After the storm …

Hiya, it’s Dawn, Trust Manager – thank you for being here and clicking through.

Below is a survey but first a little background for you … Gorebridge Community Development Trust opened the Gorebridge Beacon in January 2019, due to Covid-19 the hub is currently closed and we have lost most of our trading income. Right now, the Trust is using the Beacon for the purpose it was built for: by providing for the community and you on Gorebridge Resilience.

Going forward we will have to make changes, pivot and do things differently, of that we are certain, probably the same for you just now. For many charities, hubs and social enterprises whom we have spoken and now collaborating with we are all in the world of uncertainty, but we are (staff, partners, stakeholders, funders and current board of trustees) planning where we can, again, like you.

You all know, or maybe you don’t, the hub took many years to complete and open, it wasn’t an easy road, far from it, but it’s here and it’s our (the Trust’s) duty and responsibility to care for it and ensure that when we are through the storm we have protected your community asset and maybe, just maybe, saved its buzz and brilliance. To do that, we are asking for (read: would love) your ideas, suggestions, input and comments to help us sail the storm.

To ensure we meet our running costs (approx £6-7k a month, yes, that is electricity, heat, waste, water, VAT, security, alarms, phones, cleaning, internet not salaries) we are going to have to implement new ideas, but whatever we do, it has to meet your needs as a priority, this is why your opinions DO matter.

I should say, we (the Trust) have applied in earnest for funding form various sources to deliver on Gorebridge Resilience (we have been awarded amounts from Scottish Communities Fund, Third Sector Resilience Fund, Foundation Scotland, Coalfields, Wellbeing Fund) and it will see us through the next few months before we have to make changes, and we are waiting to hear on a few others, you never know.

It will (the #nobodylikesasurvey survey, please don’t give up halfway through, I know what I am like) take you 4.47 minutes to complete. Again, and always, thank you for your support. The Beacon is not, really not, the same without you. Oh, and if you like to write it all out in a one-er, email me here, I will pick it up.

Warmest,

Dawn Barclay, Trust Manager and on behalf of all the staff, volunteers and board of GCDT

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