Community Action Plan

End of Year Words

Hello everyone,

As another year winds down and the festive season sparkles around us, we wanted to take a moment to send out a HUGE, heart-felt thank you to each and every one of you!

Your support throughout this year has been absolutely amazing, and we truly couldn’t have done it without the many people who help and join in countless ways. It all matters!

We’ve had a fantastic year packed with activity, and it’s been so rewarding to see our community come together with lots of commitment and energy.

Our subgroups have been buzzing!

A special shout out to the Friends of Largo Bay – they’ve been working tirelessly to make our beautiful bay even better though biodiversity, art projects litter picks and more.  If you want to stay in the loop on everything they’re up to, be sure to sign up for their direct emails at [email protected] and join their facebook group  to keep up with their many inspiring projects if you are on there here.

You won’t want to miss a beat!

And our Resilience group? Wow! From raising dementia-friendly awareness alongside Alzheimers Scotland, The Paxton Centre and Peacehaven, to the Big Picnic and    organising our regular Warm Welcomes in Upper Largo (with a team of amazing volunteers and the occasional community musician), they’ve been helping making a real difference and spreading cheer in the lives of so many and there is more to come !

Speaking of inspiring things, we have some dates for your diaries to be announced in January: we will be gathering more memories of Kirkton of Largo in February at our Upper Largo Warm Welcome for a start, with a new history/heritage group that is unfolding  – we also have the seeds of a youth filmmaking project and our regular big picnic to announce.

And we are always looking for helping hands to make it all happen. If you’re keen to get involved and see something amazing unfold before your eyes, we’d love to have you join our volunteer team!

We need help with everything from assisting with our upcoming beach wheelchairs to supporting our resilience and emergency volunteer initiatives, and so much more.  If you’re interested, you can sign up to be a volunteer right here.

We’re so excited about what the new year will bring, and we’ll be sharing more news soon. In the meantime, we hope you all have a wonderful, restful, and joy-filled holiday season.

Christmas With Friends

We also wish the Aurrie much joy as they open their doors for Christmas Day!

They’ll offer food, drinks, company and even music – the perfect way to break up a long day, celebrate and spend the day with new friends.

And Don’t Miss Out

We’re always happy to hear from you, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch! [email protected]

December News

Hi everyone,

We hope this email finds you well and full of winter cheer!

This is just a quick reminder that Friends of Largo Bay will be at the Aurrie Mor Christmas Fair tomorrow, along with a huge range of others – tomorrow Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th December, from 10am to 4pm in Lower Largo.  They will  be selling a range of eco-friendly products and have a chat about what they have all been up to lately ( hint: it’s quite a lot !) All profits will go directly towards our conservation efforts to keep Largo Bay beautiful.

Go Along And Say Hello! 👋

It’s been fantastic to see so much happening across our community lately! We can’t keep up. From fairs and festivals to workshops and get-togethers, there’s something for everyone.

Homelands at the Paxton Centre has many fantastic regular activities, plus a café open on Mondays and Tuesdays. Have a look here for full details: Activities and Classes at The Paxton Centre. They currently have a raffle open. Details on the Poster below. Do pop in to support their incredible range of offerings.

The Largo Area Warm Welcome on Tuesdays at the Simpson Institute, Upper Largo has been a great success so far (we’ve even had a little music going on!), we encourage people to come along and join us, spread the word ! For another mid-week pick-me-up pop along to the coffee morning at the Simpson Institute on Thursday mornings for some unparalleled baking.

The Aurrie is also opening its doors for Christmas again this year!

(Check out the flyer below for details!). Email [email protected] with bookings or questions.

They’ll offer food, drinks, company and even music – the perfect way to break up a long day, celebrate and spend the day with new friends.

Please help spread the word to those who may not have Facebook and don’t see all the usual announcements.

