UPDATE: TENANTS’ FORUM/CRICHTON BRIEFING 6 APRIL 2021

We held our monthly Crichton Briefing and Tenants’ Forum on Zoom as a combined meeting on 6 April.  Thanks to all those who attended.

See details of future meetings below

MONTHLY UPDATE: Gwilym Gibbons, Chief Executive of The Crichton Trust welcomed tenants and partners to the meeting. Main points of update:

• Covid-19 Response: We have now responded to the challenges of Covid-19 for over a year and we are particularly pleased that our grounds have responded in the best way possible. The Crichton has provided local people with a safe and beautiful place to breathe and a place to escape from the boundaries of their homes during the pandemic. We have continued to see an increase in visitors and so many repeat visitors. What gives us most pleasure is that the pandemic has brought the original purpose of The Crichton to the forefront once more as a place for physical and mental wellbeing and we will continue to ensure that the estate continues to protect the wellbeing of our people (all those who work, study, live and visit The Crichton).
• Easterbrook Bistro: We are also pleased to report a gradual increase in custom from our takeaway service at Easterbrook Bistro. Although this remains a restricted service, we have slightly extended our daily opening hours from 11am to 3pm to meet the demands of our customers while balancing the challenge of running the Bistro on a skeleton team in the short term. We look forward to expanding our services to include inside and outside dining by 26 April when restrictions ease, but to continue to make maximum use of our safe outdoor spaces.
• Events: The return of events to Easterbrook Hall is less clear due to the ongoing restrictions and the need for greater ventilation within venues. We are continually reviewing when and how we can reopen Easterbrook Hall and we are looking at installing a new ventilation system to ensure that when we do open it is as safe as possible. Other than the occasional use, there is unlikely to be any significant change or events in Easterbrook Hall until the Autumn at the earliest (and pending ventilation). We can be more optimistic about the use of our outdoor spaces. We have just launched our new tree trail at The Crichton which is already attracting some interest and we are excited about the Doonhame Festival and outdoor theatre shows coming to The Crichton in the summer! Read about them in the most recent issue of The Crichton Magazine on our website.
• Economic Impact Assessment: The Crichton Trust will be 25 years old this year and what a great time to take stock of the economic impact The Crichton has in the South of Scotland. We have recently commissioned an Economic Impact Assessment and will receive the reports late in May. This evidence is likely to assist us in attracting inward investment for the ongoing development of The Crichton.
• Ladyfield Site: We continue to work with Dumfries & Galloway Council and partners to review the future use of the Ladyfield site and how this will dovetail with our plans for The Crichton.
• Care Campus Project: Building on the legacy of the Leader-funded Care Campus Project it is our ambition to make D&G a great place to grow old and so we continue to explore and influence the development of a 21C Village.
• Defibrillators at The Crichton: You may have read an article in The Crichton Magazine (Spring issue) about one of our colleagues; Kenny who recently helped save the life of a neighbour in Lockerbie. Inspired by Kenny’s actions we have relocated our defibrillator at The Crichton to a publicly accessible location outside Easterbrook Hall. We are also calling out to tenants to let us know about any defibrillators they have on site and to join us in defibrillator and CPR training – more information about this and a fundraising initiative to buy another publicly accessible defibrillator will be shared in the coming weeks. Together we can make The Crichton a safe place to be.
• Crichton Central: We are getting closer to the completion of Crichton Central (formerly Fresco Café), which will offer new opportunities for forming new encounters. relationships, partnerships and innovation. The space looks amazing now and the floors are beautiful. There is a co-working space for members, two bookable meeting rooms, a radio station and recording studio, the main lounge as an extension of the public café with soft seating and events space and fast broadband. We are working towards a phased opening starting with the café and outdoor dining. You can read about the renovation on our new website which was launched a few weeks ago and is being developed to include details about becoming a ‘connector’, our services and events programme. crichtoncentral.co.uk
• The Crichton Trust: As an organisation we continue to focus on the wellbeing of our people, place, partners and planet and in building a healthier and sustainable future. We recognise the impact of The Crichton on people’s lives and so our key priorities include addressing; the ageing society, carbon reduction and the future economy as we connect people, place and the past to shape the future.

