Connect with the Our River Leven Community Fund
Topic outline
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The Leven Connectivity Project aims to create a network of paths and cycle ways along a 5km stretch of the river, as well as creating around a further 20km stretch of paths which will weave through and between the local communities of Buckhaven, Methil, Methilhill, Leven and Windygates. Local people who have been involved have said that as well as creating many new paths we want to;
• Deliver environmental improvements along the river
• Bring some areas of vacant and derelict land in to productive use
• Create spaces where people of all ages can visit and enjoy spending time
• Create safe, affordable and accessible events for local people
This project needs help to make it work so please get in touch if you can help us.
Check out the The Leven Green Map where we are mapping the things that make life worthwhile
To find out how to get involved email: crt.hub@coalfields-regen.org.uk
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Participatory Budget Voting Event at the new Wellesley Parish Church Hall in Methil
On Saturday 27th January 2024 at the new Wellesley Parish Church Hall welcomed 25 projects who shared their project ideas which supported the aims of the Levenmouth Community Action Plan.
- Leisure and sport events that allow people to connect with their area or the River Leven.
- History and heritage projects.
- Nature, wildlife, food growing and foraging projects.
- Creative projects.
People attending the event cast their 3 votes to support 3 projects between 11am and 1pm. At the same you could also vote on line. In total over 1,000 votes were cast and every project had support.
Everyone A Winner!
We are delighted to announce that all the projects who applied to the Our River Leven Community Fund were successful in receiving funding.
Thanks go to:
The funders £50,000 from Sustrans via Green Action Trust and £30,000 from Fife Council
The Wellesley Parish Church for providing a lovely venue and hot food and drinks for everyone throughout the event.
MCCI for hosting the Kids Entertainment Corner
Paul Morsley from Iglu Studios Ltd for creating the Project Display Boards
Kris Getchell and his team at Fife College for designing and delivering the on line voting system
Kylie Kay at Green Action Trust for creating and delivering the publicity material for the Our River Leven Community Fund
To ALL the community groups and organisations who came forward with great project ideas.
To EVERYONE who came along on the day to support and vote.
To ALL those who supported by voting on line.
Here is a summary of the projects.
Organisation/group
Project Name
ORLCF project summary
Leven Community Council
Scottish Witch Museum
Scottish Witch Trial Museum
Displaying artefacts and manuscripts from the actual trials.
Kennoway Community Shed
Polytunnel
Purchase of a 25ft x 14ft polytunnel to host growing and learning sessions with primary pupils and local people willing to lear. Produce will be shared with elderly members of the community.
Buckhaven Women's Gardening Group
Brighter Buckhaven
To further enhance the green space around Buckhaven by purchasing more plants, bulbs and tools. We also want to encourage more volunteers.
Methilhill Children’s Community Initiative
Nature Kids
Children who attend nature kids during the school summer holidays will have the opportunity to participate in a number of nature related activities. These will include planting and growing sessions, learning about wildlife and climate change sessions.
Methilhill Children’s Community Initiative
Young Artists
We will have a programme which will allow the children to explore their creative talents and give them the time to produce a piece of art - this will be in the form of painting, drama, music and much more.
Largo Communities Together
Largo Beach Wheelchairs
To purchase specific beach mobility equipment that will enable disabled and less able people to access the beach/water at Largo Beach. The beach wheelchair project aims to set up a free loan scheme, called Largo Beach Wheelchairs, to provide beach wheelchairs from Temple Car Park, Largo.
Kennoway Pump Track
Kennoway Pump Track Connecting Communities
We plan to offer organised events and activities including free bike rides connecting communities, river rides, local history rides, nature and foraging rides
Enigma Gymnastics Club
Gym Equipment
To purchase specialised equipment to allow boys and girls to learn the sport of gymnastics. By using such equipment, it will allow them to undertake new skills safely and with confidence.
Bat's Wood Growing Space and Bike Track
Environmental Education
To continue to manage and restore nature to the 5 acres of Levenmouth Academy known as Bat's Wood and purchase some outdoor furniture
Edinburgh Community Yoga
Methil Chair Yoga
We want to offer chair based yoga that people can be referred into by GPs, nursing staff and community link workers. Over time we would hope to identify someone in the community with an interest in yoga to take part in additional peer support training and become a peer volunteer for the class.
Fife Sea Kayak Club
Kayak Accessibility and Safety
To purchase 3 Sea Kayaks for new members to use, helping lower barriers to trying this sport. We are seeking to buy suitable clothing and safety equipment which can be loaned to new members, to allow them to participate safely in club activities. The purchase of group safety equipment, such as group shelters and the provision of first aid training for club members.
