New Year Message
Posted: Thu 01 Jan 2026 9:05 pm
The CCC would like to wish all Cairnryan Residents and supporters a very Happy New Year.
This year has been a year of highs and lows for the CCC. The highs include the events we have arranged including a Blue Monday Lunch for the over 60s, an Easter Egg Hunt for the children, a Summer BBQ for the whole family, a Halloween Party for the grown ups, and a Christmas Lunch for the whole village. We have put on events that ensure all age groups are included.
We’ve also negotiated a one off payment of £25,000 from SPR for the problems caused by the turbine deliveries. We’ve negotiated a significant annual grant from EDF-Re starting in mid 2027. We’ve continued the Winter Fuel Grant ensuring that all permanent resident households can claim £300 towards their winter fuel costs.
We’ve undertaken projects to consult the village on a whole range of topics including thoughts on establishing a Community Trust, views on McDonald’s, views on the play park, and many other topics. We have invited all residents in the village to have any Japanese Knotweed treated. We have liaised with a number of external companies and institutions including DGC, Foundation Scotland, Portbannis, Amey, Transport Scotland, the Police, Sleeping Giants, Community Enterprise, Galloway Fisheries Trust, JBB Knotweed Solutions, McDonald’s and its agents, SPR, EDF-Re, Energiekontor, Wind Estate, and Orsted.
We’ve worked with DGC on the Coastal Footpath, worked with Portbannis on the waterfront, Worked with Amey on speed restrictions, negotiated with several wind farms for community grants, worked with Foundation Scotland to re-write our agreement which was no longer fit for purpose. We have consulted the village on planning applications affecting the village, and have represented the majority view of the village.
It hasn’t all been plain sailing though. No matter how hard we work as volunteers, or how many achievements we make, we still face a lot of online hate comments and persecution from some local residents and their friends and family further away. We’ve faced xenophobia, aggression and online bullying from keyboard warriors. It seems that no matter how much effort we put into benefitting the village, there are still some that just want to attack, and yet those same individual won’t come to meetings, won’t volunteer their own time to help the village, and won’t join in social events. It seems that some people struggle with the idea that different people have different views, and just because someone has a different view, it doesn’t mean they should be attacked and vilified.
As we move into 2026, there is a lot more work for the CCC to do, although there will be changes. The CCC’s main role is predominantly lobbying on behalf of the village and responding to planning applications, so it will be limiting its activities to these core activities. It won’t be organising anymore social events, we’ve learnt by the response we’ve had that this isn’t wanted or appreciated by a loud sector of the village. Whilst this is a great shame for those that have attended and thanked us for our efforts, we have to consider proportionality, and the louder voice has proved demoralising for the CCC members. If a Community Trust is established, then that body will take on the organisation of social events, and will also look to manage the village hall along with other projects. The CCC is very eager to see if enough volunteers step forward to take on that challenge.
That all sounds a bit down, but we did want to highlight how demoralising and deflating it is for us to put in the time, effort and work in the face of such poor behaviour. With that said though, there are some really good and supportive folk in the village, and we’d like to mention them. Firstly, thanks to the individuals on the CCC who give up their own time to work for the benefit of the village. There are also a number of supporters who have helped with events and projects, and we thank them as well. We also wanted to extend a huge thank you to Cairnryan in Bloom, which has faced some challenges itself through the year, but has worked through these, gained some new members, and has kept the face of the village well kept and pretty for us in the village and for the visitors coming to the village. We very much hope that other residents in the village will be moved to help support and even join either the CCC or CiB. It’s the best way to discuss things respectfully, and have your say. We now have the online suggestion box too, which can be used to raise ideas to the CCC anonymously.
There’s lots to do this year, and we really need more help from you the village residents. We need you to show your pride and passion for our village, and we really need you to give some of your time to help with your own village where you live. That may be giving ideas, helping with projects, helping set up a community trust, or just attending CCC meetings.