Speaking of music… don’t miss “Magical Moments in Song” at Largo Parish Church on Saturday 14th December at 2pm (doors open 1.30pm).  This special performance features the wonderful voices of Margaret Chisholm, Yvonne Stephenson, and Órla Jones, accompanied by Alan Gibson.  Cash donations will be gratefully received for Largo Parish Church and the Canmore Trust.  It’s sure to be a truly magical afternoon! 🎼✨

A huge thank you to everyone who attended our recent AGM. It was wonderful to see so many of you there and share updates on the exciting national Beach of Dreams project.

The website will soon have a year-in-review and our board meeting dates for next year !

Pop us a line if you want us to share anything !

Beach Clean !

Are you coming…

A reminder that you are invited to join the Friends of Largo Bay for their Beach Clean and Litter Survey at Dumbarnie Nature Reserve Tomorrow, from 10 am to 12 pm!

This is a  family and dog-friendly event and Friends of Largo Bay will provide all the necessary equipment, so just come prepared with appropriate clothing and footwear.

Meet at the car park and contribute to keeping the beautiful coastline of Fife clean !

You can turn up on the day or sign up in advance on the Marine Conservation Society website (www.mcsuk.org).

Dementia Friends Continue

Dementia Friends Continue

Hello All,

Firstly a reminder that our Dementia Friendly Training and awareness sessions will continue at the Simpson Institute from 2pm-3pm on Thursday the 17th of October – that’s this week ! Come along and find out more whether it affects someone in your family, you run a  group or you’re just interested in what you can do.

You can also learn more about becoming a Dementia Friend at https://www.dementiafriendsscotland.org

Please do come along to find out more about supporting those in the community, if not Thursday then keep an eye out for the final date..

Just reply if you want to get in touch.

Friends of Largo Bay Events

Join A Friendly Social Tomorrow – Wednesday

Join the group to learn more about what they have been up to lately, including their incredible hands on biodiversity projects and artistic goals, and just share a drink…

Everyone is welcome.  Sea you there 😉

Beach Clean – Help Us Clean Up

Green Products – Happy Planet – The Science Of Cleaning

We are excited to invite you to an inspiring event that The Friends of Largo Bay have helped to develop with the Largo Library and Community Hub’s fantastic and long-running Science Saturdays. This event is centered around the themes of clean waters, happy people, and sustainable living and it is also fab hands on fun.

Whip Up Your Own Green Goodies at Science Saturday! Adult and Children
Join us for engaging workshops where you’ll learn the secrets to keeping our rivers, seas, and homes sparkling clean with eco-friendly techniques and easy do it yourself products.

Discover easy swaps that promote a healthier home and planet!

Event Details:

  • Date: November 2nd
  • Times:
    • Kids: 1 PM – 2 PM (Free, must be accompanied by an adult)
    • Adults: 2:30 PM – 4 PM £2 ticket
  • Location: Largo Library and Community Hub, 7 Lundin Square, KY8 6BH

All materials will be provided, so you can dive right in and start making a difference!

Let’s team up and be the change-makers for our environment while enjoying some savings and a sparkling home 🙂 🌍✨

To Book Your Spot: www.ticketsource.co.uk/largo-library-community-hub.

They look forward to seeing you there! Don’t forget to book !

Also Don’t Forget to RSVP to this Event

If you want to learn more about the Pier Group’s work on this project and its challenges that has brought us to a crossroads, let us know as soon as possible.

As  usual, there are so many fantastic things happening across the community and unfortunately couldn’t share them all here now but do keep an eye out and we look forward to sharing more soon and keep us in touch with anything you would like us to communicate.

Dementia Friends

Dementia Friends

Hello All,

On this coming Thursday 27th June, 10am, there’ll be a meeting in Homelands – The Paxton Centre to look at the steps we take to become a ‘Dementia Friendly Area’.

This is a follow-up to the meeting held in May with Shirley Heeps of Alzheimer Scotland.

If you’d like to come along please do, and please speak to your friends and local businesses to see what they think.

Let me know if you are coming as there’ll be a cuppa for you.

Thanks and see you there on the 27th. There will be more events coming up if this one isn’t possible for you.

