Twenty days to raise three grand
MY Adventure’s race against time to raise funds
MY Adventure, Muirhouse Youth Development Group’ social enterprise arm, is using crowfunding site Crowdfunder.co.uk to try to raise £6000 for essential repairs to their very own Borders bothy. With twenty days to go, they’re halfway there – but if they don’t reach their target they receive NOTHING.
MY Adventure’s Jonny Kinross gives some good reasons why you should pledge your support:
‘We believe in beautiful idyllic peaceful and natural wilderness spaces being accessible to everyone – Towford is just that.’
For many years now registered Muirhouse Youth Development Group (MYDG) and its Social Enterprise MY Adventure have been looking to secure a building, a bothy, a place that people can get away to and relax in – that is basic, comfortable and affordable. A place where young children can play safely but adventurously in the outdoors, exploring Scotland’s natural heritage with their families and friends. A place where teenagers can get away from pressures and learn new skills. A place where groups of adults can build friendships but enjoy space to themselves.
Towford Outdoor Centre, near Jedburgh, set in the beautiful remote yet accessible Scottish Borders, is the place we have been seeking.
Towford Outdoor Centre lies in the upper Kale Valley, on the northern slopes of the Cheviot Hills and has been lent to MYDG absolutely free, initially for 10 years but for the longer term if we can sustain it and assure our landlord that people are using it.
Towford was formerly an Outdoor Education centre until it closed in 1996. Before that, it was a school from 1876 to 1964.
The school log reads on June 30th 1964: ‘Today is the last day of Towford School. We have closed today and will not be returning’. Let’s return to this building a playful spirit and keenness to learn about the natural world, each other and ourselves!
You couldn’t find a better location for a Centre as Towford. Feeling remote but a mere 15 minutes from Jedburgh, the area contains an abundance of features of educational interest, quite apart from its out-standing potential for hill-walking and the beautiful conservation grade grounds. The area is typical of the Scottish Cheviot country, with its rolling hills and wide valleys, clear streams, shelterbelts and rich grazings.
The widely scattered hamlets and hill-farms are linked by narrow, winding roads, little used but essential to settlement in the area. Roman remains, along with standing stones, hill forts, cultivation terraces and the like all add to the educational potential of the area. This area and this building with your help can make an outstanding contribution to the lives of many children, groups, adults and communities.
Why are we crowdfunding?
The building has been empty and unused for 17 years. It urgently needs some heating and a rewire if it is to survive its first winter in our care. We also seek to make it more sustainable and more importantly more accessible to people with disabilities. Many of the old systems are now considered unsafe. The roof needs patching and the grounds have become hugely overgrown and inaccessible. We have a fantastic community of volunteers who can provide the labour (we are of course always looking for more, especially people with trade’s experience). However, funds are needed specifically to:
- Put in a wood burning stove
- Re-wire the building
- Replace two windows
- Up-grade the Shower/toilet block – making it accessible to people with disabilities
Crowdfunding is the best way to fund this project because we can offer amazing incentives (see below) including use of the building once it’s fully operational. We also need the funding urgently to complete the essentials for Towford to survive the Scottish winter.
Rewards – What you get for your pledges
Exclusive to TIC TOC Backers
Pledge £5 or more – Your name (or a dedication) on the ‘wall of supporters’ in the Centre and on the website. You get this for all the other pledges
Pledge £10 or more – A unique ‘TIC TOC ! Time for MY Adventure’ snap band
Pledge £20 or more – a Commemorative ‘Key to Towford’
Pledge £25 or more – A designer TIC TOC T –shirt
Pledge £50 or more – A Tandem cycle hire for a day for two people (and 2 ‘TIC TOC Time for MY Adventure’ snap bands) – making this a fantastic unique Christmas or Birthday Gift !
Pledge £60 or more – A Scroll of an extract from the original Towford School Log book (dating back to the 19th Century)
Pledge £75 or more – A Limited Edition Print of an original painting of the Centre in its grounds (framed and posted) with a certificate of appreciation for your support
Pledge £100 or more – A 2 hour Archery Session for 12 people – a fantastic Christmas Gift, birthday party or work celebration – competitive, fun, enjoyable for all ages and abilities!
Pledge £120 or more – for a Family Weekend self-catering at Towford – enjoying the beautiful Scottish Borders!
Pledge £250 or more – A half day Family or Group Day out (Mountain Biking, Coasteering, Canoeing, Canyoning for 6 people) – as adrenaline rushing or relaxed as you wish!
Pledge £500 or more – A self-Catering weekend at Towford with an activity for up to 30 people! Tonnes of hills, a warm fire, isolated setting with the freedom to explore!
Pledge £600 or more – Your Company or Dedication details engraved onto a traditional wooden Bench
Pledge £1000 or more – A Dynamic Team Building Day (Wet/Dry/high-low impact) Activity of your choice and a plaque with your company details inscribed upon it – acknowledging your support
Pledge £6,000 or more – An idyllic water feature named after you and no one else for ever! (set in Towford’s beautiful 17 acre gardens).
Your pledge will benefit many people from all different walks of life. The organisations who have already stated that they will use this fantastic facility is huge and includes groups who organise or fund:
- Family Respite breaks
- Parenting – family strengthening groups
- Alternatives to Crime Projects
- Self-Directed Support – personal breaks or activities
- Affordable Family Holidays
- Youth work residentials
- Schools and college field trips
- Duke of Edinburgh groups
- Employability groups and ready-for-work programmes
- Conservation Charities
- Courses, Therapies and retreats
We are a ‘hands-on’, ‘can-do’ social enterprise that look for creative and sustainable ways of changing young people’s lives – we do this on a daily basis. We can organise huge teams of volunteers – we have successfully done so on many projects – and this keeps costs down to a minimum (materials & technical advice only).
Due to this tremendous social capital your pledge will go far beyond how you imagined – making a huge difference to the long term prospect of this wonderful building becoming the source of so many positive memories and life-changing experiences.
Please pledge generously and remember – we’re not asking for something for nothing: you, your friends and family will love the rewards for your pledges that are exclusive to TIC TOC backers.
You have the opportunity to help create something that will benefit thousands of people every year – year on year.
Convinced? If you’d like to pledge your support to MY Adventure’s project go to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/towford
Local people keen to have their voice heard by their MSP and the Scottish Parliament can discover how to run a social media campaign, secure media stories on the issues that affect them, petition the Parliament and even hold their own Holyrood event, by attending a conference at Dumfries’ Easterbrook Hall on Saturday 21 February.
