YOUR MORAY LATEST

New Training Calendar

This year's Community Capacity Building Training Calendar is about to be published with broad range of training opportunities on offer.

Action talks louder than Words

A report on a survey of Minority Ethnic Communities in Grampian carried out over the past year by the Grampian Racial Equality Council have been published.  The survey looks at the impact of Community Planning on such communities.

Call for Musicians to make their voices (and music) heard

Local young musicians are being invited to make their voices, and music, heard.  Work is currently underway to create a Youth Music Forum in Moray, representing the wealth of musical activity and talent based in the area.

Funded by the Scottish Arts Council, the forum is open to any music related organisation, group, band or individual who currently works or aspires to work with young people in the area.  Does your band need a new singer, or would your orchestra like to make a CD?  Do you want to share amps or instruments?  The forum could help put you in touch with the right people, so get involved.

Forum Facilitator Leigh-Anne Hepburn is currently gathering details of potential forum members.  The first forum meeting will be held on Wednesday 2nd July at the Loft, Keith from 7.00 - 9.00 pm and will feature live music sets from AMP and other local musicians.  Further forum meetings will be held in Buckie, Elgin and Forres over the coming year.

If you would like to get involved in the forum, or would simply like to pass on your thoughts and ideas for youth music activity in Moray, please contact Leigh-Anne on 07870 581132.

Health and Wellbeing Mapping Report

A report on the Moray Young People's Health and Wellbeing Mapping Exercise was launched recently.  The report highlights services available for young people in Moray - how accessible they are, who provides them etc.  It also flags up barriers to access and gaps in current provision.  The report has also been broken down by area.

Help with Rural Housing

The Moray Rural Housing Enabler is a new initiative aimed at developing practical solutions to local housing problems more..

Post Office Closure Consultation

Four Post Offices in Moray - in Elgin East End, Forres East End, Buckpool and Fife Keith - have been earmarked for closure under plans announced by Post Offices Ltd.  You are invited to respond to a consultation on the closures by the deadline of 8 July 2008.

New Three Year Plan

Grampian Fire and Rescue's new Three Year Plan and Community Risk Reduction Plan covering the period 2008-11 have recently been published.

Major Survey of Young People

People between 15 and 30 from across the Highlands and Islands and beyond are being urged to have their say in a major online survey launched this week to discover the deciding factors behind living and working in the region.  More information

Moray Careers 2008

This event will take place on Tuesday 24 June at Elgin Town Hall from 12 noon until 6.00pm. It will feature local career opportunities and course information in sectors like Admin, Construction, Engineering, Hospitality, Retail, Food & Drink and much more. Tel 0845 465 5627 for more details.

Discounts Galore

After 18 months of hard work and approaches to 600 local shops and businesses, the Dialogue Youth Discount Team, comprising young people from across Moray, has secured a grand total of 55 discount offers for Young Scot/Access Moray card holders. For a list of all the discounts available in Moray go to the Money Savers pages on the Young Scot Moray portal.

Youth Worker Survey

The More Choices, More Chances Strategy Group have launched a survey of key workers and practitioners in Moray who work, in any capacity, with young people aged 14 to 19. The survey seeks to gauge each individual worker's view of their own level of knowledge and experience. The results of this survey, along with other research undertaken by the Group, will help to shape the future work and priorities of the More Choices, More Chances Strategy Group and partners throughout Moray.

The survey should take a maximum of 10 minutes to complete.

Adult Learner Week

Find out what's happening during this year's Adult Learning Week from 17-23 May. Loose Ends are holding an open doors session.

Open Space Strategy

The Council is looking for feedback on the key issues important to the provision and management of open space in Moray, prior to a public consultation later in the year... more info.

Vandalism Wrecks Communities

A new initiative to cut the cost of vandalism throughout Moray has recently been launched by Grampian Police.  This includes a new text message number - vandal 07739 934444 - to report anonymously any acts of vandalism spotted.  For more information please see the press release (PDF Document) and poster

Healthpoint Review Consultation

The NHS Grampian Healthpoint, based at 239 High Street, Elgin, is a walk in service which offers free and confidential health advice from trained staff on a wide range of topics.

The location of Healthpoint is under review - please click on this link to access the online questionnaire, which will inform us on how we can best deliver this service within Moray.

Sport Po Angielsku

A pilot project aimed at Polish families within Elgin is in its final stages helping families access sports and language facilities within the area.  The project began in November 2007 in response to research that indicated problems in this area for new residents from Poland.  Sport po Angielsku was launched with the emphasis on learning as a family, and giving parents the skills and confidence to take an active role in helping their children enjoy life locally.  Read More

School Travel Awards 2008
A large and enthusiastic audience at the Laichmoray Hotel saw a number of local schools win GO awards for a range of initiatives to promote active travel to and from school. A photo-montage of the event has been put together.

Walk Moray Launch
The launch of this important initiative to improve the health and well-being of the people of Moray takes place on Monday 14 April at the Gallery, Elgin Library (and thereafter in the Cooper Park.