Largo Area Mums

Dear Community Members,

We wanted to share information about a public meeting being organised by a group of local mums in the Largo Area.

The meeting aims to address the lack of nursery places and general childcare options in the community which is of concern to the group.

Details of the meeting are as follows:

  • Date: Monday, June 3rd
  • Time: 7 PM
  • Location: Durham Hall, Lower Largo

The meeting is open to anyone especially those affected by the shortage of childcare options, including parents/carers who have been unable to secure nursery places for their children, those struggling to find childcare in general, local childcare providers, and anyone with knowledge or insights to share.

The organisers are also conducting a short survey to gather more information here.

If you’re unable to attend the meeting, please consider filling out the survey or contacting the group directly at [email protected] if you have something to add.

Summary of Upcoming Events

Events – Largo Communities Together Largo Communities Together (largoct.org.uk)

  • 1st of June – Big Garden Blitz Montrave Hall.
  • 2nd of June Railway Opening Leven
  • 9th of June – Big Picnic
  • 15th June – Reading Garden Opening at the Largo Community Library

The Montrave Hall needs our help with a garden blitz as the growing season is already in full swing!  

We’re organising a workday for this Saturday starting at 1 pm.

Donations of compost, extra bedding plants, and any garden tools you can lend would be greatly appreciated. If anyone has a strimmer ( and could do some strimming even better) and some black bags too as the brown bin is very full.

You can drop off donations at The Montrave Hall during or before, contact Priya at [email protected] and THANK YOU !

Look forward to hearing from you !

Upcoming Things For You !

Dear Community Members,

Here are a few things coming up – ( for the events below – I  have the information that people have sent to me so if you have something you would like me to share next time just drop me a line and use the whatson page on the Largoct.org.uk website as the more it’s used the better ! )

Community Garden News

Largo Church is thrilled to announce the completion of their new Community Garden!  They have six raised beds, and two are still available for local individuals or families interested in growing their own food. The beds are filled and ready for planting.

If you’re interested in a bed, or want to learn more about the Children’s Gardening & Nature Club and Youth Gardening Group, please fill out this short form: Community Garden (office.com). This is  a great asset for the community and the more it’s supported the better ! You can also email Fiona Ramsay who is leading on this and the Messy Church  on [email protected].

June Prep: Railway Opening & Business Listings

Business Boost: With the Levenmouth railway opening on June 2nd, now’s the perfect time for businesses and groups to update listings on Google Maps. Double-check your hours, contact details, and descriptions for accuracy.

Tourism Opportunities:

Contact Matt Pointon ([email protected]) to be added to the LLTA (Leven Local Tourism Association) mailing list.

Welcome to Fife have added a Levenmouth Events and Offers section to their what’s on section of the website this will be live throughout the month of June. If you have any special events on for the opening or if you would like to run any special offers over the month, please add through this link.

They will be creating a QR code and promoting at Waverley Station in Edinburgh to encourage people to visit Levenmouth. Submit your Fife events (welcometofife.com) If you want to go to Edinburgh to encourage people to take a trip to Levenmouth there is also a shout out for volunteers. Give Matt ( email above ) a shout to find out more.

 

All wider marketing will be directed through the Welcome to Fife website there is a recommendation that you take a few minutes to either add a business listing or update your business listing. If you have any difficulties in doing so please let Matt know.

Below are some of the things that Leven Community Council are organising for the day and I hear that the train bookings are now live through Scotrail too so go along and support them 🙂

Celebrating Volunteers!

Volunteers’ Week (June 3rd-9th) is approaching, and we want to shine a spotlight on all the amazing volunteers and what they do in the Largo area whether informal or formal – regular or adhoc for any groups at all.

If you volunteer, tell us about your project, what you love about it or share a short quote on what you do .  We’ll include your stories in a special feature and  we look to widen our support for all those who keep things going in such a huge variety of ways.

