaction, reduced levels of anxiety and a feeling of worth More people will have the knowledge, tools and confidence to continue exploring, enjoying and respecting their local heritage People will share and learn about their local heritage More people will volunteer for the first time and consider continuing their volunteering into the future To work with Support networks from the communities to local council and various partners charitable heritage organisations will be created, developing and stakeholders links to ensure sustainability for future projects. Members by building on feel invested in local plans existing community partnerships to collaboratively develop and deliver Information will be available digitally and using social media project activities and our website to share stories and celebrate which explore, achievements. Engagement will be recorded share and celebrate the heritage of each area.

Pilot a small Communities will have a better understanding of how to community grants access funding and deliver projects by engaging with the scheme with a third party grants fund, delivering a number of projects heritage focus, providing support and assistance to lower capacity groups, and Communities will feel they have the confidence, skills and ensuring a connections to make further change happen in the future in straightforward, a sustainable way transparent and equitable application and decision process.

Monklands Branch, Mineral Railway • Launch community grants fund Timeline • Support application process A more detailed plan is presented on • Support development of projects the last page of this document. • Deliver community events inspired by Heritage Plans

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• Support delivery of grant funded • Set up Project Teams projects • Establish methods and • Support communities in seeking approaches funding for further projects • Prepare Heritage Plans with outlined in plans communities • Compile case studies and evaluation report Process

• Better understand the needs of the audience Inspiration • Listen to peoples hopes and aspirations for the project • Fully understand challenges

• Make sense of what we are hearing from communities • Generate ideas Ideation • Identify opportunities • Refine and reshape with expert input

• Deliver outputs Implementation • Share widely • Review impact Heritage Forum We’re looking to form a group of enthusiastic community leaders, working together for mutual benefit to deliver a Commitment successful heritage-based community development programme. Commitment • The Forum will meet at least every other Our aim is to create a group with representatives from month or more (as agreed by the Forum) each community so that we can share knowledge, skills, • Members may be contacted between understanding and support each other through this meetings with further information or process. questions (This will be kept to a minimum) • Sub-groups may be formed to work more Reading this brochure, we hope you will be inspired to closely within a specific community become members of the Heritage Forum, supporting The Rural Development Meetings Trust’s Community Action • These are likely to initially be via zoom Lanarkshire delivery team. Contributing to the • Covid allowing, we would then move to development of the 3 year programme. meetings located within each community on a rotation basis (providing meeting Heritage Forum Members will be key to developing all spaces are available) areas of this project and bring their community expertise • Dates and times will be agreed well in and perspective to inform the work. advance to be respectful to diaries

To find out more and discuss possible partnership with your organisation, please contact: [email protected] Heritage Volunteer Group HeritageVolunteer HeritageForum Panel Advisory reporting) (quarterly NLHF Meetings Deliver events in all communities in events Deliver approach and plan Develop eventsCommunity Projectsdelivered submissions for Open approach and plan Develop grant Heritage scheme Complete submitted Draft plans gathered Information plans Heritage report Final Datarecorded off signed plan Evaluation Evaluation meeting Finance report Final submitted reporting Quarterly and Finance reporting meetings Initial approached Chair person approached members Potential groupsProject complete Projectwrite-up completed Events Projectscomplete Grants awarded launched grantscheme Community Heritagecompleted plans agreed Heritageframework plan off signed Projectdocuments formed Projectteam Milestones

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