On March 1st 2023, we hosted our quarterly Dufftown & District community forum. The aim of the evening was to facilitate information sharing between community groups and networking with external organisations, such as Active Schools, Sports Development and Moray Council.
20 participants attended the forum. These included residents of the community, community group representatives, ward Councillors and representatives from Moray Council departments.
First, community groups were asked to give a brief update on achievements in 2022, key activities for 2023 and how to get involved. Residents voiced that what they saw as Dufftown’s key achievements in 2022 were the come-back of many events since the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the Dufftown Highland Games. Residents also enjoyed the many walks that the area has to offer. For 2023, residents would like to see the area attract more visitors and shops to regenerate the high street.
The last half of the meeting consisted of focussed discussions around 3 action points in the Dufftown & District Community Action Plan 2021-2026. These were:
- Restoring the clocktower
- Improving outdoor amenities
- Promoting community events
Personally, my favourite aspect of this community forum was the chance to hear about all the great work that has happened in the community over the last few months. It was also useful to having the chance to network with organisations from outside of Dufftown & District, such as the Moray Unpaid Work Team. They can carry out work that is of benefit to the local community over the whole of Moray. This includes supporting local charities and community groups, painting, litter picks, grass cutting, upcycling furniture to name but a few.
I am really excited for the next community forum as it will be slightly different… We will be hosting a ‘Meet the funders’ event where some of the key funders in the area will come along to Dufftown & District to speak to local community groups and charitable initiatives! Watch this space for more information to come, and get in touch if you want to be added to the Dufftown & District community forum mailing list!
The full report of the Community Forum March 2023 can be found here: Community Forum March 2023
