Events

This free half-day SURF Awards workshop event in Clyde Community Hall, Govan on 18^th May provides an opportunity to explore successful current approaches towards regenerating Scotland’s places with two winning projects from the ‘Improving Scotland’s Places’ and ‘Community Led Regeneration’ categories highlighted in the 2022 SURF Awards process.

Workshop guests will firstly hear from project a representative in the ‘Improving Scotland’s Places’ category winner Living Alloa. In response to challenges, Clackmannanshire Council, the community, third sector and businesses have come together to shift the dial on the social, economic and environmental issues facing the town centre.

This will be followed by the ‘Community Led Regeneration’ winner Bressay Development Ltd – Speldiburn. A community led venture to repurpose a closed school and multi-court in order to retain communal space and ensure community ownership of the facilities.

Following an open discussion session with the projects, attendees will hear from a Scottish Government representative who will give an overview of current priorities regarding place-based regeneration. This will be followed by short presentations from Scotland’s Towns Partnership on the role they provide in helping to regenerate Scotland’s towns and Highlands and Islands Enterprise on their current focus on place-based regeneration. The floor will then be open for wider discussion on national policy.

The SURF Awards ‘Improving Scotland’s Places’ judging panel team – comprising representatives of Scotland’s Towns Partnership, CoCreate, Architecture & Design Scotland and the Scottish Government – were struck with the wide ranging programme of activity that has secured the participation of public, private, community and third sector organisations, all working together from the start. The SURF Awards ‘Community Led Regeneration’ judging panel team – comprising representatives of Foundation Scotland, the Furniture Project (Stranraer) ltd, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Tannahill Centre – were impressed by the high levels of community engagement demonstrated.

This workshop will be delivered with support from Scotland’s Towns Partnership, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Architecture & Design Scotland.

Programme

10:00am   Registration and networking

10:30am   Welcome and Introduction: Euan Leitch, Chief Executive, SURF

10:35am   Presentation, Living Alloa: Grant Baxter, Clackmannanshire Council

10:50am   Presentation, Bressay Development Ltd – Speldiburn: Heather Christie and Aimee Labourne, Bressay Development Ltd

11:05am   Questions and Comments with project representatives

11:20am   Presentation, Scottish Government: Joanne Boyle, Scottish Government

11:30am   Presentation, Scotland’s Towns Partnership: Mhairi Donaghy, STP

11:40am   Presentation, Highlands and Islands Enterprise: Mags McSporran and Murray Allan, HIE

11:50am   Open Discussion on National Policy

12:10pm   Summary, Thanks and What’s Next: Euan Leitch and Emma Scott, Events, Information & Communications Manager, SURF

12:20pm   Close and Networking Lunch

1:00pm      Optional walking tour of Govan, one of SURF’s place-based Alliance for Action sites.