ZOOM IN ON OUR TENANTS/PARTNERS: We welcomed Graeme Galloway, Director of Developing the Young Workforce Dumfries and Galloway to the meeting to provide a Tenant’s Update.

Developing the Young Workforce Dumfries & Galloway Update:

Key points of interest:

• Connections with The Crichton: Graeme talked about his connections with The Crichton over the years, which he remembered started in 1988 when he was in the Police and was sent to The Crichton for fitness training and later to sit his exams at Crichton Hall. In more recent years, Graeme joined DYWD&G and now has an office in Eskdale House.
• About DYW: DYW was established in 2014 as a result of the Wood Report and has a remit to bring schools, colleges and employers together with the purpose of preparing young people for the future world of work. There are 21 regional DYW groups in Scotland, funded by the Scottish Government and hosted by a college, Local Authority or, as in Dumfries & Galloway, by the Chamber of Commerce. DYW D&G has a small team of four Graeme, Justin, Caroline and Louise and they are supported by a group of School Co-ordinators within regional schools.  Together they aim to aim to understand and meet the recruitment, skills and training needs of employers.
• Impact of Covid-19: Covid-19 has been difficult for young people and employers and even before Covid, an ageing population and shrinking school role in D&G has meant employers struggle to attract the talent they need. With an increase in youth unemployment and a reduction in opportunities for young people during Covid, it will have a long-term impact on their health and wellbeing. But Covid has also created new opportunities including greater accessibility due to changes in how we use IT and we are also seeing more people creating roles for themselves (something we refer to as the Gig Economy).
• Operational Plan:
  • To drive effective partnerships between employers, schools and young people
  • To inform influencers (parents, carers, teachers) about opportunities for young people
  • To influence education to meet the needs of employers in D&G
  • To promote D&G as an attractive place for young people to live and work
  • To host careers and STEM events to prepare work-ready young people
  • To make better use of IT to reach a wider audience of young people, influencers and employers including new DYW You Tube Channel
• Key Sectors: Unlike other areas of Scotland, a third of employees work in the Public Sector eg. NHS and Emergency Services. Other key sectors in D&G include retail, hospitality, tourism, agriculture and forestry, some of which have been the hardest hit by Covid-19. Areas such as finance, life sciences and IT are set to grow, but these sectors are generally underrepresented in D&G.
• Working with Employers: DYW has an important role in working with academic institutions, schools and employers and to bring industry professionals together in sector groups. In D&G, DYW host Sector Forums to encourage employers to think about future recruitment, offer work experience and mentoring for young people. The introduction of Schools Co-ordinators and online forums has recently increased engagement with schools and employers.

Anyone interested in getting involved in Sector Forums or working more closely with DYWD&G can email: info@dywdg.co.uk     

Q&A and Discussion:

A discussion took place around the importance of and collaboration with sole traders and the creative sector, the role of school coordinators, sharing the success stories of young apprentices in D&G, how employers and third sector groups can work together to provide more choices for young people in D&G and to promote the region as an attractive place for young people and families.

Gwilym thanked Graeme for his ongoing collaboration.

Find out more about all tenants on The Crichton Directory – www.crichton.co.uk

REMINDER TO ALL TENANTS:

If you are a tenant at The Crichton, please remember to keep your profile updated on The Crichton Directory – complete the form at the top of the page or email: news@crichton.co.uk

Please encourage your colleagues to sign up to The Crichton Trust Newsletter which is accessible in the footer of our website and to browse The Crichton Magazine.

If you would like us to zoom in on your business at future meetings, please get in touch!

The next Tenants’ Forum will take place on Wednesday 28 April at 11am.  This will include an update from both The Crichton Trust and Solway Firth Partnership. As usual, tenants will receive an email invitation from The Crichton Trust with ID details.  Any queries please contact the office on 01387 247544.

The next Crichton Briefing will take place on Tuesday 4 May at 4pm.  The meeting ID is 838 7652 3626. All welcome.

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