What would you like to see in Kirkcaldy?
In 2022 we opened a research space in a High Street shop in Kirkcaldy and spent six months talking to local residents and organisations in Kirkcaldy about their community project ideas. The main aim of our research was to encourage community members to explore the ‘Every One Every Day’ approach and share with us what community projects and activities they would want to develop in their communities. Through these conversations we heard a lot of wonderful ideas from residents about things they would want to do with their neighbours, family and friends.
What we heard…
Of the people we spoke with, 61% were not already involved in their community. 38% of people we spoke to were already active in some way, with the majority of those being in formal volunteering roles. 96% of all people said that they would like to get involved in more activity in their communities.
People put forward a range of community project ideas that they would like to get involved in. Activities which involved making, sharing, social activities, and environmental improvements were among the most popular.
Community Shops
These are the main hubs of activity in each community. ‘Shops’ make most people feel comfortable to come inside – and once in and offered a cup of tea and a biscuit, staff are on hand to chat to you about your ideas and how to develop them quickly. These shops develop in ways the community wants to see – more plants, more space for kids to play, more board games – until they become the go-to for your local project ideas. Where would you like to see one?
Makerspace
A free-to-access Makerspace in the centre of the town? Check. A way to learn or share skills, using machines and resources provided for you? Check. What would you do if there was a space for it? We heard from jewellery makers, sewers, wood & metal workers, ceramicists and crafters. What’s in this space will be up to you… so what would you like to see?
Project ideas
People came up with a range of ideas they’d like to see happen, from toy libraries to learning how to batch cook together. People were interested in ceramics, community festivals, starting conversations and getting arty. But this is just the beginning!
Everything that happens through the approach is led by, or comes from an idea from a community member. It’s all about testing what works and what people are interested in, and doing more of that!
Connecting
96% of all people said that they would like to get involved in activity in their communities. We’re interested in hearing your views on this – sign up to our newsletter below, or leave us a comment.
Get in touch and add your thoughts
We are inviting you to get involved with this exciting new development by letting us know what you think. Please share your thoughts and ideas with us!
26 thoughts on “Every One Every Day Kirkcaldy”
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Interesting to receive your Kirkcaldy newspaper through my letterbox in Kinghorn, just along from Kirkcaldy. Fine you chivvy ways in which to harness energies, but it does seems to miss a trick by excluding the income generation aspect of working together, including the promotion and selling of ideas/things online. I’d love to feed in to the Kirkcaldy interest that the https://www.deshca.co.uk/ DesHCA housing adaptations project finds need for the service to sell items (on a sales % basis perhaps), as many older people have worthwhile things to dispose of, so to de-clutter. Perhaps a good export option, given how the UK sold its older furniture into overseas markets years ago! I’d welcome hearing from you, please, as the economy needs to pick up, places need to become much less derelict and dangerous, and housing needs more right-sizing options, including local down-sizing options for people in family-sized houses. A Lloyds bank manager some years ago commented that Scotland could have much less of a housing problem if family-sized houses could be released. But since then even more smaller housing options have become second homes and short-lets, and developers have continued to build executive-sized homes. Why not compulsorily-purchase derelict places so to replenish such smaller dwelling options? And when the likes of Amazon and apparently Co-op Retailing (Manchester) dump their end of product lines, returned items and close to sell-by date items to be doled out widely, why not insist that funds are also provided to give hope to cohorts of people on the real co-operative ethos (e.g. via https://www.co-op.ac.uk/co-operative-adventure-fife)?
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Hi, and thanks so much for your message! Some great thoughts there which tap into exactly where we’re coming from. The ‘Every One Every Day’ programme does indeed include a way to develop local collaborative businesses – you can see how that working in Barking and Dagenham here: https://www.weareeveryone.org/collaborative-business I completely agree that you need to both be joined up to the other things happening locally and developing a range of ways for people to to get involved. I’ll follow up those links you provided but want to reassure you that the whole ethos behind the project is to encourage people to get involved in ways that suit them – that might start with an interest, or hobby, and for some people that might be enough – but the approach provides clear ways to move through and develop into income generation if that’s something people want to do. The free-to-access Makerspace is there to provide a risk free way for people to try things out and learn new skills, but can also be used as the base for collaborative businesses. The project encourages reusing, repairing, and re-purposing as well as making and we’d be happy to connect with other local folks interested in all of the above. There is space in the design of the programme to provide pop up spaces where people can test local markets – but risk free. Please contact emily@corra.scot if you’d like to continue the conversation as there’s loads more I could say on all of this! Thanks again for your comments – really useful!
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Good morning
I’d love some advice please. Love the paper.
I’ve been picking up bits o glass (mermaids teardrops) bits o ceramics including “Craws taws” and all kinds o stuff off the beach at invertiel for years when walking mutts. I’ve got shed loads.
What to do with it all ??? I’ve done a few things that I can show you. Light shade,lamp & stuff like that,,,most unfinished,,,lol.
What I need is someone with ideas.
This is proper KY History in a bottle so maybe something arty involving the museum, council & the art dept of fife college.
I could just sell it all on ebay but I love KY & know it’d all make something pretty damn cool.
