Thornhill Community Trust (TCT) grew out of a Community Futures process during 2002 and 2003. We are not the same as the Community Council nor Stirling Council, the local authority. TCT is all about the community identifying how it wants the future to develop and then doing things for itself to achieve that vision.

In October 2003 we published a Community Action Plan based on interviews with different groups and individuals, surveys that went to all households, a community profile detailing facts and figures about the community, and a community workshop. This first profile included the neighbouring community of Blairdrummond, but they subsequently developed their own plans and TCT is based on the community of Thornhill and its surrounds.

We identified five main issues that needed to be addressed:

1. Access - improving and developing the path network around the village

2. Environment – managing and preserving trees and hedgerows,developing community woodland and managing the North Common for wildlife and access

3. Traffic, roads and safety – safety in the village and roads and pavements maintenance

4. Community infrastructure – ensure existing facilities are maintained and creating additional facilities; a community minibus; sufficient affordable housing

5. Enterprise and the local economy – improving communication networks, developing sustainable tourism and a local community-run business development centre

TCT successes

In 2004 we took the important step of setting ourselves up as a company limited by guarantee and having ourselves accepted as a charity. We have a Board of up to 11 directors, seven elected from and by the membership and 4 appointed. Within the appointed members are directors nominated by each of three major groups within the village – the Community Council, the North Common Trust and the Community Hall. Membership of TCT is open to anyone, but only full members who are aged 18 and over and live within a 4.5 km radius of the village cross-roads may vote. Under 18s may be junior members and people outwith the geographic limit may be associate members.

Because we are properly constituted it has allowed us to raise funds to pursue some of the projects we have identified. One of these is the Playpark project where the Community Infrastructure Action Group has been working closely with Thornhill Primary School, the PA and Stirling Council to take forward plans for the improvement of the play park. A grant of £3,900 was received from the Local Community Development Fund and was used to purchase and install two “springies” and a ball funnel in the park. Other improvements contributed by Stirling Council have included new litter bins and gate, a willow-den extension, a disabled entrance, safety matting , a picnic bench and roundabout.  Thornhill Primary School teachers and children assisted with design of the project and the construction of willow-den extension. Funding applications are currently being completed for stage two of the project, the installation of a flying fox adjacent to the play park.

In 2006 we established an Out of School Care Club – the KIDS Club. It has entailed getting a Parents Committee together, creating a business plan. registering with the Care Commission, defining policies and management requirements, appointing staff, identifying users and a large amount of fund raising to get the project off the ground. Up to 24 local children benefit from a relaxed and stimulating environment where they can enjoy a wide range of activities in a friendly safe environment; their parents will enjoy a better quality of life by able to access employment, increase their working hours to increase earnings, access training opportunities and decrease dependency on benefits; the rural community will benefit by reduced stress, tackling poverty and disadvantage, counteracting anti-social behaviour and creating job opportunities and training in out-of-school care.

In 2009 Thornhill Kids Club felt it was working sufficiently well to seek independence.   It is now set up as a separately constituted business.

Thornhill Community Trust is funded from various sources including its members.  Other funders include: