Funds get Kirkcaldy bike hub summer plans on track

Shuggie Hughes is looking ahead to the summer of activities. Pic credit: Fife Photo Agency

Gallatown Bike Hub in Kirkcaldy has received £4890 for local creative and cultural activities.

It comes from the CashBack for Creativity Open Fund, administered by YouthLink Scotland and funded by Creative Scotland.

These funds will enable the delivery of a 12-week holiday programme of arts activities in the Gallatown area.

Young people will have the opportunity to take part in a series of activities including photography, pottery, crafts and graffiti. They’ll tell the story of their community through images, fire their own mugs and plates to use at the Bite & Blether youth cafe, respray bikes and create murals for the Happy Days Community Hub.

They will also create a tapestry depicting the past, present and future aspirations of the Gallatown.

Shuggie Hughes, community development worker with Kirkcaldy YMCA said that the funding came after two local youngsters put their heads together and applied.

“We’re totally over the moon to hear that we’ve got this funding.

“It was great that it was two local young folk who came up with this idea. I just helped them polish up the forms.

“Youngsters aren’t always painted in the best light. So this is a good chance to celebrate themselves and their community.

“The Gallatown was named as one of the most deprived areas in Fife, and a lot of people often say that there’s nothing for young folk and families to do during the summer. And it causes a huge amount of stress especially for parents. They can’t afford to keep them entertained, or can’t afford to feed them.

“As budgets reduce and money’s hard to come by, it’s a great wee injection into the community to do some fun stuff during the hollidays.”

The programme of activities runs throughout the summer holidays, with two sessions a week, and possibly during the October holidays.

“Myself and one of the youth workers thought it’d be great to do some creative stuff, like pottery, because that was one of the biggest industries in the Gallatown at one point.

“It’s all about the creativity, and reducing the stigma, as we know people are struggling so we wanted to do some free provision for young folk. They can come along, unleash their creative beast, get some food, and we’re also going to do a graffiti mural to celebrate the fact that we’re taking over the bowling club.

Jim Sweeney MBE, CEO YouthLink Scotland, The National Agency for Youth Work, said: “We want to celebrate young people and the youth workers who make a difference.

“YOYP 2018 is all about celebrating their talents and achievements, and the contribution young people make to their communities and the wider world. CashBack is truly unique, Scotland is the only government within the UK that is using cash seized from criminals and putting it back where it should be, right at the heart of communities.”