Lateral Labs
The Art of Foraging
To deliver a series of creative foraging workshops aimed at bringing communities together whilst learning new skills. These four adult workshops will consist of an exchange in knowledge in foraged seaweed and seasonal land plants, preparing and enjoying a communal meal together, and exploring how these plant-based materials can also be used to create ‘green photography’.
Methil History Group
Exploring local History
We would like to gain more knowledge on the history of Kirkland, Methilhill, Methil and Buckhaven through visits to various archives. This would enable us to gain more skills in research. We wish to include young people in these trips. We hope to make our research available to Schools, the Community and visitors to our area.
Levenmouth Academy PTA
Forest and Outdoor Leadership Programme 2024
Offer 10 pupils a place in an 8 week outdoor programme in the River Leven Valley lead by the Ecology Centre. This will lead to a Level 4 qualification with increades confidence in outdoor skills eg campfire cookery, foraging, nature conservation and wildlife observation. For age 16+
Kingdom Off Road Motorcycle Club
On the right track
To purchase a motocross bike to enhance our current service. The bike will be used every week, helping to develop participants, thus enabling them to use the bike to enter national competitions, where they’ve shown interest.
Doon the Dam
Connecting Communities
Activities Doon the Dam including nature/history walks, picnics and community gatherings. Create a community gathering spot with benches and picnic tables. Seasonal craft activities and a doggy café pop up events.
Leven Amateur Musical Association and Youth Group
Equipment for annual productions
We want to purchase our own set of communication headsets for the crew to use during our productions. This would mean we don't have to spend money each time to hire them.
CLEAR Buckhaven and Methil
Buckhaven Methil Green Network Enhancement
To brighten and enhance the urban space in Methil and Buckhaven and create opportunities for greater biodiversity. We want to involve local residents, pupils and other groups in helping propagate and plant trees, shrubs and wildflowers
Buckhyne Braes Beekeepers
Buckhyne Bees
We want to purchase new hives and bee keeping equipment including kids bee suits so more people can learn about bees and making healthy honey.
Methil Parent and Toddler Group
Methil Patrent and Toddler Group
To expand our activities we would like to visit a local farm and host soft play sessions. Hall hire costs.
Methil Craft Club
Crafty Makes
To fund learning sessions in different types of craft techniques such as using sewing machines, clay and resin work as well as developing new ideas. We also need funding for hall hire.
Buckhind Players
Summer Panto
We will be working with our youth theatre as a whole collective to put on their very own semi-professional production of “Into Starkies Woods!” We aim to give the young people their first taste at a semi-professional production with full tech value and support with the specialised team who work on our 16+ productions.
Knit Together Methil
Increase knowledge, decrease isolation
To expand the range of items we can produce through reading material and magazine pattern books. We intend to purchase looms and material such as stuffing, accessories etc that can be used for soft toys thus increasing saleable items. We wish to attend workshops at the Scottish Arts and Craft Show in Glasgow. Costs toward hall hire.
The Community Trade Hub
2024 Community Holiday Camps Leven
The aim of this project is to have additional activities in the community in school holiday periods. This is to reduce social isolation and seeking youngster to be outdoors in their community having fun with others.
Friday Craft Group
Craft Courses
Felting, Water Colours, Silver jewellery work taster sessions. Also a climate friendly snakes and ladders board game is to be created.
- Staff members and CRT Trustee Bob Young with Cllr Tom Adams with some of the successful projects displaying their project ideas.
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The Leven Programme is a regeneration initiative with the environment and people at its heart.
It involves many key government agencies, non-government organisations, private sector and local communities working closely together to help deliver environmental improvements in and around the River Leven in Fife, while maximising the social and economic opportunities that these improvements can bring.
Our 10 year vision is that by 2030, our partnership approach will have contributed to, and delivered a number of projects that will collectively have helped to breathe life back into the River Leven, improving the areas surrounding it and making them great places to live, work and visit.
This programme needs help to make it work so please get in touch if you can help us. To find out how to get involved email: crt.hub@coalfields-regen.org.ukYou can explore the Leven Programme in depth here
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The full Leven Project Behaviour Change Community Action Plan is available at the link below
Behaviour_change_community_
action_plan.pdf (theleven.org) The Leven Project Behaviour Change Community Action Plan - Easy Read version the link below
Behaviour_Change_Community_Action_Plan_Easy_Read
The Leven Project Behaviour Change Report is available at the link below
Further resources an be found here