WAT IF? is proud to support the ongoing development of Tarbrax Village Hall, and has provided over £1,300 in direct grants to support & TARBRAX IMPROVEMENT events and activities organised by the TVH Association, including FOUNDATION Community ‘Emergency First Aid at Work’ training, Sport Taster The Warbler IMPROVE • PROMOTE • ATTRACT Sessions, Halloween disco and Christmas party. January 2017 WAT IF? www.watif.scot Read on to find out how WAT IF? are launching £19,000 worth of grants in 2017! Investing in our This Issue communities INVESTING IN OUR WAT IF? was very pleased to be able to support COMMUNITIES WAT IF? support of 16 awards groups and individuals in our area throughout 2016 to undertake projects and run events for residents in GRANT FUNDING £19,000 of funds for the our communities. 16 awards were made through community the grant schemes with a total of £9,447 awarded! WAT IF? FUNDING & GRANTS The Small Grant Scheme was designed to ensure that local groups WAT IF? Grant Scheme 2016/17 could easily access funds for smaller projects based in the WAT IF? WAT NEXT? Bursary scheme area, which would have a positive impact on the local communities, WAT IF? Healthcare fund and in 2016 the full fund of £5,000 was awarded. There were two fully WAT IF? Driving lesson grant funded visits from Cosmos Planetarium to Auchengray and then Tarbrax, over £1,800 in total has been awarded for landscaping works COMMUNITY DIARY What’s on in the area at both Woolfords and Tarbrax Village Halls, and the Trust was happy to be able to support the Tuesday Club Christmas Dinner which was HOUSING PROJECT attended by over 40 local residents. Take the rural housing survey

To finish the year off, WAT IF? was very pleased to support the TWA SAM’S CORNER Fireworks and Bonfire night which was very successfully organised WAT IF?’s Children & Young by Gary and Adela Keenan. We would like to congratulate the People Update Keenans on running such a fantastic night! MEET THE TRUST The Large Grant Scheme has enabled Auchengray Primary School to Meet Mandy Meikle, Trustee undertake a Heritage Photography project, which has included the purchase of camera equipment, workshops with a photographer and will produce original artwork for installation in the school.

Auchengray Primary Grant

Planetarium visit funded by small grant New footbridge at Woolfords WAT IF? is proud to support the ongoing development of Tarbrax Village Hall, and has provided over £1,300 in direct grants to support events and activities organised by the TVH Association, including Community ‘Emergency First Aid at Work’ training, Sport Taster Sessions, Halloween disco and Christmas party.

Read on to find out how WAT IF? are launching £19,000 worth of Grant awarded for new fence and gate grants in 2017! at local aeromodellers club 16 awards were made through the grant schemes with a total of £9,447 awarded!

WAT IF? was very pleased to be able to support groups and individuals in our area throughout 2016 Communities can access £19,000 to undertake projects and run events for residents in of grant funds in 2017! our communities. 16 awards were made through the grant schemes with a total of £9,447 awarded! Building on a year of fantastic community engagement, which saw a total of £9,447 awarded directly to local groups and projects, WAT IF? is launching 4 The Small Grant Scheme was designed to ensure that local groups could easily access funds for smaller projects based in the WAT IF? new funds which will provide up to £19,000 directly for the community. area, which would have a positive impact on the local communities, WAT IF? Grant Scheme and in 2016 the full fund of £5,000 was awarded. There were two fully This fund has been given a revamp, and there are now two categories which groups or individuals in the funded visits from Cosmos Planetarium to Auchengray and then WAT IF? area can apply to: Tarbrax, over £1,800 in total has been awarded for landscaping works • Community Grant; up to £1,000 for projects which will invest directly into the community at both Woolfords and Tarbrax Village Halls, and the Trust was happy • Events Grant; up to £500 for community events to be able to support the Tuesday Club Christmas Dinner which was attended by over 40 local residents. WAT Next? Bursary For young people (aged 16 – 24) in the WAT IF? area already studying, or planning to go onto further or To finish the year off, WAT IF? was very pleased to support the TWA higher education there are two funds open to applications under the WAT Next? Bursary Scheme: Fireworks and Bonfire night which was very successfully organised • Education Access Grant by Gary and Adela Keenan. We would like to congratulate the You can apply for up to £100 to help with costs towards accessing education eg travel costs to Keenans on running such a fantastic night! interviews and open days, buying equipment, text books or uniforms. The fund is open to grant applications throughout the year from December onwards and will be awarded on an ad The Large Grant Scheme has enabled Auchengray Primary School to hoc basis by the WAT IF? management team. undertake a Heritage Photography project, which has included the purchase of camera equipment, workshops with a photographer and • Education Support Grant will produce original artwork for installation in the school. Two grants of £2000 will be awarded each year to young people to support them with their living or other costs whilst in further or higher education. Individuals must submit an applica- tion by the last day of April each year, which will be considered by WAT IF? trustees. Awards will be made in June.

