High Kirk Dunoon

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The High Kirk a catalyst for change , a source of hope, & a hub of opportunity. SCIO SC053099

12/02/2025

The High Kirk Dunoon Sold: An Update from the Trustees

The Trustees of The High Kirk Dunoon SCIO regret to confirm that The High Kirk has now been sold.

Despite our tireless efforts and the overwhelming support of the community, we were unable to bring our vision to life. While this is deeply disappointing, we acknowledge that, for now, it was not meant to be.

At this time, we do not know the identity of the new owners or their intended plans for the building. However, we sincerely hope they recognise and respect The High Kirk’s profound history and cultural significance to Dunoon—a site of worship and gathering for over 600 years. Our wish is that they will honour its legacy and continue to maintain it as a vital community asset.

We want to take this moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to the local community. Your unwavering support, passion, and belief in our vision have meant everything to us. The outpouring of encouragement and determination from so many has been truly inspiring.

Although this chapter has come to an end, the need for community spaces in Dunoon remains. We encourage everyone to support the fantastic venues and organisations working hard to create the spaces our town needs for the future—venues such as Social 22, Burgh Hall, and many others who continue to foster opportunities for our community to come together, create, and thrive.

We will continue to explore ways to support the town and its future, and as always, we remain committed to the spirit of community-led development.

Thank you again for your steadfast support.

The Trustees of The High Kirk Dunoon SCIO

31/07/2024

We still have hope!

This week, we reached out to the General Trustees of the Church of Scotland to get an update on the future of the High Kirk, reaffirming again the desire to bring the building into community ownership.

Additionally, we have sent a letter to our friends and supporters at Cowal Kirk, via the Session Clerk, to be distributed it to all members, before any decision is made regarding the future of the High Kirk.

It's not over until the fat lady sings!

23/07/2024

**A Statement from the Trustees of The High Kirk Dunoon SCIO**

To our Community,

Though we have been quiet on social media, our dedication and efforts have been relentless behind the scenes.

Since establishing our SCIO earlier this year to transform The High Kirk into a vibrant community venue, we have tirelessly worked to set up our bank account, connect with expert consultants, and begin the challenging journey of securing funding. This endeavor has become increasingly competitive and difficult in the current environment.

Our Trustees have been balancing these tasks with personal challenges, health issues, family life, full-time work, and other volunteering commitments. Despite these obstacles, our resolve to see this project through has remained unwavering.

However, we regret to inform you that, despite our best efforts and the support of our friends at Cowal Kirk, the General Trustees of The Church of Scotland have proceeded with a public sale of The High Kirk. This decision has garnered significant global interest, resulting in several firm offers.

Cowal Kirk had requested an extension of the sales process until the end of September. Unfortunately, the General Trustees have set a firm deadline of Friday, 26th July 2024, a date communicated to Cowal Kirk just within the past 24 hours.

Regrettably, this timeline makes it highly unlikely that we will be able to raise the £60,000 required to purchase the building within such a short period.

This news is devastating for us as Trustees, our community, and the heritage of Dunoon. The High Kirk, a site linked to worship for over 600 years, holds significant historical and cultural value. We cannot predict the future plans of the potential buyers, but given its Grade B listed status and location in a conservation area, any development will take time, risking the building's deterioration in the meantime.

We are deeply disappointed by the General Trustees' decision, which, to our knowledge, lacks a valid reason for ignoring Cowal Kirk's wishes. The General Trustees, with substantial financial assets declared in their latest accounts, have chosen to pursue a commercial sale rather than supporting the overwhelming wishes of their congregation and our community.

This unfortunate situation underscores a broader issue: organisations outside Cowal are prioritising profit over the nurturing and support of community groups. These decisions often ignore how local assets can be transferred into community hands for the greater benefit of our residents, rather than serving private or commercial interests.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Cowal Kirk for their unwavering support and to our local community for standing behind our vision. If we manage to navigate this challenging situation, we are confident that we will have your continued support.

We are currently reflecting and exploring our next steps. We remain committed to transparency with you, our community.

Your thoughts, prayers, and support are deeply appreciated. We will provide further updates once we have determined our way forward.

With gratitude and hope,

The Trustees of The High Kirk Dunoon SCIO

13/05/2024

Are you the partner we are looking for?

We are at an exciting time in our journey and are now looking for Proposals from Consultants to support us on the next leg of our journey.

If you have experience supporting third-sector organisations develop compelling business plans, conducting community engagement and coordinating critical surveys of historical assets we want to hear from you.

To request the tender document simply Private Message us or email us at [email protected].

11/02/2024

Feedback, input and ideas from our community is an integral part of how we see the High Kirk being successful, and we're keen to share the insights we've been getting with you all.

Climbing Walls and Roller Skating are featuring heavily in the input from young people in Cowal so far: Drop a 👍 if you're ready to scale the heights, or a ♥️ if you're more into gliding around on wheels.

Don't forget, you can still share your views with us. We'll drop the link in the comments below!

01/02/2024

We might have been quiet on the socials since our big announcement, but that doesn't mean we haven't been busy behind the scenes.

Today, we're delighted to confirm that The High Kirk Dunoon is officially a registered charity. We've also been starting discussions with funders to get the ball moving - these conversations can now pick up the pace having bagged our charitable status.

We're still seeking the views and opinions of those in the local community too, about how you wish to see the space used. If you've not already shared your thoughts, please do take the time to do so, via the link in the comments!

25/09/2023

📣 Calling all visionaries and creatives! 🌟

We're turning to YOU for inspiration and ideas! 🤩

What do you think the High Kirk should be like? 🏛️ How should it feel? 🤗 What should it sound like? 🎶

Your voice matters! Whether you're a young innovator, a parent, part of our vibrant community, or a local business owner, we want to hear from YOU! 🗣️

🕐 It only takes 10 minutes to make a big impact! 🕒

This is just the beginning - there's a lot more to come, but let's kickstart the journey together! 🚀

🔗 Find the survey here and be a part of something amazing: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/M8KRJ9Z 🌐

24/09/2023

📣 Our big announcement is out, and we can't wait to dive into this journey together! 🚀

Introducing our brand-new community hub, a place where YOU can be a part of our exciting updates and stay in the loop with all things related to the High Kirk! 🌟

💌 Don't miss out! Hit that "Sign Up" button at the top of the page to get exclusive updates and survey links delivered right to your inbox. Rest assured, your privacy is our priority – we'll never share your info or flood your inbox with spam. 🤝✉️

Let's connect, share, and make amazing things happen! 💪

Address

High Kirk
Dunoon
PA237DN

Website

http://www.highkirkdunoon.org/

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