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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! |
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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! |
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Want to know more or ask questions – just drop me a line… |
Calling Largo Bay Nature Enthusiasts!The Friends of Largo Bay are revving up their biodiversity project and would love your involvement! Back in January, there was a call for volunteers to explore the bay’s biodiversity. Since then, project leads have been brainstorming and drawing inspiration from other coastal areas. Here’s how you can get involved: Drop-in Session at the Railway Inn! Join a casual meet-up at the Railway Inn on Tuesday & Wednesday, April 2nd & 3rd (6:30-7:30pm). That’s tonight & tomorrow evening 🙂 See the attached poster for details! What to expect:
Collaboration is Key! The project aims to leverage support and expertise from other organizations. Efforts to collaborate with NatureScot (who funded equipment) and explore transect work options will continue. Your Input Matters! This is a community-led project, so your thoughts and suggestions are valuable! See you at the Railway Inn, no obligation just come along and find out more! On Behalf of The Friends of Largo Bay |
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Also, enjoy this article from Welcome To Fife – Shared by Matt Pointon Levenmmouth Tourism Project Manager: Welcome to Fife : 14 reasons to take the train to Levenmouth in 2024 |
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Just a note from the biodiversity monitoring group of Friends of Largo Bay Are you interested in marine biology, marine science, citizen science projects, snorkeling, diving, natural history, seagrass/kelp? If so, the Friends of Largo Bay are inviting you to join them in exploring Largo Bay! They are looking for people who are interested in helping them explore the bay especially if you have prior experience but also if you are just curious and want to get involved! There will be a meeting at The Railway Inn on Tuesday, April 2nd and Wednesday, April 3rd from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. Email: [email protected] Or just come along 🙂 |
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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]
This year we have two objectives for our Great British Beach Clean
1) to comply with the aim in our Largo Communities Together Place Plan to keep our beaches pristine.
2) to feed the results of our Litter Collection into the Marine Conservation Society’s Database to influence National Policy.
We have 5 areas targeted for the 24th and you can sign up to input information to the data base and become a Citizen Scientist.
Here’s the link for the 5 areas along the bay-
THE TEMPLE: https://www.mcsuk.org/beach-cleans/friends-of-largo-bay-great-british-spring-clean-2024-24-03-2024/?fbclid=IwAR2OqLEjtGVZD9x2bor4Vq52Pda-SgXr04xAvBQnwbzZ09zUk5yvr-2iKQI
COCKLEMILL BURN/ RUDDON POINT: https://www.mcsuk.org/beach-cleans/friends-of-largo-bay-the-great-british-spring-clean-2024-24-03-2024–4/?fbclid=IwAR18B26mQUkVKlYyX6RGD8ZGfeQ4yegEa-VpaRlrkAYfrdfHTGzHWVsReBk
Please check out the area you wish to clean and also remember to register at : [email protected]
#citizenscience #beachcleanup #GreatBritishSpringClean #familyfriendlyevent #volunteersneeded # Friends of Largo Bay
Below is a copy of the booklet sent to every household at the beginning of March.
On Saturday the 9th of March the volunteers of Friends of Largo Bay delivered a Science Saturday session at Largo Library and Community Hub on Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises.
They say Every Day is a Learning Day – certainly is when it is fact collecting and checking. A BIG shout out to our team of very enthusiastic and motivated volunteers who give freely of their time to plan and deliver.
We were too busy running around mythbusting and fact finding and watching very cool videos to take photos. Extras were left in the Largo Library and Community Hub, 7 Lundin Square so feel free to pick one up.
Did you know that the Sei Whale Sinks… rather than dive? Now you do… We also know why a seal is not a Cetacean and that the Orca is in fact a dolphin. Feel free to join in with other facts you would like to share.
The point of the session was to inform our young scientists and accompanying adults just what Cetaceans are right there on our very own doorstep – hidden depths indeed.
We had a fun information pack to give out at the end of the session so they can carry on their own enquiry at home.
