Friday 6 June 2025
Welcome to Community, your Dumfries and Galloway community bulletin.
We are always keen to hear of any positive stories about things that are happening in your community and would like to feature them in Community – please email us at communitybulletin@dumgal.gov.uk and one of our reporters will get back to you.
£1.5 million a year
This is the estimated value added to the region each and every year by volunteers who help the council.
The council supports more than 800 volunteers, who help deliver and enhance services such as youth work, community resilience, active communities, archives, museums and community councils.
There are 14 volunteers supporting the countryside rangers alone. Eddie Webb (pictured) is volunteering at the Beattock boardwalk and says, ‘As well as being great for your wellbeing, volunteering helps me to support access to the sights and sounds of the countryside that I've so enjoyed.’
People volunteer for many reasons – to give back, to connect, to learn, to grow and to be part of something that matters.
People as young as 12 can volunteer with the Youth Work team.
Many much-loved events in the region would not be the same without the help of volunteers, such as the Youth Beatz festival.
Dumfries and Galloway is the first full council to be awarded the prestigious Investing in Volunteers award (IiV).
Thank you to all those who freely give time to their communities through council volunteering. Your contribution is valued by all of us.
 Caroline Clark – Director for The National Lottery Heritage Fund in Scotland, Stuart McMillan – Interim Head of Economy and Environment for Dumfries and Galloway Council and Karen Morley – countryside development officer with Dumfries and Galloway Council were joined at the funding announcement by young Coastodians – pupils from Elmvale Primary School.
Solway Coast First to Secure Share of £150 million Investment in Nature
From salt marsh to sea cliffs, sandy beaches to sheltered coves, Scotland’s Solway Coast offers a spectacular diversity of stunning scenery. Now it is set to be supported by £8 million as the first project to secure funding through The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s £150 million Landscape Connections initiative.
Thanks to National Lottery players, Solway Coast and Marine Landscape Connections Project (SCAMP Landscape Connections) will receive £1.4 million of investment to shape plans which will unlock further National Lottery funding of up to £6.4 million and act as an exemplar project in attracting further green finance.
The world class seascape of the Solway Firth in Dumfries and Galloway stretches for more than 200 miles from edge of the land border between Scotland and England round Scotland’s most Southerly point, the Mull of Galloway, to the shores of Loch Ryan. Last week a WWF report found that the UK’s muddy saltmarshes were vital to combat climate change.
SCAMP Landscape Connections will take a whole seascape approach to understand, conserve, restore and develop the potential of the natural and cultural heritage of the Solway Firth coast, working with the local community to deliver an extensive programme of habitat restoration.
 Armed Forces Week
Armed Forces Day is an annual opportunity to thank the armed forces community for their work and to learn more about life in the armed forces. This year, Armed Forces Day is on Saturday 28 June and Armed Forces Week starts on Monday 23 June.
Showing support for the armed forces provides a much valued morale boost for the troops and their families. You can find out more about what they are doing at home and around the world by visiting the official sites of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force.
Our council supports the armed forces in a number of ways including the annual Armed Forces Week. Local events will be held throughout the week to show the region's support for the men and women of the armed forces, past and present, including serving troops, their families, reservists, veterans and cadets.
Royal British Legion Scotland branches and community groups across Dumfries and Galloway have made the following arrangements for armed forces flags to be raised on Monday 23 June to mark the start of Armed Forces Week:
- 10.00am at Midsteeple, Dumfries.
- 11.00am at Annan Town Hall.
- 11.00am at Moffat Town Hall.
- 11.00am at Castle Square, Stranraer.
- 11.00am at Market Hill, Castle Douglas.
- 11.00am at Tolbooth, Sanquhar.
- 12.30pm at Dashwood Square, Newton Stewart.
- 6.00pm at Colliston Park, Dalbeattie.
Flags will also be raised on other council buildings on the same date and flown until Monday 30 June.
The Reserves Day takes place on Wednesday 25 June and reservists, cadet detachment members and ex forces personnel are invited to wear their uniforms to work on this date.
