Expectations rising for Forum event of 30 March

29 March 2011

Excitement and expectations are rising for an open meeting to be hosted by the Forres Area Forum on the evening of Wednesday 30 March.

The Forum is organising the meeting to help bring about a community-led response to the challenges facing the Forres area with the imminent closure of RAF Kinloss.

"Many of us are already working to create opportunities for people currently working at RAF Kinloss and their families to remain in the Forres area, and continue to contribute to the community's economic and social life," said Forum vice-chair Fabio Villani. "This event aims to bring together people and groups from throughout the Forres Area to find ways of rising to the challenge of working together for a brighter future for all."

"The response from those we have spoken with has been very encouraging, with many people indicating their willingness to take part, even before the invitations have gone out," added Forum chair Carin Schwartz.

The meeting will start with a short presentation by Kate Townsend, a community development officer employed by the Eday Partnership. Eday, a small Orcadian island, has been taking forward community-led developments for a number of years. Eday took this work forward by forming a Partnership of existing community organisations, a new entity in the form of a community development trust, which then coordinated and supported the community in planning, managing and delivering the projects that the community thought most important. Kate will talk about her reflections on Eday's significant progress, being frank about the challenges and sheer hard work, as well as the uplifting successes and community enhancing changes which those efforts have won for the community.

This will be followed by two very short presentations, highlighting the help available for setting up a similar organisation in the Forres area. After a quick break for refreshments, participants will break into small groups to discuss whether such an approach would work in the Forres area and, if so, how it could be taken forward.

A display by the Fair Deal for Forres and Kinloss group will highlight the many ideas for projects and initiatives which have already been put forward by local residents at the recent Fair Deal drop-in event. Participants will be invited to add further suggestions to this list.

The Forum's aspirations are supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, which is keen to help the Forum make the case for securing funding for a community development trust. If funding is secured, a trust could employ a development officer to support the organisation and the wider community with the development and implementation of a community action plan. A development officer could also help other local organisations take forward the highest priority projects identified by the community. Highlands and Islands Enterprise may also be able to identify one of their own members of staff to support the community's efforts and facilitate wider multi agency involvement.

The meeting will take place at Forres Academy from 7pm on Wednesday 30 March and is open to all.

For further information please contact Fabio Villani, Forres Area Forum vice-chair, on 07900 614 927 or by email on fabio@fabiovillani.co.uk