Where did the Trust originate from?

From 1980 to 1986, Ron Edwards (present trustee), in his capacity as Chief Chemist for the Forth River Purification Board (precursor of SEPA) worked with Alcan (now British Alcan Aluminium Ltd,  a subsidiary of Rio Tinto Alcan) to remove the pollution from Kinghorn Loch. This severe pollution was caused by caustic leachate from Whinnyhall Landfill getting into the loch.   A containment system was in place by 1983 and the loch improved rapidly, but was blighted with blooms of blue-green algae.

In 1996 Kinghorn Community Council set up a Kinghorn Loch Action Group to deal with the blooms and this developed into Kinghorn Loch Users Group (KLUG) by 1999. Many of the user groups involved in KLUG helped form CRCT in 2011 and a Loch Users Group continued as a committee of CRCT until it merged into an informal Projects and Loch Users Group.  Barley Straw treatment started in 1999 using rafts designed by the Trust.  The continuing barley straw treatment has been completely successful in eliminating blooms.

The Pathways Group of the same community council helped to deal with path problems and worked with Fife Council and the community councils of Burntisland and Aberdour to plan the network of Core Paths that now criss-cross the countryside. In 2010 the incoming community council dispensed with the services of its pathways committee and Kinghorn Pathways was born, joining the Trust in 2011.

The Trust retains a projects group to co-ordinate loch users, pathways and its walking group, but is joined by dedicated bird watchers and those enjoying the flora and fauna that abounds in this unspoilt place. The Trustees are keen to attract succession from our many Friends of CRCT, to ensure that the Trust continues in a sustainable manner well into the future.

The Trust provides a diverse range of presentations for Friends, together with Come & Try, a fundraising summer BBQ, Walking Festival and the Photographic Competition for the annual meeting. We communicate with Friends through regular newsletters and the website and regular newspaper reports for the wider public.

Projects Group.

The informal ‘Loch Users & Projects Group’ (projects group) of CRCT incorporates three specific groups that joined the Trust in 2011, being Kinghorn Loch Users Group, Kinghorn Pathways and the Walking Group. The projects group is an informal gathering of watersports groups and individuals interested in helping the Trust to improve facilities on the loch for the groups, wildlife and the environment and to improve and maintain the pathways and general ecology and environment within the area of interest of the Trust and also has a Walking Group that organises walks on a fortnightly (during the summer) or monthly (during winter) basis and has organised three Walking Festivals.

Contact: Ron or Marilyn on info@craigencalttrust.org.uk

Governance.

The main strategic document of the Trust is the Link Path Strategy.  The strategy is to develop a network of paths along a main core of a path that leaves the Fife Coastal Path at Burntisland and re-joins at Kinghorn.  To this are added a number of circular walks and connecting walks to other places, giving an extensive network that crosses few main roads.  The intention is to provide accessible walks that comply with disabled access guidance of the Fieldfare Trust, giving suitable walks for disabled users, families with buggies, runners, cyclists and horse-riders.

It is very much the intention of the Board of Trustees to engage Friends in a discussion of just what the Trust should do and how to do it.  It is not intended that the Trust will employ staff  but will engage in capital projects that can be funded from various sources but maintained from the Trust's own resources.

It is set up as a Company Limited by Guarantee not having any share capital and is a Scottish Charity regulated by OSCR. The Articles of Association of Craigencalt Rural Community Trust describe how the Trust is set up and how it is to be governed. The charity cannot pursue any activities for personal gain and has to undertake projects and operations in order to fulfil its charitable purpose The Articles describe the Charitable Purposes under which the Trust is run. 

The Charitable Purposes of the Trust ("the Charitable Purposes") are:

● to conserve, regenerate and improve the environment, ecosystem (flora, fauna and fish) and biodiversity of, in and related to the Craigencalt area, including Kinghorn Loch and surrounding countryside, by seeking to establish, develop, manage, promote and where relevant integrate, social, environmental and economic policies relating thereto, including the aim of designation of the loch as a Local Nature Reserve;

● to educate the public in relation to the heritage and culture of the Craigencalt area, including Kinghorn Loch and surrounding countryside; 

● to promote and carry out research relating to the sustainable management and development of the Craigencalt Area, including Kinghorn Loch and surrounding countryside (where “sustainable management and development” means management and development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs);

● to advance community development and participation within the area, to include encouraging appropriate businesses, traditional skills and methods of working and living sustainably and healthily, through workshops, courses and physical projects;

● to promote and develop non-powered amateur water sports such as canoeing and sailing and other recreations such as walking, cycling, bird watching and fishing in the Craigencalt area, including Kinghorn Loch and surrounding countryside;

● to provide recreational facilities, or organise recreational facilities, to encourage greater public participation in recreational pursuits at Craigencalt, including Kinghorn Loch and surrounding countryside. 

Our Patron:

Hamish Brown.

We are delighted that Hamish Brown is our Patron. He has done so much for the area and is still so active.  Hamish is a well-known local figure, as an author of many books about Scotland and his 'curiosities' and beloved Munro peaks.  He is especially known locally for his book guide on ‘The Fife Coastal Path’. He is a familiar figure around Craigencalt for his planting of snowdrops over many years, and he continues to enjoy regular walks in the area. Hamish is a great asset to the Trust and is keen to assist in any way he can.

At present Hamish is giving a series of talks to the Trust on the Fife Coastal Path. These are so popular and generate so many questions and discussion, that he has only reached Leven so far!

Our team (2024)

Board of Trustees

Chair:

Alasdair MacIver,

11 Queen Margaret Street, Kinghorn, KY3 9SP.

Tel: (01592)891362.

Email: admin@craigencalttrust.org.uk

Alan Henderson

Anne Smith

Marilyn Edwards

Paul Williams

Ron Edwards

Email: info@craigencalttrust.org.uk

Ron Smith

Other officers

Treasurer:

Rena Wallace,

18 Templars Crescent, Kinghorn,

KY3 9XS.

Telephone (01592)891179.

Company Secretary:

Ron Edwards,

Craigencalt Cottage, Kinghorn, Fife,

Scotland, KY3 9YG.

Tel: 07740 999514

Email: info@craigencalttrust.org.uk

These are just the Trustees - we hope you will join as a Friend of the Trust and get involved in discussion about what we want to do - and help do it!

These are just the Trustees - we hope you will join as a Friend of the Trust and get involved.

Annual Report.

Consult the 2022/2023 Annual Report.