Next up is our session on Spring Flowers on May 18th. More information to come…
( Thanks to Carol Duff for this update)
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Our Warm Welcome Tuesdays and Warm Wednesdays events will be continuing until the end of March. Join us at 11 am on Tuesday mornings in Upper Largo, and from 11:30 am at the Largo Library and Community Hub. If transport is needed to either location, please do not hesitate to let us know. Many thanks to all the incredible people who have helped and all our attendees and the sponsors for this who included local Ewan Fraser. It has been a great way to gather and get to know people and we hope to build on it year by year. Our efforts to celebrate our heritage, culture, and identity are underway. We are currently mapping out the intriguing and interesting features for heritage trails using our initial engagements as a starting point. While this process will take some time as we carefully consider all themes, access and needs. And we would love your input. Some ideas we initially gathered are below. We will follow up with some public meets, we are going to bring some ideas along to the Warm Welcomes next week and broaden it out to everyone as we go… An initial trail will come from Leven to link up with the new railway and will be supported by Welcome Levenmouth. |
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We are also planning for our annual Big Picnic at the beginning of June, which will coinciding with the Levenmouth Railway opening. We encourage all community groups across Levenmouth to participate in activities during that week. Are you going to get involved? Let us know what your requirements are! The latest edition of Largo Links has been distributed or is on its way to every household in the area. This issue includes summarised information on the local place plan and community action plan in a booklet insert, providing valuable insights into our collective vision for the future, so many great things is already underway by various groups and individuals but it is also good to have a framework for actions to help guide what we support. We have been asked by the Development Trust Association of Scotland to share our Local Place Plan experience later on this month in Edinburgh as so many communities are keen to have their say on local development. Progress on crucial projects such as beach wheelchairs and Changing Places Toilets is ongoing, and there has been a huge amount of work done already by several very committed people. We appreciate your patience and support as we work to enhance accessibility in our community and we will need your help once things are going to help with all the maintenance. Many people are currently unable to access one of the most popular features in the area due to access issues, and it will be amazing to offer better access to everyone. Our biodiversity/coastal group Friends of Largo Bay is diligently working on data collection regarding litter and organising a biodiversity walk for next month. ( more on that soon) Friends of Largo Bay also invite you to join them for our first beach clean of the year, The Great British Spring Clean. Last year, they removed an impressive 2 tonnes of detritus from the beach thanks to local Farmer Bill Clarke too for his help, and are eager to surpass that achievement together this time. We need your help !! Here are the muster points for the beach clean: A: Silverburn car park B: Lundin Golf Club car park C: Temple car park D: Dumbarnie Nature Reserve E: Ruddons Point at Cocklemill Burn, accessed through Elie Holiday Park. Please email [email protected] with your preferred location and the number of volunteers in your party. Sign up now 🙂 We have a limited number of litter pickers available for younger volunteers, so please let us know if they are required. As a token of appreciation, several local businesses have generously offered discounts on the day of the beach clean: – The Cottage Window Cafe, Silverburn Park, Leven – The Aurrie, Lower Largo – Lundin Coffee Co., Lundin Links – The Mirador Cafe, Elie Holiday Park at Shell Bay. We are immensely grateful for their support. (The Science Saturday on Whales and Dolphins has completely booked out ! Great result 🙂 They will have a whaley good time tomorrow) Lundin Mill Primary School Updates The Lundin Mill P7’s are organising and hosting a Spring Fayre on the 22nd March in order to raise much needed funds towards their end of year celebration and their leavers hoodies. The children have asked if there is anyone in our generous community who would kindly donate any raffle prizes or tombola goodies. Any help would be greatly appreciated and one of us is happy to collect. Alternatively, if you’d prefer, any items/prizes can be dropped off at the Lundin Mill school office. As ever, thank you for your continued support. Also a great update: As some of you may have seen, Lundin Mill Primary has started a Walking Bus in the mornings in an attempt to ease up on traffic/congestion at drop off and thus keeping our kids safer and our residents happier (and it also promotes active travel to school!). They leave from the corner of Crescent Road and Emsdorf every morning at 8:45 a.m. and have had a really good amount of children sign up and they really enjoy it. Look out for us in our fab hi viz next time you’re in the area! Also there is still time to get in to see the 50th anniversary of Lundin Mill displays: Due to the success of the 50th anniversary celebration Lundin Mill Primary will extend their open days tomorrow and next week, finishing on Thursday 14th March. The school will be open to visitors from 10am to 6pm so please come along and have a look at the lovely displays the children have worked hard at creating. Please note any under 16s should be accompanied by an adult |