WalkMoray is a partnership project jointly funded by NHS Grampian, Paths to Health, Forestry Commission Scotland, The Moray Council and the Cairngorms National Park Authority. WalkMoray aims to improve the health of communities in Moray through a structured programme of community health walks led by trained local volunteer walk leaders. This is a key element in Moray's contribution to Scotland's Physical Activity Strategy - Let's Make Scotland's More Active and also to Moray's strategy, Living an Active Life.

The recent Scottish Government HEAT target advises that 50% of all adults (aged 16 plus) should build up at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on five or more days per week. WalkMoray's health walk scheme would enable and support Moray to achieve this specific target.

Area Forum and Youth Voice Updates
The latest quarterly updates from each of the 8 Local Community Planning areas are now available.

Local Community Planning Conference 
The final report on the conference at Lhanbryde Community Hall on 28 January is now available. The analysis of participant feedback has indicated a high level of satisfaction with the event.  Event slides and photographs are available here.

New Mobile Police Office
A new Mobile Community Police Office has taken to the roads of Moray bringing policing services directly into the local community.

Working Together for a Healthier Grampian 
On Tuesday 18th March Jobcentre Plus, NHS Grampian and the Scottish Government are holding a conference at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre for senior staff in health, social work and employability.  More...

The Moray Forum
The Moray Forum, an important element of Local Community Planning structures in Moray, is now fully operational. At its last meeting key office bearers were appointed. Eddie Brewster, Chair of Speyside Area Forum, agreed to become Chair of the Moray Forum and Marianne Mitchell, Chair of Keith Area Forum, took on the role of Vice Chair.

The main purpose of the Moray Forum is to provide a direct link between the 8 Area Forums and the Community Planning Partnership. It also provides the Partnership with collective feedback from the Area Forums and enables key issues common to all Area Forums to be shared with a view to establishing a Moray-wide perspective on these. 

A further important function of the Moray Forum is to represent the views of the Area Forums on the Partnership's Steering Group through two nominated representatives. At the last Forum meeting Harry Torry, Chair of Elgin North Area Forum and Barry Taylor, Chair of Buckie Area Forum, were appointed as these representatives and will attend their first meeting of the Steering Group in the Council Headquarters on 13 March.

Have your Say on New Funding Opportunity

View Invitation and further information here.  Slides from event available here

Training Opportunities for Young People
The More Choices, More Chances Strategy Group has developed with partners a timetable of activities aimed at young people which are to be delivered twice a week over the month of March. These sessions will be targeted at Young People aged 16 - 17 who are currently not in employment, education or training.  Read more

Community Food Initiative - new initiative in Moray
Community Food Initiatives North East (CFINE) is a company, registered as a charity which aims to improve health and well-being by improving diet and supporting volunteers through charitable activities.  CFINE are keen to make contact/partnerships with interested individuals/groups and organizations.  See postcard and further information.

Moray Council Fundraising Seminar
This seminar on Tuesday 26 February from 9.45 - 4.00 in Elgin Town Hall provides an excellent opportunity to meet a range of potential funders - the new Moray Funding website will also be launched.

Citizens' Panel 
The report of the latest survey around the theme of Investing in Children and Young People is now available.

European Funding Task Group 
A European Funding Task Group has been set up to oversee a bid from the Community Planning Partnership to the new Highlands and Islands European Funding programme. The Group, comprising key partner representatives, is investigating a series of capital and training projects in the West Moray area with a view to putting together a £3m package to meet the imminent tight deadline of mid-February. 

Local Community Planning Conference 
The conference, which took place on the evening of Monday 28 January in Lhanbryde Community Hall, was attended by over 100 stakeholders, including Area Forum members, Local Workers Group representatives, Elected Members and representatives of the Community Planning Partnership. A full report on the conference and the outcomes of the workshop sessions will be available soon on the Your Moray site. Feedback received thusfar has been positive.

European Funding Opportunity
The Moray Community Planning Partnership is currently putting together a bid for funding from the new European Funding Programme for the Highlands and Islands. This covers West Moray ie Forres and Speyside areas only. There would be scope within such a bid to include projects being taken forward by village halls in the eligible area. The criteria for any funding bid is very strict - it cannot include refurbishments or repairs to halls or assistance with running costs. Any proposal would need to involve a major upgrade of hall premises (or extension), perhaps to enable a social enterprise to be started up or renewable energy systems to be installed. If you think you have a project, which may be eligible to be considered as part of any funding bid, please get in touch with Reni Milburn, the Council's Principal Development Officer (tel: 01343 563425, email: reni.milburn@moray.gov.uk) as soon as possible.

English for Speakers of Other Languages
The Community Learning and Development Partnership and Moray College have come together to offer a Support Programme for Moray residents who do not have English as their first language. As part of the Programme small grants are available to community groups - click here for an application form.

Calling All Polish Families
A sport and language course for Polish families is starting on 8 November in Moray College. (24/10/07)