Frequently Asked Questions
LCDT is a non-profit organisation set up to help the village of Lochwinnoch thrive.
We will make this happen by:
- Cultivating and developing projects and activities that contribute to healthy and happy lives.
- Promoting a sustainable environment that brings benefits to residents and visitors.
- Creating opportunities for people, communities, and agencies to work together and improve lives.
- Encouraging community development through actions that increase social quality and economic value.
- Recognising, preserving and promoting the culture and heritage of Lochwinnoch
We work across several projects in and around the village:
A Community Benefit Society (CBS) is a nonprofit business model that enables the community to own local assets by raising money from within the community (and beyond). It is organised on the principle of one member, one vote, which ensures fundamental equality among members.
- Charity Status: We will remain a fully registered Scottish Charity. Our mission and our commitment to Lochwinnoch do not change.
- Community Investment: A CBS structure allows us to launch “Community Share Offers,” giving you the chance to invest in and own local assets directly.
- Asset Protection: It provides a stronger legal “Asset Lock,” ensuring our land and buildings are protected for the village forever.
- Funding Opportunities: They open doors to grants and loans designed exclusively for community-owned societies.
More information about Community Benefit Societies is available on the Development Trust Association Scotland (DTAS) website: democraticfinance.scot/support-overview
No, LCDT is a non-profit Community Benefit Society, which was originally formed as Lochwinnoch Community Development Company in 2013. In 2018, it changed from a Company to a Trust to broaden its remit and is now a member of the Development Trusts Association of Scotland (DTAS). LCDT has also received Charitable status (SC053157). The organisation currently has six directors (unpaid volunteers) and over 300 members.
It supports, initiates, and manages a variety of projects (raising funding as required) for the overall benefit of the Lochwinnoch community.
The Lochwinnoch Community Council is a voluntary body that exists within a statutory framework. They can complement the role of the local authority but are not part of local government. A key purpose is to ascertain, coordinate, and express the views of the local community to public authorities in relation to their designated areas of responsibility, and to act in the interests of the local community.
Anyone can become a member of LCDT- Lochwinnoch and beyond!
‘Ordinary membership’ is open to anyone living within Lochwinnoch, but those from outside the area can join as an ‘Associate member’. There is even a section for junior members, aged 12 to 16.
If you are interested in physically supporting us in our activities or simply adding your voice to provide feedback on what we are doing, we would love to hear from you.
You can choose your own level of involvement. You could be a volunteer assisting on one of the projects that our colleagues or we manage; become a member of a project steering group to help direct and organise the implementation of a project that is of interest to you, or become a director to offer your particular skill sets to help manage the overall operation of the Trust. The amount of time and commitment is entirely up to you.
A steering group is a small band of volunteers who want to help LCDT from an early stage in initiating, planning, and managing a specific project. It may be that a person has an interest in the project, or a specific skill or has knowledge to contribute to the project. Some members of the group may be extremely active, taking on various tasks, whilst others may attend in an advisory capacity.
The team works together, each taking responsibility for a specific task to spread the workload. There may be a formal structure, e.g., chair and secretary, to keep things organised and on track, plus an LCDT director to act as liaison and provide guidance and direction from the LCTD board, who are ultimately responsible.
In the beginning, we raised money through donations for Lochhead Gardens and the Park refurbishment projects. Since then, the number and size of the projects have increased, and the emphasis has been on making grant applications to different organisations that support particular schemes or themes, e.g., Warm Spaces or Winter Connections, to cover the cost of groups meeting regularly to maintain contact with friends. Renfrewshire Council is also a key source of funds to support various initiatives that help the community.
Recently, for some of our smaller projects needing immediate finance (funding applications can take months to process), we have sought donations, subscriptions for Lochwinnoch Online, and run a “race night” for the Lochwinnoch Business Network.
Contact us
If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact us for more information: info@lochwinnochtrust.org.uk