Lunch time ZOOM meeting - 1pm - Kitty O'Connor Greener Kirkcaldy

On Thursday 16th September 2021 President Brian Johnson. took the chair as he welcomed 15 Club Rotarians and speaker Kitty O’Connor to our lunch time meeting held on ZOOM.

There were 5 apologies for nonattendance.

This week our speaker was Kitty O’Connor. Kitty initially joined Greener Kirkcaldy as a Board Member and joined the team in 2014. Kitty co-ordinates their energy events and energy volunteers and leads the Welcome Area in their building. Kitty enjoys visiting gardens for inspiration in her own and friends’ gardens. Greener Kirkcaldy is a community-led charity and development trust working on a local scale to benefit people and our environment. They would like to see a future where everyone is able to heat their home affordably, eat well, and tread more lightly on our planet. They work towards that by delivering projects to meet the needs and aspirations of local people: tackling fuel and food poverty, protecting, and enjoying the environment, and bringing the community together. They take a community development approach, supporting their members, volunteers, and the wider community to make Kirkcaldy a greener and fairer place to live. Anyone in the Kirkcaldy area can become a member. They have been working in Kirkcaldy since 2009 and currently employ 20 staff, have over 50 volunteers, and around 500 members. They are governed by a volunteer management committee, elected from their membership.  They hold various cooking workshops and courses in their new Lang Spoon Community Kitchen at 8 East Fergus Place to help people improve their cooking skills, reduce food waste, and eat local, seasonal food. Their building at 8 East Fergus Place also houses their office, an events space, small kitchen garden and bike borrowing scheme, and has a distribution point for Kirkcaldy Foodbank. They also run a community training garden at Ravenscraig Walled Garden where they host regular volunteer sessions, training, and events. They lead the Cosy Kingdom partnership providing a home energy advice service across Fife. So far, the partnership has helped over 3,000 homes in Fife keep warm and save money. Their building at 8 East Fergus Place is open: Monday – Tuesday 9.30pm – 4.30pm, Wednesday 12pm – 4.30pm, Thursday – Friday 9.30am – 4.30pm. They welcome you to visit and to find out more about what they do, book on to their events and activities, borrow a bike, find out about their volunteering opportunities, or book a home energy advise visit. They are independent but work closely with Fife Council and Home Energy Scotland, as well as local partners like Fife Community Food Project and Kirkcaldy Community Gardens & Allotments.

Wilna Roger gave the Rotary vote of thanks.

New member Chantal Mrimi advised that her birthday appeal for Aquabox had raised the £250 she had been looking for which she has agreed to match, so well done to Chantal and her supporters.

The previous week we had received an introduction from David Wright from Markinch, a Rotarian who has recently moved to the area from down south.

President Brian Johnson previously discussed our purchase of 500 shoeboxes and their use.

Our forthcoming fundraiser is this coming Sunday the 3rd of October from 2-5pm which will be our vintage afternoon tea to be held at Studio8 in Glenrothes with singing and dance routines.

This coming week Thursday 30th September at 6.30pm will be a fellowship evening meeting at the Gilvenbank Hotel with a meal.

If you were interested in supporting the community and international projects get in touch by Private message on The Rotary Club of Glenrothes Facebook page. You will be made most welcome.