Five-year action plan being launched to boost Hawick estate

Jan Pringle with survey volunteers, from left, Louise Brown, Kelly Notman and Kat Taylor.

A survey has been launched in a bid to find out how residents want their futures to map out from now until 2022.

A number of volunteers have been distributing surveys, going door to door throughout the estate to ensure that every household has a chance to have its say.

The survey and action plan are being carried out by Burnfoot Community Futures and its partners, and they are being paid for by cash from the Scottish Government’s Strengthening Communities Fund.

The survey will be used to help put together a community action plan for Burnfoot.

After all the surveys have been gathered in, a draft report will be presented on Sunday, May 7, with the publication of the action plan being earmarked for the summer.

The last Burnfoot action plan was prepared in 2006 and was used to help to gain grants for projects in the community, including the Burnfoot Community Hub.

Jan Pringle, manager of Burnfoot Community Futures, believes the latest survey could have a similarly positive impact.

Gathering all the information needed is a huge task as there are 3,000 people living in Burnfoot and 1,200 households to reach, but three-quarters of them have already received copies of the survey from volunteers and researchers.

Jan said: “It’s all about gathering community views and pulling it all together to publish the action plan.

“We want to listen to what the community has to say and then go away and do something positive about it.

“We are still very much in the gathering of information stage and there has no analysis of the findings yet.

“The last survey in 2006 led to the establishment of Burnfoot Community Futures.

“It was the survey then that brought us together as a community organisation, and I’m sure that this latest survey can have a similar impact.

“It helped us raise funds for projects in the community, including Burnfoot Community Hub, shop-front improvements, the development of Sleepy Valley Kids Park and the multi-use games area.

“Our new plan will be needed so we can continue to develop as a community in a way that benefits local residents.

“We want to know what people in Burnfoot think about their community and how they think it could be improved.”

All the information provided in the survey will remain anonymous.

Forms can be returned to the community hub or filled in online at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/BURNFOOT