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We have a Community Hub!

 
We have a Community Hub! The sale has gone through today and we now own the building. Thank you to all of you that have helped to make it happen.
 
Community Wins as Barthol Chapel Purchases Church from Church of Scotland with Huge Scottish Land Fund Award
The Trustees of Barthol Chapel Community Hub, Inverurie are celebrating a major milestone this week after purchasing the former church building at the heart of the village by securing £100K from the Scottish Land Fund and a further £20K from the National Lottery Community Fund.
 
The kirk, which has stood at the centre of Barthol Chapel for 150 years, will now be brought into community ownership and transformed into a warm, flexible space for local events, groups, and social gatherings.
 
The funding also includes support for a part-time Development Officer who started in September this year to take the next steps in realising the Hub’s potential.
 
Jonathan Boughey a trustee of the Hub, said: “This is a real turning point. For years, the kirk has been a symbol of this community and now, it’s also our future. We’ve already started hosting regular events including music sessions, youth and community cafés and games nights. This funding lets us go further and do it more effectively.”
 
The group has been operating the space informally since last year, running a packed calendar of activities for all ages. Recent highlights include a series of Christmas events and workshops, a Community Christmas Sing attended by Fyvie Community Choir and Aberdeenshire Saxophone Orchestra and a sold-out Fish and Chip night that served 270
portions before proving so popular the volunteer team had to turn people away.
 
Work is already underway to plan further upgrades to the building, including improved heating and toilet facilities, so it can be used year-round. “This isn’t just about bricks and mortar,” added David Strathearn, Trustee. “Community
ownership enables local people to shape what happens next”
 
Elaine Rodgers, Trustee, said: “We want to thank the Scottish Land Fund and National Lottery for their vital support. It’s helped secure our future and the difference this will help us make for many years to come cannot be overstated. I’d also like to publicly thank every one of our volunteers for the amazing work they do to make Barthol Chapel such a warm, friendly and supportive community and for their support throughout the process.”
 
Group Photo
 
More information about the project and upcoming events are available at
 
If you are interested in supporting the project you can sign up for regular updates
 
If you haven't already, please encourage family members and friends nearby who support the idea of the hub, and may not have already joined, to do so. Remember, we have a young person's membership too, aimed at secondary aged young people who would like to show their support. This link will take you to the online form, paper ones can be obtained at the Hub.
 
 
Membership is free and there are no commitments when joining us. By signing up, it helps us demonstrate the community engagement in our project and, more importantly, allows us to keep you updated of progress and tell you about all the wonderful events that are now available.