From ambition to reality - the Cairngorms 2030 Communities Fund
To be pushed beyond our comfort zone is good in theory, but in practice I think most of us can admit it’s not always easy! Being involved in putting together the Cairngorms 2030 Communities Fund has reinforced for me that trying something new and truly innovative makes it worth it. To meaningfully put communities at the heart of decision making, we have to be okay with not always knowing all of the answers.
Looking around Glenlivet Public Hall last month I was really struck by how far we’ve come in such a short space of time.
What started as an ambitious, but almost theoretical, idea for a group of people who live in and love the National Park to design a fund of £1 million is now happening. It’s real.
Though I’ve been on hand for questions and clarification in all the sessions so far, it was incredible to see members getting into the real nitty gritty of the task at Glenlivet. They were having some pretty big conversations about priorities and trade-offs. As of last Wednesday, they have now met five times (a mixture of online and in-person sessions), and they are getting ever closer to finalising key elements of the fund, with an anticipated fund launch date this summer.
When we caught up with the group on how they were finding the process so far, the answers (unsurprisingly given how diverse the group are!) were mixed. For some it felt slow, and the concern about how much more needs to be decided in a relatively short period of time was clear. Others are enjoying the process of deliberation, of hearing lots of viewpoints and sharing their own to try to come to an overall decision.
What united the panel members we chatted to though was how much they were enjoying the sociable element of being in a room with people that they might otherwise never have crossed paths with. Despite there being many things that they do not have in common, it’s been heartening for all to find that there’s also a great deal that they agree on too. Whatever the panel decides, it’s clear that working with such an engaged and interesting group of people will make the Cairngorms 2030 Communities Fund far greater than the sum of its parts.
Hear from some of the fund panel members below
Lucile
"It’s been really interesting so far. I really enjoy discussing with the other panel members and also the insight we get from the people that work at Involve, their experiences and how they help guide the conversation."
Brenna Jessie
Fergus
"We’ve got such a range of people from around the National Park, and there’s a lot of people bringing different ideas [...] There’s some dissent, but also a lot of agreement and so then it’s just understanding how we as a panel can create a fund that’s most beneficial to the community."
Brenna Jessie
Sandy
"There doesn’t seem to be much dissent from people when you get down to discussing things, but I think there are so many issues that have to be covered. If it’s going to end up as anything different then there are quite a lot of issues to be discussed and decided upon."
Brenna Jessie
Lorna
"For me there’s been no challenges yet, or surprises but I think there will be coming up, because we’re all going to have slightly different opinions. We’re all coming at it from different angles but I think ultimately we’ll come together."
Kenneth
"I would hope that this would become something that can be referenced when community participation is mentioned in policy making. People can say ‘this was tried here and it really worked'"
Brenna Jessie
More news and views
-
“Warts and all”
-
Travel grant to attend Groundswell 2026
-
Park Authority Convener re-elected
-
Golden eagle tag stops transmitting
-
Forestry track and hotel hydro scheme given green light
-
My first time meeting a beaver
-
Communities Fund panel meets for the first time
-
Barbecue and campfire ban comes into effect
