Dear Leanchoil Members,
We are at a new and exciting stage of the Leanchoil project. As you will know from press reports, the former Leanchoil hospital now belongs to our community! The Community Asset Transfer (CAT) was successfully completed on 24th March to allow transfer of ownership from NHS Grampian. The former maternity unit was sold on to Hanover Scotland who are progressing with works to create a unit of supported living accommodation. Sincere thanks are due to everyone who worked very hard to meet the deadlines for the purchases to happen within a tight funding timeframe.
As soon as we owned the site, security was put in place to protect the Leanchoil buildings from further vandalism. We were delighted that the security company and police worked quickly to arrest youths who were caught on camera trying to access the buildings and spray the back of the former nursing home. We arranged further securing of windows and tidied the site before Moray Council arranged removal of the abandoned traveller caravans on 7th April. The grass will be tidied up in the next week and fallen trees/broken branches will be removed shortly thereafter.
Now fundraising begins in earnest, and while applications for available grants are being progressed, Leanchoil Trust has lost no time in arranging several coffee mornings to engage communities in Forres, Dyke/Kintessak, Edinkillie, Dallas and Findhorn. Please see dates below and support us if you can by attending, baking and donating for the raffles. We really need our communities’ help with gathering a group of willing volunteers to raise money for the Leanchoil renovation; news will follow about appointments to assist. A generous donation of £7156 – related to his date of birth in Leanchoil – was made by member Graham Tough. A donation was also made by an Australian businessman who was born in Leanchoil in 1959 and named his first business after the hospital.
Please remember we are keen to recruit new Trustees. The closing date for applications is 30th April and we will meet prospective candidates in the second week of May. Thanks to those who have already contacted us to note their interest.
As we speed towards Summer, we retain our excitement and enthusiasm for the ambitious Leanchoil project; we really hope that you will join us by naming Leanchoil Trust as your chosen charity and by getting in touch to find out how you can help.
Thank you!
Yours,
Marianne Nicolson
Chair, Leanchoil Trust
Please note the following:
COFFEE MORNINGS all 10am-12 noon:
Dyke Hall 25th April
Forres Town Hall 2nd May
Edinkillie Hall 16th May
Findhorn JMI 23rd May
Dallas Village Hall 6th June