St Andrews conference invite for Pulteneytown People’s Project

THE chief executive officer of Pulteneytown People’s Project (PPP) will be delivering a workshop as part of a major three-day conference in St Andrews this weekend.

Katrina MacNab was invited to tell delegates at the EVH annual conference, Celebrating Our Communities, about the development of PPP and its range of services over the past 16 years.

EVH was formed more than 40 years ago from a small group of community-based housing associations in Glasgow. Now its membership stands at more than 150 organisations from all parts of Scotland, including social employers across the social enterprise and not-for-profit sectors.

Its conference is being held at the Fairmont hotel in St Andrews from Friday until Sunday.

“We were invited to talk about PPP and how we’ve got to where we are," said Mrs MacNab, who will be accompanied by PPP director Yvonne Hendry.

“I think in other areas of Scotland they look at us as a good model for a sustainable community organisation delivering services within the community."

PPP operates from the Pulteney Centre in Huddart Street, Wick. As well as offering training, a childcare department, a Care at Home service and housing support, PPP provides a host of activities and events for people of all ages.

It employs more than 50 staff and turnover in the last financial year was close to £1 million.

“The majority of housing associations will be at the conference and they are looking for ideas on how they can engage with community organisations," Mrs MacNab said. "I want it to be interactive so they can ask questions.

“The Scottish Government’s aim is that housing associations should have much more interaction with communities, but it’s a question of how they go about doing it.”

PPP is a social enterprise with all profits going back into the community and the facility.

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