Gatehouse Development Initiative has teamed up with five other groups from across Europe to develop a project designed to bring together older people, younger people and the wider community to share knowledge and help protect the local environment. The project will see older members of the community passing on traditional skills to young people and the community undertaking landscape management projects.

As Local Authorities withdraw from providing services across Europe, volunteer groups must step in, if key features of the local landscape such as core paths or, here at Gatehouse, the town hall garden, for example, are to be maintained.

The residents of Riverbank in Gatehouse are currently fundraising for a new play park for the young people as the current installation is over 25 years old and no longer fit for purpose.  The Dumfries and Galloway Council are no longer able to provide new play parks and it is up to the residents to fundraise, to design, and to procure their own playpark.  So far the intitial research has been carried out into what is needed, possible suppliers contacted and tenders received from the preferred suppliers.  A supplier has now been chosen and a range of equipment selected which the children would like to see in their new park. 

Strapping round the Rutherford monument is keeping it safe as strong winds, heavy rain and, more recently frost and snow test the structure.  Here are a few recent images of the monument in winter.  We would like to show more images of the monument.  If you have have images or memories, whether old or more recent which you would like to share, please send them to GDI@gatehouse-of-fleet.co.uk

With the strapping safely in place, restoration work on the Rutherford monument will begin in the spring when the weather is dry enough to take the scaffolding up to the monument and when the risk of high winds and frost has passed. In the meantime the Fleet Valley volunteers have continued to do excellent work clearing the paths to the monument. Research work is also ongoing for a trail leaflet and information boards for the Mill.

Gatehouse Horticultural Society 2017 Annual Show held on Saturday 26th August at Gatehouse Community Centre

Well what a show, a great turnout with lots of entries and new, and not so new, faces who came along with a great collection of exhibits.

The show was opened by the President Joe Proudlock who introduced Sara-Leigh Cain in his usual entertaining way, Sara-Leigh presented the trophies to the winners and thanked everyone for coming along and taking part.  A strong emphasis on working together as a community was made by Sara-Leigh to keep the vibrancy of Gatehouse going.

Will you help save the Rutherford monument?

The Rutherford monument at Gatehouse of Fleet is in urgent need of repair.  The top of the monument has become dislodged and if it is not restored soon it will collapse.  Erected by public subscription in 1842 the Rutherford monument commemorates the life and work of Samuel Rutherford the leading Scottish divine who was Minister at Anwoth between 1627 and 1639 before going on to become Professor of Divinity at St Andrews University and later Principal of St Mary’s College at the University. 

Rutherford’s great work Lex Rex was an attack on absolute monarchy, demanding that rulers should be subject to the law.  His work had a significant influence on the framers of the constitution of the United States of America.