The week culminates with the Armed Forces Parade in Dumfries on Saturday 28 June. The parade and inspection of the ranks will take place in Dumfries town centre. The parade will start at 11.45am at the entrance to the Loreburne Centre, High Street, Dumfries and march onwards to the front of the Plainstanes. It will be lead by members of Dumfries and Annan Town Bands, followed by representatives of our retired and serving armed forces personnel and by members of local cadet units. Councillor Archie Dryburgh, the council’s Armed Forces Champion will act as master of ceremonies and the event is expected to conclude by 12.30pm. Financial support has been granted for the event by Dumfries and Galloway Council’s armed forces budget.
John Wallace Trust Scheme
The scheme awards bursaries and travel grants to secondary school pupils living in the Upper Nithsdale area who are about to enter, or are attending, higher education.
Funding is available for up to five years. The amount paid can change each year depending on the number of applicants received. Students must complete a certificate of attendance form each year to get the payment.
Awards may be allocated to pupils or students who are about to enter or are attending:
- The Barony College, or another institution specialising in agriculture and allied sciences.
- University, or another institute of higher education.
- The Open University.
The application form gives more detail about the different types of award available. The scheme is open to applicants in March each year and closes at the end of December.
GoodSAM Volunteers
The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) is encouraging CPR-trained volunteers to download the GoodSAM app to their mobile phone.
GoodSAM is a bystander CPR App that alerts signed up users to incidents of suspected cardiac arrest within five hundred metres of their current location. Responders should remain at an incident until ambulance or paramedics arrive. First introduced in 2017 to alert off duty paramedics, the app is now available to anyone over 18 years who is trained in CPR. Currently there are approximately 2500 SAS-approved GoodSAM responders across Scotland.
Sometimes, volunteers may feel they are unable to respond. Being a GoodSAM volunteer is a public-spirited endeavour and you don't have to attend an incident if you do not feel comfortable. Volunteers should not feel they are permanently 'on call'.
GoodSAM responders attended 21 incidents of suspected cardiac arrest in Dumfries and Galloway during 2023–24.
Golden Day Club Offers Companionship in Castle Douglas
The Golden Day Club is a Day Centre for the elderly based in Castle Douglas and it meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 10.30am to 2.30pm.
The club promotes independent living while providing social contact and support to the elderly within Castle Douglas and the surrounding area. The club offers a wide range of activities and entertainment that help sustain the physical and mental wellbeing of its members. All the activities are tailored so that people with all ability levels can take part. A nutritional, two-course lunch is provided each day.
The club is currently taking on new members. There is a charge of £10 per day, although the first visit for potential new members is free of charge. Local transport is available. If you would like to have a chat about joining the club, please call 07748 918193.
Photography Convention 2025
Step into the world of photography at an exclusive convention at Shambellie House on 28 June.
The 2025 Photography Convention is a rare opportunity for people to immerse themselves in the art of photography at beautiful Shambellie House. Whether a seasoned photographer or an eager beginner, this full-day event offers something truly exceptional for our region.
Renowned photographers Emily Endean and Sean Tucker take centre stage but attendees will have the opportunity to take part in an additional session led by local experts Jean Robson FRPS, John McKenna and Judith Hewitt – all of whom will be offering individual talks and discussions.
For convention attendees, taster workshops are available on Sunday 29 June at reduced prices, perfect for honing new skills and refining techniques. Convention tickets are from just £60 and workshops from just £10 with a convention ticket.
 Care Call – New Caller ID Number
Calls from the council’s Care Call service now come from a new number: 01302 333 999.
There is no change to the service – support continues as normal. The new number follows a recent update to the system used to manage alarm calls.
If you or someone you support uses Care Call, please save the new number to ensure it’s recognised when a call comes through.
Have Your Say about New Walking, Cycling and Wheeling Paths
The council and SWestrans would like to thank everyone who has come to the drop-in sessions or provided feedback on possible new walking, wheeling and cycling paths in the region.
A final drop-in session has been confirmed, where you can meet the project team and find out more.
- Venue: The Anglers, Annan.
- Date: 12 June.
- Time: 4.30 to 7.30pm.
If you can’t attend the event, you can still provide your suggestions and views until 20 June.
|