What’d u reckon ? Is this the type o thing you can help me with ?Thanks very much for reading.
Have a lovely day and I look forward to hearing your ideas.Kind regards
Julian Raitt
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Hey Julian,
Thanks for your message. Yes, this is exactly the kind of thing that an ‘Every One Every Day’ project could help with. Once the local shops are set up you could pop into one and a Project Designer could either help you design a project, or link you with other folks locally who would be willing to use your gathered gems into amazing things. We’re developing things at the moment, but if you sign up for our newsletter we’ll keep you up to date as we go through the next few months. Alternatively, email me your details (emily@corra,scot) and I’ll pop you on the list. 🙂 Emily
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Thanks very much for the quick reply Emily.
Quickest reply ever I reckon.
Yep,,I’ll sign up,, Think I did but if you could sign me up too then I can’t miss.
Love the idea & loved the paper through the door.
Thanks again and I look forward to gettin rid o all this flotsam and jetsam.Kind regards
Julian
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I work for a charity called Sporting Memories Foundation Scotland and was involved in setting up the first Sporting Memories club in Fife at Kirkcaldy Rugby Club back in May 2019. The club has gone from strength to strength and runs on a Wednesday morning from 10.30-12.00. Targeted at older adults, we are particularly keen to encourage those that may have become a bit isolated and lonely to join us. I was wondering if the club could be listed in the What’s Happening Locally section.
Further, based upon the success of the Sporting Memories club we have been working with members of the Balwearie Community Sports Hub and Fife Council to try and coordinate the creation of a Sports and Social Club offering a range of opportunities throughout the week for older adults in Kirkcaldy. We have had some limited success to date but there is much more that needs to be done to turn this vision into a thriving reality and I was wondering how Every One Every Day Kirkcaldy could work with us to achieve this?
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Hi Gary, thanks for your message! Sporting Memories Foundation looks like a great initiative – and so needed! I’m sure there are definitely ways for us to work together – it’s the whole spirit of Every One Every Day to do that. If you’d like to have a specific conversation I’d be glad to do that – drop me a message at emily@corra.scot and we can set up a chat?
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Love it, love it, love it! Please do this in Kirkcaldy. My only caveat is that the Makerspace really needs to be in the town centre, to be easily accessible on public transport. You would also have the bonus of helping to regenerate the high street, which people locally would really appreciate.
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Love it, love it, love it! Please do this in Kirkcaldy. My only caveat is that the Makerspace really needs to be in the town centre, to be easily accessible on public transport. You would also have the bonus of helping to regenerate the high street, which people locally would really appreciate.
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Hi Bob, it’s great to hear how enthusiastic you are about the project. Having the makerspace in the town centre has been a popular opinion and we will definitely be looking at potential spaces there going forward. If you would like to get in touch to discuss anything else please contact emily@corra.scot and we would be happy to have a chat!
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Would love a makerspace on the high street close to the merchants quarter. I would love to be able to work on my furniture upcycling and even find others who enjoy it as well! Would also love to learn more about woodworking. Also, one thing I miss from living in Edinburgh is both fine dining and pubs where people come and play folk music. Just a few thoughts!
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Hi Caroline, great to hear your thoughts on the project and of your interest in furniture upcycling – that’s exactly the kind of thing the makerspace could support! If you’d like to have a chat or share any further ideas with us please feel free to contact us by email (emily@corra.scot), we’d love to chat.
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I’m part of the Kirkcaldy Hearing Loss Support Group. Whilst some of our members live in Kirkcaldy itself, others (like me) travel in from other places in Fife. Can our members access the services / projects you’re advertising in your newspaper, or does someone actually have to live in Kirkcaldy itself? Also – we know there are lots and lots of people out there with hearing loss – and our peer support group would really like to attract more members. Can we use your paper to get our name out there?
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Hi Ann, Good to hear from you! Essentially the project is aimed at developing community participation opportunities for the Kirkcaldy area (including Kinghorn, Burntisland, Auchtertool) BUT I think we’ll be welcoming of anyone who wants to get involved – as long as they can make it to one of the sites in the area. Regarding the newspaper, once we’re at full scale (we’re currently doing the research!) we’ll always have space in the paper for local groups and organisations to promote their services – so short answer ‘yes!’. If you sign up for our e-newsletter you’ll see the call out for interested groups when we do our first programme paper. Any questions, email me at emily@corra.scot. Have a lovely weekend!
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Thanks for your informative and helpful reply Emily. I would like to sign up for your newsletter so we can keep up to date with developments and hopefully use your newspaper to help promote our group in due course.
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Think there’s lots of scope for this in our town! Especially like the fact it’s to be central… So many things have moved away from the town centre and if you don’t drive it can be difficult to reach some places. Looking forward to being able to try new crafts!
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Hi Erin, thanks for your comment, is great to hear your interest in the project!
