latest news
LATEST NEWS FROM ACSG OUT NEXT WEEK IN THE MARCH ‘ALYTH VOICE’
25 February
Look out for all the latest news on what we’ve been up to in our ‘ACSG Update’ in the March issue of the Alyth Voice. The big news is the formation of our new mental health and wellbeing group called ‘Building Bridges – stay tuned for more details. There are also updates on the work of the Flood Defence team, Food for Thought, and the new River Keepers project.
EXTRA HELP FOR THOSE FACING FINANCIAL CRISIS
24 February
New resources are available for people facing financial crisis. The Cash First Project involves helping people access any existing financial entitlements through advice and support as an alternative to emergency food aid. It helps them to quickly see what advice and ‘cash first’ support options are available and which agencies are best placed to help. The resources have been co-produced by the Independent Food Aid Network, Trussell Trust and PKAVS Third Sector Interface. Find out more here.
LANG FOUNDATION GRANT FOR FOOD FOR THOUGHT
4 December
Dundee-based charity The Lang Foundation has donated £500 to Food for Thought.
The charity, founded in 1987 by Charles and Stella Lang to support Scottish good causes, is linked to convenience store chain C J Lang & Son Ltd which holds the Spar franchise for Scotland and operates more than 300 stores across the country.
The Foundation is also exploring the potential for the Spar Group to provide goods in the future. We’re very grateful to Lori from local charity PKAVS for putting us in touch with the Lang Foundation.
Latest version of Flood Alert phone-tree
25 November
There’s a new version of the Flood Alert phone-tree available here. If you have any changes or comments please get in touch.
Video of PKC online community meeting now available
5 October
Perth & Kinross Council have now published the video recording of the very useful online community meeting that was held last week (1 October). You can see the video in the Flood Resilience section of our Information pages here. In particular, have a look at the Q&A session starting around 30 minutes into the video – lots of important stuff in there about PKC’s policies and future plans for the Burn.
Flooding guidance published for alyth
2 September
Perth & Kinross Council has published some very useful information and guidance on flooding issues in Alyth and beyond.
Take a look at the pdf documents here and download them to read at your leisure.
Wildflower planting project being planned for the autumn
24 August
We’re planning a small project to test the feasibility of growing wild flowers and meadow flowers on verges and green spaces around Alyth. We believe this could brighten up the town as well as reduce verge-maintenance costs while adding colour and especially educational interest.
We’re currently talking to Perth & Kinross Council about starting sowing and planting this autumn (2020) for flowering in 2021, with explanatory signage and information posted on social media.
Download the full proposal here and get in touch if you’d like to know more.
We’re delighted to announce that Highland Boundary is sponsoring this pilot project by providing plants and seeds of native wildflowers grown on Alyth Hill.
community views now being discussed with Perth & Kinross councillors
20 August
Urgent concerns about flooding posed by the community of Alyth are now being pursued with the authorities.
Following a community meeting last week (17 August), ACSG collated all the comments and questions raised by the community into a single document. That has now been circulated to local councillors, council officials and other bodies.
ACSG is calling for urgent discussions on the issues raised with a view to practical actions being taken as soon as possible. The aim is to avoid the kind of damage done by the flood on 12 August and also back in 2015.
You can see and download the list of suggestions and questions here.
LOCKIE THE LOCKDOWN CATERPILLAR GETS A NEW PERMANENT HOME
10 August
Lockie the Lockdown Caterpillar has a new permanent home! After several weeks in the Market Square, growing longer stone by stone as children added their artistic efforts to him, Lockie has been moved to his new permanent home in the Mill Street Park.
Lockie was the brainchild of ACSG volunteer Dawn Tosh, who’s lived in Alyth for 25 years and is well-known as a local brownie guide leader. She works in the home economics department at Blairgowrie High School and quickly became involved in ACSG doing foodbank deliveries and shopping.
Having captured the imagination of parents and kids looking for something to do during the lockdown, Lockie now comprises dozens of stones each with a unique design handprinted and varnished for protection against the elements.
He’s been set in cement and will soon be set off by some coloured bark chippings and a wee border. You can see pictures of the installation in our photo-gallery here.
Dawn and her children also created the Fairy Door Trail featuring 25 doors and a map with three different coloured routes, and they’re planning to add a fourth over the summer. They have also placed about 50 painted stones around the town.
exciting volunteering opportunities now available
23 July
Can you spare a couple of hours three days a week to help the Alyth Foodbank?
ACSG is looking for two Produce Packers and two Junior Assistants to help manage the Foodbank and keep everything running smoothly and efficiently.
As a Produce Packer, you’ll be organising the incoming food and other supplies, storing them safely and hygienically, and making up some of the 70 parcels a week that the Foodbank currently distributes.
As a Junior Assistant, you’ll be monitoring stock levels and alerting the team leader when more of anything is needed, as well as helping to coordinate people coming in and out of the Foodbank.
These posts are a great way to help the local community during the coronavirus pandemic. Not only that – the team-working and communications skills you’ll develop will look great on your CV in the future.
Download the job descriptions below and contact Team Leader Darren Gracey on Darrengracey1@hotmail.co.uk for a chat.
NEW FUNDING WILL KEEP FOODBANK OPEN TILL THE AUTUMN
14 July
Alyth’s foodbank is set to continue until the autumn thanks to a big grant from the Scottish Government’s Supporting Communities Fund.
ACSG has been awarded £10,200 from the Fund, which is supported by the National Lottery Community Fund. ACSG plans to use the money to keep the foodbank going until at least October.
Most of the money will go towards buying food, but a significant proportion will help ACSG to continue providing activity packs to help keep local children occupied during the summer holidays.
ACSG is committed to helping families in Alyth in financial distress and facing food insecurity.
It also works to help children and families improve essential cooking skills, keep healthy and active, and help make Alyth an inclusive, empowered and resilient community.