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Also: We are also looking for help with fundraising – if you have the skills and time we would love to hear from you – email [email protected] |
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Huge thanks again for all the support and input ! Please get in touch with anything at all [email protected] |
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On behalf of everyone involved, we wish to express our deepest gratitude for your unwavering support of the Warm Welcome spaces across our community. Your contributions have been instrumental in transforming these spaces into beacons of warmth and hospitality for all who visit. We are excited to announce that these sessions will continue for a few weeks yet at least. We invite you to discover what the sessions are all about! Designed to offer a cosy and friendly space for our community members, these gatherings are the perfect occasion to enjoy a cup of tea, engage in warm chats, and enjoy the company of neighbours and friends. Here are the details:
The Warm Welcome sessions are open to everyone, aimed at providing a supportive and inclusive environment where all feel valued and connected. Whether you’re a familiar face or new to the area, a hearty welcome and a friendly atmosphere await you, they have been tirelessly supported by amazing volunteers, local businesses including Ewan Fraser who has generously sponsored the programme, Fife Council and other donations. Your attendance is what really makes it work ! Don’t miss this chance to warm up your week with great company and engaging activities continuing for a few weeks yet while the chill lingers. Us In The News We are also thrilled to share that Allan Crow, the esteemed Editor of Fife Today, recently visited to learn more about our Local Place Plan, a milestone development aimed at fostering a thriving community. You can read the article here on the following link: New Plan Unveiled by Largo Trust to Help Create Thriving Communities. A Few Updates From Friends of Largo Bay Following a recent meeting they have quite a few updates. If you want to get in touch with the group directly email [email protected] – here is some of the news… Biodiversity Monitoring Project Progress Our Friends of Largo Bay group has seen significant advancements in their Biodiversity Monitoring Project, led by local enthusiast Janice Duncan in collaboration with NatureScot, they were also visited by Jo McFarlane of the Charlestown, Limekilns and Pattiesmuir (CLP) Nature Conservation Group who shared their groups remarkable successes in campaigning for better conditions and connecting people to nature. We look forward to developing these links with other coastal communities. Friends of Largo Bay are committed to enhancing the project’s effectiveness through great local training opportunities so watch this space and they welcome everyone who may be interested in contributing to these studies, regardless of experience or knowledge, if you do have any special skills to share we would welcome your input, its a great way to learn and connect ! Key study areas include seaweed data collection, beach slope analysis, and rocky shore studies, with Lyle Boyle from the Ecology Centre and the Restoration Forth project as well as Fife Coast and Countryside Trust and NatureScot offering their ongoing invaluable expertise. Litter Mapping and Data Integration. Litter mapping has emerged as a crucial complementary study area, aiming to contribute to national data collection efforts and influence environmental policy. The group has explored several training opportunities for litter management and conservation, with numerous beach cleans on the horizon. If you are interested in this training we can point you in the right direction so let us know. Just reply to this email or get in touch with the group. Science Saturdays Update The recent Science Saturday events at the Largo Library and Community Hub have been met with enthusiasm. Friends of Largo Bay are looking to expand these educational opportunities, and volunteers are always welcome to join their efforts, see poster for upcoming dates, and how to book ! Restoration Forth Project Update The Restoration Forth seagrass officer Lyle Boyle joined the Friends of Largo Bay to share how the project continues to grow, with new team members and focus areas, including oyster conservation and the study of Blue Mussels’ decline. You can join their mailing list here: Restoration Forth | The Ecology Centre | Seagrass Beach Cleans Schedule Update Friends of Largo Bay have finalised the dates for upcoming beach cleans, detailed below. Meeting points are provided on the attached poster and these are the times.
Your support and participation are the lifeblood of these initiatives, driving our commitment to biodiversity, community engagement, and environmental conservation. |
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