Maybole Community Social Enterprise is a partnership, managed by May-Tag Ltd, with the aim of developing new social enterprises across South Ayrshire, leading to increased employment opportunities for disadvantaged people across the area.
Maybole Community Social Enterprise has been awarded funding by Futurebuilders to assist the expansion of social enterprise activity in the area. The subsequent forthcoming social enterprise activity centres on two main areas; the restoration of the 16th century Maybole Castle and its development as a community resource, and secondly a multi-strand community woodlands project, encompassing environmental, educational and regeneration activity.
All of the above activity will be based either in Maybole Castle or the surrounding Casillis Estate.
Peter Walker of May-Tag said, "There is a tremendous opportunity here to rescue Maybole Castle and to make it the hub for a range of community and social enterprises."
Proposals for woodland-related social enterprises in the castle grounds include restoring and linking community woodland by a programme of natural regeneration and new planting. Other plans include extending public access by developing the potential for new walkways, particularly linking Maybole Castle to nearby Culzean Castle. These projects, together with the introduction of a community composting scheme, will be used to provide training and employment opportunities for long-term unemployed people in the area, as well as other people with a range of needs.
May-Tag envisages that as the community woodland programme develops it will also provide a sustainable source of timber, increased biodiversity and increased opportunity for outdoor recreation. Finally, there is a plan to establish a woodchip scheme to chip those trees which have no value, this woodchip then being used to fuel the castle's heating system.
The community woodland activity will involve schools and local groups as a means of promoting environmental education and awareness, while local people will be involved in the day-to-day management of the woods.
As managing partner in MCSE, May-Tag will take the lead in developing social enterprise activities in the area. The other partners involved are Cassillis Estates, Maybole Community Council, Maybole Historical Society, Maybole Community Association, and Maybole Business Association.
Further information from:
Peter Walker: peter.walker@may-tag.com
May-Tag Ltd, 48/50 High Street, Maybole, KA19 7BZ
Phone: 01655 883765, Fax: 01655 884022