We wish you all a very peaceful and prosperous new year, and very much look forward to hearing from you and seeing you through the year.
CCC
This year has been a year of highs and lows for the CCC. The highs include the events we have arranged including a Blue Monday Lunch for the over 60s, an Easter Egg Hunt for the children, a Summer BBQ for the whole family, a Halloween Party for the grown ups, and a Christmas Lunch for the whole village. We have put on events that ensure all age groups are included.
We’ve also negotiated a one off payment of £25,000 from SPR for the problems caused by the turbine deliveries. We’ve negotiated a significant annual grant from EDF-Re starting in mid 2027. We’ve continued the Winter Fuel Grant ensuring that all permanent resident households can claim £300 towards their winter fuel costs.
We’ve undertaken projects to consult the village on a whole range of topics including thoughts on establishing a Community Trust, views on McDonald’s, views on the play park, and many other topics. We have invited all residents in the village to have any Japanese Knotweed treated. We have liaised with a number of external companies and institutions including DGC, Foundation Scotland, Portbannis, Amey, Transport Scotland, the Police, Sleeping Giants, Community Enterprise, Galloway Fisheries Trust, JBB Knotweed Solutions, McDonald’s and its agents, SPR, EDF-Re, Energiekontor, Wind Estate, and Orsted.
We’ve worked with DGC on the Coastal Footpath, worked with Portbannis on the waterfront, Worked with Amey on speed restrictions, negotiated with several wind farms for community grants, worked with Foundation Scotland to re-write our agreement which was no longer fit for purpose. We have consulted the village on planning applications affecting the village, and have represented the majority view of the village.
It hasn’t all been plain sailing though. No matter how hard we work as volunteers, or how many achievements we make, we still face a lot of online hate comments and persecution from some local residents and their friends and family further away. We’ve faced xenophobia, aggression and online bullying from keyboard warriors. It seems that no matter how much effort we put into benefitting the village, there are still some that just want to attack, and yet those same individual won’t come to meetings, won’t volunteer their own time to help the village, and won’t join in social events. It seems that some people struggle with the idea that different people have different views, and just because someone has a different view, it doesn’t mean they should be attacked and vilified.
As we move into 2026, there is a lot more work for the CCC to do, although there will be changes. The CCC’s main role is predominantly lobbying on behalf of the village and responding to planning applications, so it will be limiting its activities to these core activities. It won’t be organising anymore social events, we’ve learnt by the response we’ve had that this isn’t wanted or appreciated by a loud sector of the village. Whilst this is a great shame for those that have attended and thanked us for our efforts, we have to consider proportionality, and the louder voice has proved demoralising for the CCC members. If a Community Trust is established, then that body will take on the organisation of social events, and will also look to manage the village hall along with other projects. The CCC is very eager to see if enough volunteers step forward to take on that challenge.
That all sounds a bit down, but we did want to highlight how demoralising and deflating it is for us to put in the time, effort and work in the face of such poor behaviour. With that said though, there are some really good and supportive folk in the village, and we’d like to mention them. Firstly, thanks to the individuals on the CCC who give up their own time to work for the benefit of the village. There are also a number of supporters who have helped with events and projects, and we thank them as well. We also wanted to extend a huge thank you to Cairnryan in Bloom, which has faced some challenges itself through the year, but has worked through these, gained some new members, and has kept the face of the village well kept and pretty for us in the village and for the visitors coming to the village. We very much hope that other residents in the village will be moved to help support and even join either the CCC or CiB. It’s the best way to discuss things respectfully, and have your say. We now have the online suggestion box too, which can be used to raise ideas to the CCC anonymously.
There’s lots to do this year, and we really need more help from you the village residents. We need you to show your pride and passion for our village, and we really need you to give some of your time to help with your own village where you live. That may be giving ideas, helping with projects, helping set up a community trust, or just attending CCC meetings.
We wish you all a very peaceful and prosperous new year, and very much look forward to hearing from you and seeing you through the year.
CCC