Just reply to this email 🙂

Some Upcoming Events

Some Upcoming Events ( let me know what to include in the future ) There are posters at the bottom of this email and have a look here for further details:

Events – Largo Communities Together Largo Communities Together (largoct.org.uk)

  • Friends of Largo Bay Events (May):

    email [email protected] to get more information on any of these.

    • Science Saturday – May 11th Largo Library and Community Hub 2pm – Booking here: https://ticketsource.co.uk/largo-library-community-hub
    • Biodiversity Study Day ( Citizen Science, no experience needed, if you need support to participate let us know)- May 12th – meet at 10am at the Temple Car Park
    • Friends of Largo Bay Quiz Night – May 24th 7pm – Get in touch with The Aurrie or email [email protected] ( £12 a table, cash only BYOB)
    • Big Beach Clean Up – May 26th – 10am -12pm Massney Braes
  • Largo Twinning Events 17th -19th May( contact [email protected] for more information)
  • All In a Spring Evening Concert – Largo Parish Church 18th of May
  • Dementia Awareness Day: May 23rd 11am at the Paxton Centre (Resilience Group with the Alzheimer Society) – No booking needed.
  • Coffee Morning to support Christian Aid Sat 25th May 10am-12noon – The Stables, Upper Largo –  teas, coffees, home baking and car washing available.

Big Picnic Returns

We’re also excited about the upcoming Largo Area Big Picnic in June on the 9th and can’t wait to celebrate our incredible community so get ready for a day of community fun!

This annual event is a chance for residents, families, and visitors to come together, relax, and celebrate all things local. Bring your own picnic goodies, chairs or blankets, and enjoy a day of sunshine (we hope), laughter, and connection with your neighbours. This year will coincide with the end of volunteers week.

We’ll have games, crafts, activities, and maybe even some live music to keep the festive atmosphere going (If you would like to offer some music games fun or anything else please get in touch!! ) The Big Picnic is about enjoying the simple pleasures of your community and we will also have the emergency plan ready to roll soon too.

Let’s make this year the best one yet!

There will be a planning meeting coming up so keep an eye out for that if you want to get more involved.

Look forward to hearing from you ! Email: [email protected]

The Simpson Institute Is Asking For Help

Dear Community Members,

The Simpson Institute is hosting an open meeting tonight to discuss this highly valued community resource. Come along to the Hall from 6:30pm to join the chat.

As highlighted in our recent local place plan and community action plan, we are incredibly lucky to have fantastic community spaces like the many community halls, all maintained by dedicated volunteers.

These spaces make possible the many groups, interactions, and learning opportunities that make the Largo Area such a great place to live.

We know how much work goes on behind the scenes to keep our community vibrant. The Montrave Hall, Lundin Links is also looking for people to help in a variety of ways details below:

Also The Homelands Trust is currently in for a Movement For Good Award – increase their chances by voting here.

We know volunteers are the foundation of our amazing community. We’re exploring ways to better support them across all groups and organisations.

Stay tuned….

If you want me to include anything in the future please let me know!

Some Things Coming Up

Hello Community,

We’re thrilled to share some  news and opportunities to get involved ( if you have something you want me to share on here in the future – just drop me a line).

Biodiversity Boost!

Thanks to ecologist and ranger Tony Wilson, The Friends of Largo Bay biodiversity monitoring group learned so much about Largo Bay’s unique environment. This knowledge fuels their exciting plans for long-term biodiversity monitoring.

Calling All Seaweed Sleuths!

Join  the biodiversity team on April 24th for the Great Seaweed Search! Whether you’re an expert or just curious, this is a wonderful experience with amazing people. We’re also working to improve water quality, a top priority for our community.

Search for Seaweed.  The teams latest project is on Wednesday 24th April at 08.30.

Be a Citizen Scientist and join to help data collection across the Uk

All volunteers welcome. Wrap up well and help understanding of the environment.

Meet at Temple Car Park.

Should take about 60-90 minutes then join the group for a coffee and breakfast at The Aurrie

Want to help? You are more than welcome.

