Projects

Timetable

Every Second Monday	WESLO Welfare Rights Officer	9am-12pm
Every Tuesday	Blackburn and Seafield Credit Union	10:30-11:30am
Thursday	Digital Inclusion Mentors	10am to 12pm (Appointment only)
Monday to Friday	Use of computers and signposting service	9am-12pm 12:30-14:50 (9am -12pm on Friday)
Tuesday to Friday	Citizen’s Advice Bureau	9am-12pm 12:30-14:50 (9am -12pm on Friday)

WESLO Welfare Rights Officer

This is for any WESLO tenant who needs extra support in accessing the welfare system. Appointments can be made by contacting Ann Kerr at ann.kerr@weslohm.co.uk, drop in’s are also welcome.

Credit Union

The credit union’s aims are to:
-Encourage saving
-Provide loans at reasonable rates of interest
-Provide members with help and support on managing their financial affairs

Digital Inclusion Mentors

Digital inclusion mentors can help support you in accessing the digital world. This can include, creating and updating CV’s, applying for employment, accessing the welfare system, accessing bills online and more general IT support.

To book call our office on 01501 748708  or drop in to the office at 61 West Main Street for an appointment

Aspiring West Lothian

WCDT was part of a consortium of voluntary organisations in West Lothian who were successful in applying for the European Social Fund Aspiring Communities Fund. This allowed each of the five areas to employ a full time development worker for 18 months. The main aims of each development worker is to help support their organisation and other local groups to develop projects for the community. Within his time here our development worker David has been involved in supporting and developing many projects for the community.

Friends of Polkemmet

The Friends of Polkemmet group https://en-gb.facebook.com/friendsofpolkemmet/ are a group of volunteers who would like to help improve the park by having work party sessions where members of the community are welcomed to help improve areas of the park by cutting back vegetation. The group are also keen to support other events within the park as well to attract more members of the community to visit and use the facilities their local park offers.

We were successful in securing £1000 for Friends of Polkemmet through Forth Rivers Trust RiverLife’s community grant scheme. In the beginning of December we were out all weekend using willow weaving and willow pegs to protect about 40m of the river bank at Polkemmet Country Park from further corrosion.

A big thank you for all the volunteers who turned up to help out, it was a massive achievement over the 3 sessions! The friends of Polkemmet are finished for the year and will have a meeting in January to discuss our projects for next year.

If you would be like to be involved in the Friends of Polkemmet group then please get in touch with our development worker on david@whitburncdt.org.uk or 01501 748708

Whitburn Youth Project

David has been working in Partnership with pupils at Whitburn Academy to organise and deliver a community ceilidh which took place on Sunday the 3rd of February 2019 at Whitburn Juniors Football Club, the event was highly successful and enjoyed by all that attended. The Bass Rock Ceilidh Band were fantastic and had everyone on their feet all night.

Walking Football

Our Development worker secured funding from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to be able to deliver weekly walking football sessions in partnership with West Lothian Youth Foundation which means that these weekly sessions are free to participate in.

These sessions are every Thursday morning at Whitburn Community Centre from 10.30 to 11.30 and participants are welcome to stay afterwards for a chance to catch up whilst having a cup of tea and a biscuit.

CAB Financial Inclusion Project

We have a dedicated citizen advice worker based in our office. Anyone can make an appointment or drop in to see Alison who is available Tuesday to Friday in our office.
To make an appointment contact Alison on 07784043091 or 01506 436132 or contact her by email on Alison.Murray@CABWestLothian.casonline.org.uk

Community Garden

We are also looking into the possibility of bringing a part of unused land into community use by turning it in to a community garden where we will aim to grow fresh produce for our local foodbank. This is another project that is in the process of being developed and we will keep you up to date.