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Please, is the Corra Foundation widely promoting any forthcoming ‘idea sparking events’ in the Burntisland-Kinghorn-Kirkcaldy area? Is there somewhere in addition to Corra’s newsletter to watch for information on such events? Perhaps in newsletters from Scotland’s Towns Partnership ( http://www.scotlandstowns.org ) as initial focus may be on High Streets, or from Scotland’s Improvement Districts ( https://improvementdistricts.scot/ ) as Kirkcaldy had a Kirkcaldy for All as its BID, although I don’t remember that covering as far as Burntisland? Or via the community councils and Rotarians?
As a local Kinghorn resident, how disappointing not to see a Corra Foundation stand at the Kinghorn community Blether on 18 March 2023 as that would have valuably saved effort. Perhaps Corra simply did not know of it, as not in contact with local community councils or Rotarians? What a missed opportunity, though, as the Blether gathered ideas specifically to inform the Local Place Plan, building on a questionnaire recently circulated to all local households.
Sadly quite a few at the Blether wondered if official planners will consider such gathered views, ideas and pleas. Perhaps authorities feel that developers do not act on their direction, even on incorporating needed engineering works and local facilities. Perhaps this is why privately-owned dwellings (apparently forming c 58% of the housing stock) are mainly right-sizing options up to executive-sized homes, with little replenishment of the often smaller homes which have become short-lets. Although this may benefit the local economy, it denies many local people easy option when choosing to right-size away from running now over-large places. It also curbs easy options for in-coming people, whether taking-up an offer of paid work or moving closer to caring pals. Perhaps current redevelopment near Kirkcaldy High Street ( http://www.fife.gov.uk/news/2022/kirkcaldy-centre-to-be-redeveloped ) will provide right-sizing options so that people may stay fairly locally.
Gatherings certainly let ideas flourish, from: encouraging compulsory purchase of redundant above-shop areas and also large-scale premises, including BHS and Marks and Spencer shops, so that such derelict places may be redeveloped, then reused and repopulated; to pooling knowledge, including on promoting sales from maker spaces, given nearby initiatives to Kirkcaldy’s, for example at Stirling (www.transitionstirling.org.uk/maker-spaces ). Such pooling could stem another worry voiced at the Blether, that of young people needing better skill in researching careers options, to complement gen offered by official careers services which usually lags behind trends, given the current fast-changing trading world of paid work.
Best wishes.
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As a Community Centre/Registered Charity SCO11592 in the Kirkcaldy Area I am surprised no one has been in touch with us to look at what we do, what Groups already exist, what had been tried and what has been successful. There are many Community Centres who are not Council managed or run who already provide the Communities with services and are very short of money perhaps injecting some money into already established buildings would be an idea. Fife Voluntary Action in Glenrothes is a fab organisation which would help you look at the area and help identify areas of concern/need/success.
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Hello, thanks so much for your comment. I’d be delighted to chat to you about all of the things you do at Kinghorn Community Centre and where there might be room for us to work together – there are definitely ways to collaborate. I’m glad you contacted us – I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch directly yet, currently there’s just me working on the development. We have spoken to the local Community Council and some residents in Kinghorn, but it would be great to further understand what’s already working well and if there’s anything we can support further. This is a really flexible approach designed to support what already exists as well as developing new opportunities. I’m in touch with Fife Voluntary Action and hoping to meet with them soon. My email is emily@cora.scot – if you’d like to ping me direct I can arrange to come out and see you?
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comment . A maker-space . Is that a room that makers keep materials and tools, and has a work-table ? Where is one in Kirkcaldy & district.
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Doug, My apologies for missing this comment for so long! If you’re looking for a makerspace with tools etc, then Kirkcaldy Men’s Shed up at Ravenscraig Park is a great shout. They have lathes, scroll saws, and a range of other wood craft machines as well as a selection of other machines and for people to use. It’s £25 for the year, and then £2 a visit to cover tea/coffee and electricity. They’re very friendly and welcoming, and they’re open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings.
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Something we don’t have in Kirkcaldy. I’d love to see a yearly renaissance fayre where men, women and children from the community get dressed in period costume and enjoy the market stalls and entertainment of the period. The prom in summer would be good for that and being right across from the Kings it would no doubt attract interest from the performers already established there. If not then Beveridge park.
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Hi Briar! As ever we’d be happy to chat about this with you – we’d need to find a bunch of folk to pull this one off, but they might be out there? You can find us in our shop at the Mercat. Emily
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I have lived in Kirkcaldy for 9 years and despite trying very hard, I have no idea how/ where to find a centralised website which gives information about what is going on in Kirkcaldy. The few friends I have in my age group (77) seem to have no idea either or are just not interested. All I can find is walking groups. I was a member of a PROBUS group but that ended during Covid. There seems to also be plenty going on in Fife but I only find out from people once they have been. Very frustrating.
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Hi June, As far as I know there’s not a centralised website that has everything that goes on. However, you might find out on the Facebook Group ‘Love Kirkcaldy’ – lots of friendly folk who’ll help direct you with whatever kinds of thing you might fancy getting involved in. You’re always welcome to check our website for our programmes which we run three times a year . They’re full of sessions that local residents, who want to share passions and skills, host. In the Summer you can find a list of everything going on in the summer in the ‘Lang Toun Fest’ programme and website. If there’s anything in particualr you’d be interested in let us know and we’ll do our best to use our networks to find out what’s happening for you!
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