The Valencia Communities Fund Board continue their Scotland visit in East Scotland, after spending the previous day in the West.
The day started early with a 9am visit to Haddington Athletic Football Club, where an award from Valencia Communities Fund allowed the club to extend their playing hours with the installation of floodlights. The international-standard artificial pitch is extremely popular with players from all around East Lothian and beyond, including an expression of interest from Rangers to practise there! Friday afternoons are the busiest times for the club, with 50-80 children and young adults using the pitch for a nominal fee for impromptu games of football. Such is the popularity of the pitch, it is easy to attract players. It is proving harder to get them to leave again!
Still reeling from the display of skill from Ian, the Board and the Dunbar steering group left Haddington for Preston Mill; a historic, functioning watermill set in the beautiful environs of East Linton. The Board were given a guided tour of the three mill buildings by a knowledgeable member of National Trust for Scotland that brought to life the mill and the men who worked there. The miller's house, now an interpretation centre with help from Valencia Communities Fund, is full of interesting facts about the mill, including pictures of the floods, grinding stones for visitors to try their hand and adverts from the last miller from the 1950s.
From the traditional industry of milling to the beauty of the Scottish landscape, the Board and steering group made their way to Pease Dean Wildlife Reserve, near the border. We were taken on a walk around the reserve to view the access works carried out by Scottish Wildlife Trust with help from Valencia Communities Fund. Frequent heavy rain had washed away paths and bridges, leading to a lack of access to this picturesque reserve. SWT designed new bridges, raised above the level or the floods, along with a more hard-wearing path to protect the site from future destruction. After a short loop around the reserve, we made our way to the final visit of our trip.
With the sun shining, we set off to The Skateraw Project, located in the historic South East corner of Scotland, close to Dunbar. This area, home to the earliest human settlement in the British Isles, and site of the Battle of Dunbar, is steeped in history and natural beauty, inspiring archaeologists and artists alike to flock there for inspiration. Also flocking there are dozens of bird species, completing the area's reputation as an attractive destination for wildlife watchers. Met by the landowner and project leader, John Watson, the group was guided along the new footpath that runs from the access road onto the John Muir Walkway. We were treated to fine weather as we meandered along the path that led through three distinct habitats: farmland, woodland and the riverside.
Refreshed from the walk, the Board and steering group retired to the quarterly meeting, where the group were congratulated on distributing £2million in the locality. The meeting over, the Board thanked the group and Michael Cunningham for being excellent hosts, bringing an end to the Valencia Communities Fund Board's visit to Scotland.