WAT IF? Healthcare Access Fund For residents who rely on private taxi transport to get to healthcare appointments, this fund will provide up to £250 per person for subsidised taxi transportation between any address in the WAT IF? area to a healthcare appointment (GP/Hospital/ Specialist). This fund is being run on a trial basis until July 2017.

WAT IF? Driving Lesson Grant Open to all residents within the WAT IF? area, this grant can provide up to £250 towards car driving lessons.

For full information on all grants please contact Jemma, our Development Officer on 01501 78519 or at: [email protected]. You can also see full details at www.watif.scot/grant-schemes

Community Diary Auchengray WRI Auchengray Church Centre Committee 2nd Thursday of each Month, 7.30pm Open Meeting Auchengray Church Hall Wednesday 22nd February, 7.30pm (Tea and coffee from 7.15pm) All welcome! Every month we have a demonstrator or speaker, Discussion of the next steps in the grounds and property followed by tea, cake and raffle. Entry is £2 per evening. projects. If you have an interest in the use and development of the Church, hall and grounds please come along and share your views. Knitting and Craft Club Every Tuesday, 7.30pm Auchengray Church Hall All welcome! Come along and join in!

Auchengray and District Community Church Big Breakfast Evening Praise Sunday 5th February, 7pm Auchengray Church Centre Speaker – Stephen Allison Blether BIG BREAKFAST BLETHER Auchengray and District Community Church Saturday 28th January, 10am – 12pm, Tarbrax Village Hall Evening Praise Come along to Tarbrax Village Hall for a free bacon roll and a cuppa, and chat to us about what really matters to you! Some of Sunday 5th March, 7pm our Trustees will be there, and you can share your thoughts and Auchengray Church Centre ideas with us and other members of the community. Speaker from Release International Housing Project As we kick start our Housing Project, come along and find out The Wee Church Café what we're planning. (and the Very Wee Sweetie Shop) Funding for the Community Every Thursday afternoon 2pm – 5pm We have just launched 4 new funds for 2017 - if you’re interested Auchengray Church Centre in any of them, or just want to find out more come along for a Open for cakes, confectionery and hot & cold beverages. All chat with Jemma, our Development Officer! welcome!

Housing Project WAT IF? is working with Rural Housing , to investigate the demand and need for housing in the area, and to address some of the housing issues including empty houses which can be an eyesore and detrimental to a community.

There is funding available to bring homes back into use, but we must have evidence of need and demand from residents and those who wish to live in the area.

To do this we need community help – there is a quick survey which you can do online: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/NRYZXVK or in paper format (available from Tarbrax Village Hall, Woolfords Village Hall or Auchengray Church Centre).

We will also be available at our Big Breakfast Blether on Saturday 28th January, to answer any questions and gather more information on the housing situation in the area.

All participation is very much appreciated! WAT IF? Sam’s Corner I’ll be keeping you up to date each issue with what is going on with WATIF?’s Children & Young people’s work.

The past three months have been full of new faces and new places for me, as I have started to get to know the area and the people in it. I have met fundraisers, teachers, youth workers, sports coaches, development workers and of course; children!

We were really pleased to subsidise the cost of Auchengray Primary School’s trip to the pantomime early this December, I even got to join the kids and attend! There were smiles all round as the Village Theatre had us all up and singing on several occasions. We have set up a local parent and under 5’s group which has got off to a warm, friendly Meet the Trust start, making good use of toys donated by some very generous members of the community. Mandy Meikle - Trustee

This is just the beginning. My work with the children Mandy was born in Dumfries-shire, grew up in and young people has a very high ceiling and I am Renfrewshire and Argyll, and moved to Woolfords extremely interested in hearing your interests for the in 1991. When asked how she came to live in the area and what we could provide for those of the area, Mandy explained that she had friends who younger generations. I look forward to meeting more lived here and she couldn't imagine a better place to of you and seeing if we can bring to life the ideas that live in the central belt. Mandy has a PhD in benefit our children and youth. microbiology but has worked in the voluntary sector for many years, mostly on environmental Samuel Norton Alexander issues and most recently from home. "It's ridiculous Youth and Children’s Worker ([email protected]) that so many people still have to commute to sit in front of a computer", she says, adding "I do wish our Broadband was better though".

In 2011, Mandy organised the initial public meetings to discuss setting up a charity which could channel windfarm benefit money into the community. At the time she was heavily involved with the Transition Towns movement and wanted to see what was possible in this area. "I get frustrated when projects are thrust upon people", she says. "A community project will only succeed if enough people are on board, but it takes a surprising amount of work just to communicate with people. I think that's what surprised me the most".

Mandy edits the Reforesting Scotland Journal and worked as a climate justice researcher for Glasgow Caledonian University from 2012 - 2016. Her current interests include waste reduction and poverty alleviation.

WAT IF? is funded through Community Bene t Fund agreements with Muirhall Energy WAT IF? (Muirhall Windfarm Extension and Muirhall South) and Harburnhead Windfarm WAT IF? is a registered Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation, SC043606 • Tarbrax Village Hall, Tel: 01501 785194