Community Action Plan Coordination

Lead: Lesley McDonald, Steve Johnson

Last Update: 16 June 2023

BRDT coordinates the activities of the Community Action Plan (CAP) – or as we refer to it, the Blairgowrie and Rattray Initiative (BaRI) - and is a resource to support and facilitate local groups to deliver the actions identified in the CAP.

---

BaRI Building

Lead: Steve Johnson

Last Update: 16 June 2023

One of the aspirations stated in the community action plan is for the development of a community hub in and for the town. The aim is to develop a facility that is available and accessible to as many groups and people as possible. A feasibility study is the first step in realising this and is underway (mid 2023). In the...

---

BaRI Food - Give & Take Larders

Lead: Lesley McDonald

Last Update: 13 March 2023

There are currently 3 larders in the town in the following locations:Blairgowrie Bowling Club (Bowls of Help)Ashgrove Road (Bob's Barter Box)Rattray Community Connect (Fraser's Fare Share)They are filled usually on a Monday, Thursday and Saturday evenings and checked the next morning by volunteers to ensure items are removed that need removing.They were refurbished in 2022 by Wisecraft who also installed...

---

BaRI Food Meals

Lead: Lesley McDonald

Last Update: 16 March 2023

---

BaRI Food Saturday Lunch Club

Lead: Lesley McDonald

Last Update: 13 March 2023

Saturday Lunch Club provides home made soup and cake every Saturday for around 70-80 people every week. Although it is aimed at the more vulnerable and those on their own, anyone can ask to receive the lunch. It is made by a local chef and delivered by a team of volunteers each week.

---

BaRI Food Store and Refill

Lead: Lesley McDonald

Last Update: 15 September 2023

The BaRI Food Subsidised Store is open to everyone and helps reduce food waste by offering food at subsidised prices so you get a bargain and help reduce food waste. It is currently located in the BaRI Building (53 to 55 High Street, Blairgowrie) and is open4 times a week.

---

BaRI Food Wednesday Lunch Club

Lead: Lesley McDonald

Last Update: 16 June 2023

---

Biodiversity

Lead: Lesley McDonald

Last Update: 13 March 2023

The Biodiversity Project aims to improve our local environment for all species.

---

Booklore

Lead: Lesley McDonald

Last Update: 12 October 2023

An integral part of the Trust, our popular Booklore shop is run entirely by a team of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers. Open since 2011, this community bookshop is an Aladdin’s cave of second-hand books, both fact and fiction. There's something for everyone – and our volunteers are always on hand to help you out.

---

Cargills Riverside Trail

Lead: Steve Johnson

Last Update: 13 March 2023

This project aims to promote the Riverside whilst at the same time highlighting one of our local historic figures. The plan is to install several figures leading from the Bridge to Cargills leap and tell the story of Donald Cargill. Local stone mason and sculptor David F Wilson has been commissioned to create the trail.

---

Community Engagement

Lead: Lesley McDonald

Last Update: 8 November 2023

Supporting and engaging with our community is a core activity to ensure our groups and locals are supported and feel part of the town, activities and how we see the town developing. Our Community Engagement Coordinator can be contacted at sam@discoverblairgowrie.co.uk

---

Community Hub Feasibility

Lead: Lesley McDonald, Steve Johnson

Last Update: 8 November 2023

One of the actions from the CAP was to develop a community hub, this feasibility study is the first step to realise the action. 

---

Davie Park - Picnic Benches - Complete

Lead: Steve Johnson

Last Update: 13 March 2023

Residents had expressed a desire for some picnic benches in Davie Park in 2021. After discussions, Proactive Communities (now merged with Blairgowrie & Rattray Development Trust, BRDT) applied to the Community Investment Fund (CIF) for money to purchase benches to be installed by PKC. As a result PKC agreed to provide and install a disabled friendly picnic bench on the...

---

Discover Blairgowrie

Lead: Steve Johnson

Last Update: 16 June 2023

The Discover Blairgowrie website is the main element of our coordination, communication and promotion activities.

---

Happy to Chat Benches

Lead: Lesley McDonald, Steve Johnson

Last Update: 28 May 2024

3 Happy to Chat, Happy to Listen Bench Trails were created in 2022 in memory of Jordan Hart who died by suicide in 2020 just before his 17th birthday. Thanks to the courage of Jordan's parents Sue and Gavin and his sister Bethany, over £9k was raised in July 2021 from the 48 groups/businesses and individuals who showed support to...

---

Home Energy Advice Team (HEAT)

Lead: Martin Mathers

Last Update: 13 March 2023

The HEAT Project provides a free, professional energy advice service to households, private landlords and tenants to help them reduce their energy bills and meet Scottish Government Energy Efficiency Targets. Our project area (North and East Perthshire) covers Coupar Angus, Blairgowrie and Rattray, Pitlochry, Dunkeld, Birnam and Perth.

---

Hub Magazine

Lead: Steve Johnson

Last Update: 13 March 2023

The quarterly Hub Magazine was created in 2013 to help promote what was going on in the town - it is paid for by adverts and is delivered free to almost every household in the town and some copies are delivered further afield. For more info email mag@brdt.org.uk.

---

Media, Comms & PR

Lead: Clare McMicking

Last Update: 13 March 2023

Activity to promote BRDT activities.

---

Mental Health Hub

Lead: Lesley McDonald, Steve Johnson

Last Update: 8 November 2023

The development and creation of a Mental Health Hub helps to bring essential services to the town to support the most vulnerable in our community.

---

Open Spaces

Lead: Lesley McDonald

Last Update: 13 March 2023

Enhancing the Biodiversity of Blairgowrie & Rattray.As part of our work we became the first Biodiversity Town in Scotland in October 2021.Our first areas of focus are:Davie ParkLochy ParkGamsieElm Drive SudsRiversideConnect with the Dunkeld to Montrose B LineThe Open Spaces group formed in April 2021 to look at coordinating the use of all the public open spaces in...

---

Rattray Community Garden

Lead: Lesley McDonald

Last Update: 28 August 2023

Rattray Community Garden is based in what used to be a walled garden for Mount Ericht House and has been home to award-winning environmental group Blairgowrie and Rattray in Bloom for a number of years. The purchase and redevelopment of the community garden was highlighted as something local people wanted as part of the community action plan consultation exercise carried...

---