DEVELOPMENT TRUST

The Old Luce Development Trust (OLDT) is a development organisation that works with the community to improve the quality of life for residents of the Old Luce Parish.

The Old Luce Development Trust was formally constituted as a Company limited by Guarantee in June 2016. The membership of the company is open to all adult residents of the Old Luce Parish.

The company was formed in response to a community consultation undertaken in 2015, aimed at engaging the whole community to identify ways to improve the social and economic outcomes within the Old Luce Parish. The impetus was the community benefits from the surrounding wind farm developments. 

The community consultation and resultant action plan identified:

• significant socio-economic issues within the parish
• ageing population
• large wealth disparity
• high youth unemployment
• loss of services
• connectivity between communities
• increasing social disengagement

In addition there were common concerns of residents: the dilapidated state of the built environment; declining employment opportunities; and a need for community spaces where people can congregate. With these in mind the Trust has set priorities aimed at addressing these concerns, as well as fostering greater community cohesion and engagement.

The OLDT was founded with a set of clear objects that provide scope to invest in the community to build opportunities, and develop capacity to improve the social, built and natural environments. 

The Objectives that guide the work of the OLDT are:

• The advancement of community development, including the advancement of rural regeneration.
• The provision of recreational facilities, or the organisation of recreational activities, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the persons for whom facilities or activities are primarily intended.
• The advancement of citizenship, as a sub-set within the wider charitable purpose of the advancement of community development.
• The advancement of environmental protection or environmental improvements.
• The advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or sciences.

The Trust employs a small number of staff and relies heavily on willing volunteers. Please see our Recruitment and Volunteering Opportunities if you would like to get involved.