Denfield a 'hidden gem' among community assets in Kirkcaldy

Kirkcaldy Community Football Partnership has officially been awarded Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) charity status, which should have immense benefits not only for the senior Kirkcaldy & Dysart squad but all teams in the partnership.

Kirkcaldy and Dysart chairman Scott Jackson said the move had come about after several months of behind-the-scenes hard work and persistence. He was deeply grateful to Robert Main, who guided the club through the process and helped complete the application. "This will enable us to apply for funding from various organisations to help us improve our facilities at the Denfield Park area, which will provide benefits for the whole Kirkcaldy Community Football Partnership as well as the local community," said Mr Jackson.

Vice-chairman Alistair Cameron said it was always a long-term aim to get charity status, as the group felt the development of Denfield would help the community. The Trust wanted to be as pro-active as possible to ensure this happened.

"It’s one of the major assets,” he said. “One of the reasons we took over the park and took the whole lease was because Denfield is a hidden gem. So many people in Kirkcaldy and locally do not know it exists. Until recently, it didn’t have a postcode. We got that allocated after putting wifi into the pavilion. It was just in the backwater and the park itself has huge potential. We want to be part of the development of Denfield Park, along with our partnership football teams as well.”

Having charity status would help with funding and assist everybody in the long term, said Mr Cameron, but the process would take a considerable time. “The next step is to set up the trustees – we have a number of trustees already lined up from members of the partnership, as well as putting together trustees and setting out exactly what their responsibilities will be.”

The Trust had around 16 teams connected with Kirkcaldy United and Kirkcaldy FC and, between them, including committees, over 300 people were involved. Mr Cameron said the senior football club would be hoping for a full Scottish FA licence, which would mean an enclosure and possibly floodlighting, while it was hoped to turn an unused ash park at Denfield into a proper facility. But no decisions were likely until various reports and suggestions had been received, he added.