Fifers are being asked to dig deep to back a vital community venue in its plans to build for the future.
The public will be able to show their support for Collydean Community Centre in Glenrothes with as little as 50 pence after it launched a Buy-a-Brick campaign to raise the final £50,000 needed to fund a major redevelopment of the building.
In a twist, the bricks will be made of paper and everyone who makes a donation will have their contribution preserved in a special time capsule which will be buried under the redeveloped site.
Centre manager Rose Duncan is calling on as many people as possible to support the fundraising initiative.
“We appreciate that people don’t always have money to support the usual £10-a-brick type of campaigns so adults can buy a brick for as little as £1 and just 50p for kids,” Rose explained.
“Local businesses can also show their support by buying a brick for £100 which will be a huge help in us reaching our fundraising target.”
Donors will be invited to write a message or colour in their paper bricks, which will be hung on the walls of the centre.
“We hope to sell enough to circle the whole building and every time the line reaches a new room there’ll be prize draw,” added Rose.
“Once we commence the redevelopment, every one of the paper bricks will be added to a time capsule which we will bury under the building.”
The Centre has already secured £194,000 towards the £250,000 refurbishment. As well as acting as a community hub, the venue offers a range of support for families and individuals suffering hardship or social isolation.
With plans for a wide-ranging refurbishment earmarked to start before the end of the year, Rose is confident residents and businesses will answer the fundraising call.
“We are now so much more involved in supporting the community on all sorts of levels but we have a building that is unfit to meet those ever growing demands,” said Rose.
“We have ambitious plans which will transform the centre and secure its future so we are urging anyone who can support us to do so.”
More information on how to buy a brick can be found at the Collydean Community Centre Facebook page or by visiting the centre in Torphins Avenue, Glenrothes.
