Friday 2 December 2022
Welcome to Community, your Dumfries and Galloway community bulletin.
As always, if you have any positive stories about things that are happening in your community and would like to see them featured in Community – please email us at communitybulletin@dumgal.gov.uk and one of our reporters will get back to you.
 New Website to Help with Cost-of-Living Increases
A new website has been launched to help Dumfries and Galloway residents with cost-of-living increases.
The site is a one-stop shop detailing help with money and benefits, household bills, finding work, health and wellbeing, as well as support for families, young people, the elderly and disabled.
Cost-of-living increases are now affecting everyone living and working in Dumfries and Galloway, but many residents remain unaware of what help is available to them.
The website details the support at local, national, and UK level and will evolve as information and support changes.
It has been developed by the region’s Poverty and Inequalities Partnership and will signpost people in need to information and resources that can mitigate the impact of falling income or increased bills.
 What's On in December
Christmas is just around the corner and there are lots of great family events and activities to enjoy across the region over the next month.
With Lights Switch-On events, Christmas markets and fayres, the chance to meet Santa and much more, there's plenty to suit all ages.
Look below to find out a few of the festive town centre activities happening this month.
Saturday 3 December. 11am–4.30pm
Hardgate Primary School Highly Commended
The Bikeability Scotland Awards have been presented, recognising outstanding achievement in the delivery of Bikeability Scotland – the national cycle training programme for school children, managed by Cycling Scotland.
Hardgate Primary School, located near Castle Douglas, has been selected as the Highly Commended runner-up of the Bikeability Scotland 2022 School of the Year. Cycling Scotland visited the school on Monday 14 November to present the award during a school assembly.
Ms Brogan Murphy, principal teacher of Hardgate Primary School said: “On behalf of all of us at Hardgate, we are both very grateful and humbled to be Highly Commended in the School of the Year category. I have thoroughly enjoyed our experience with Bikeability Scotland and of becoming a cycle tutor. I was happy to open our school as a base for training of other tutors, and it was great to work alongside other cycling enthusiasts to pass on valuable life skills to children, who just loved taking part in the training.”
Pictured: Peri Wallach, regional Bikeability coordinator, alongside staff and pupils from Hardgate Primary School, who were involved in the award winning Bikeability programme.
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Vote Devil’s Porridge for Great Day Out Award
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The Devil’s Porridge Museum at Eastriggs was recently crowned the Best Visitor Attraction Experience in the West of Scotland at awards held in Glasgow, where it was up against giants like Glasgow’s Science Museum. Following on from this success, the museum now has a great chance to be voted Scotland’s Best Day Out, which is being sponsored by the Scottish Sun and Scottish Sunday Times. |
If you would like to support this Dumfries and Galloway attraction, against the best Scotland has to offer, then all you have to do is cast your vote before midnight on Saturday 3 December.
Visit The Ryan Centre Theatre
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The Ryan Centre Theatre in Stranraer provides a year-round programme of shows and productions including concerts, dance, drama, jazz, musicals, opera and pop. Regular cinema showings provide up-to-date films for all ages and tastes through state-of-the-art cinema equipment. |
Mindful Colouring Sessions
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Take a well-deserved hour to yourself and join our friendly mindful colouring sessions!
All materials are provided including designs created exclusively for you to colour by Ailsa Black, Val Macadam Art and Copeland Walker Art
These sessions are for adults and are free of charge; book your space today.
Sessions are running weekly until Christmas:
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- Lochthorn Customer Service Centre – Mondays 1.30–2.30pm
- Newton Stewart Customer Service Centre – Fridays 2–3pm
- Lockerbie Customer Service Centre – Tuesdays 11am–12noon
- Stranraer Customer Service Centre – Thursdays 1.30–2.30pm
- Thornhill Customer Service Centre – Thursdays 3–4pm
- Kirkcudbright Customer Service Centre – Thursday 2–3pm
This project is funded by SLIC (Scottish Library and Information Council) Covid Recovery Fund.
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