Email the group at [email protected]  or just come along next week !

Leven Welcomes the Train!

The train line reopens on June 2nd, bringing exciting events to Leven!  Businesses and groups, get your events listed by emailing [email protected]. We will have our first simple discovery trail mapped out by then too – thanks for all your help on that !

Big Picnic Returns Soon !

Don’t miss the big community picnic on June 9th – email us to get involved! It will be a fun collaborative day so we want you there and fingers crossed the sun will shine.

Largo Library & Community Hub Update

The Hub’s AGM is coming soon! Members, mark your calendars for May 9th at 5:30 pm in the Library. Want to learn more? Email them directly. Largo Library & Community Hub (largolibraryfife.org.uk)

Community Plans in Action!

We’re pushing forward on our Community Action Plan and Local Place Plan proposals – stay tuned for updates!

Dementia Information Day

Join the Resilience Team’s Dementia Information Day on May 23rd, 11 am – 12:30 pm at the Paxton Centre. No booking needed!

Official Twinning Ceremony:  Celebrate the special bond between our communities with this ceremony organised by the Largo Area Community Council, local residents, and organisations between the 17th and 19th of May stay tuned for more…

Calling all writers! The Largo Links newsletter wants your stories, articles, and photographs for their next edition. Submit your work by the 1st of May!

Want to know more or ask questions – just drop me a line…

Community Clean Up

We are on the cusp of a momentous occasion – the Largo Bay Clean, a large-scale and ambitious effort aimed at not only beautifying our beloved coastlines but also making a meaningful impact on national environmental policies.

This initiative is a pivotal component of our Great British Beach Clean and aligns with the objectives set forth in the Largo Communities Together Place Plan. Our goals are twofold:

1. To uphold the pristine condition of our beaches, reinforcing our commitment to environmental stewardship.

2. To contribute our litter collection data to the Marine Conservation Society’s Database, thereby influencing National Policy on marine conservation.

Your participation is crucial.

We have designated five key areas for cleanup this coming Sunday This role not only involves hands-on effort in the cleanup but also entails contributing to a larger database that aids in policy formation.

The areas targeted for this initiative are:

– The Temple

– Silverburn

– Dumbarnie

– Lundin Golf Club

– Cocklemill Burn/Ruddon Point

Your registration can be confirmed via email at : [email protected]

Warm Welcomes

We are immensely grateful for the enthusiastic participation and invaluable contributions from our community members during the Warm Welcome sessions.

These gatherings have not only served as a platform for sharing insights and ideas but have also significantly strengthened our community bonds. As these sessions draw to a close, we wish to express our heartfelt appreciation to everyone involved and to our sponsors including Ewan Fraser, the cooks, the volunteers and all the generous donations !

Your active engagement and presence have been pivotal . While we may be concluding this series of Warm Welcome events, we look forward to continuing our journey together, building on the solid foundation of collaboration and mutual support established during these gatherings.

-Final Warm Welcome Sessions: Join us at the Simpson Institute, Upper Largo, next Tuesday from 11 am and at the Largo Library and Community Hub from 11:30 am with added bingo.

– Souper Sunday: An informal get-together on Sunday, the 31st, at the Durham Hall following the service. Enjoy soup and engaging conversations.

Paths For Everyone

We really want to push ahead with making the area more walkable, and wheelable for everyone firstly we are focusing on the pathways between Upper and Lower Largo and between New Gilston and Woodside as these are affecting many peoples quality of lives

Your stories and testimonials about the current conditions of these pathways and their impact on your daily life are invaluable to our advocacy efforts.

We are putting together a collection of stories we would love your input: please send us your images or stories that highlight the urgency for improvement in good, safe pleasant walkways specifically at these key spots but also anywhere that impacts you. This will really help us build a strong case.

Your involvement is instrumental in driving positive change within our community and beyond.

Thank you for your support and dedication.

We look forward to seeing you at the Largo Bay Clean and our community events.

Email your pathway Story to [email protected]