Calor Scottish Community of the Year Awards 2005
Press Release

Muirkirk Enterprise Group receives commendation
at Calor Scottish Community of the Year Awards

Muirkirk Enterprise Group has been commended in the Environment, Business and Older People categories of the Calor Scottish Community of the Year Awards 2005.

Representatives of the East Ayrshire community received commended certificates at an awards ceremony held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) and presented by Communities Minister, Malcolm Chisholm MSP, today, Thursday 8 December.

In total twenty-six short-listed communities attended the annual event, which this year attracted more than one hundred entries from communities spanning the length and breadth of Scotland.
Now in their eighth year, the awards encompass every aspect of Scottish life, providing communities with an opportunity to gain recognition and reward for its efforts. Their aim is to stimulate local people to take responsibility for their communities and enhance them for common good.

In determining the outcome of the awards, the judges sought best practices within community groups, which could be used as examples to others throughout Scotland.

“In just four years Muirkirk Enterprise Group has made significant progress in its effort to regenerate the village,” said Hamish Husband, Calor Scottish Community of the Year manager. “The community has undertaken a number of ambitious environmental projects including the twenty year lease of two community plantations various walks and two heritage parks, all of which will be greatly enjoyed by locals, visitors and wildlife alike.

”Through a variety of initiatives the group has also encouraged several new businesses to the area. In such a short time the Muirkirk Enterprise Group has made fantastic in roads and should be justly proud of its achievements.”

Since launching in 1998 the awards, which are supported by Calor Scotland in association with Communities Scotland and backed by The Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC), The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Business in the Community (SBC) and The Robert Gordon University (RGU), have been entered by more than a third of all Scottish communities from the Borders to Shetland, as well as all the country’s major urban areas.

The award’s categories include environment, business, younger people, older people and community life, as well as a stand-alone award for community websites. Judging the awards were representatives of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Business in the Community (SBC), Communities Scotland, the Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC) and The Robert Gordon University and a Community Council Support Officer for a local authority.

For further information regarding the awards visit www.communityoftheyear.org.uk.

December 06 , 2005

Notes to editors:
Full lists of winners, highly commended and commended communities, are available on the Community of the Year website at www.communityoftheyear.org.uk
Photographs are available on request from

Ashley Ross
The PR Partnership
tel 01224 588900
Ashley@prpartnership.co.uk

For further information and pictures contact:
Ashley Ross
Awards Co-ordinator
tel 01224 588900
e-mail ashley@prpartnership.co.uk Ashley@prpartnership.co.uk

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