Cold' Comfort....Hostel? PLS help save affordable accomm in Borders

Angua2

Hiyas!

I don't know how many of us are aware - and I've only just found out - but the Youth Hostel network is being slowly and quietly eroded... The current economic crisis may serve to speed up the loss, sadly. The Scottish Youth Hostel Association is selling off its properties to consolidate, as I understand it, and to use the profits from the sale to help maintain and repair those properties they wish to retain (SYHA is not-for-profit with charity status, reports the Herald HERE).

The consequences for us - here as well as for a much wider public! - is that there will be fewer and fewer affordable options for accommodation when holidaying/touring Scotland. I'm a Youth Hostel-er of old (:eek: hmmm, showing my age here - hey ho, Markymoo did the maths for us on another thread! :rotfl: ) and I do so hope these great institutions, locations and facilities remain available to my child when it's his time to roam, exploring and delighting in our coasts, hills and woodlands.

A case in point is the Coldingham Sands Youth Hostel, situated in a beautiful bay down the eastern coast. When SYHA announced the sell off, the Coldingham community rose to the challenge, uniting to form a limited charitable company "to purchase the land and building for the long-term benefit of the community". You can read more about the CSCC HERE.

Today, I urge you to join me in support of the CSCC community right to buy-out of the Coldingham Sands Youth Hostel. It occurs to me - off the top of me head - that there are a number of ways you can do this:

1. If local: do please remember to vote in favour of the buy-out next week. You'll earn a big smooch, so form an orderly queue, pls, but you'll have to detour to get the smooch, as I'm not in Coldingham!

2. If a citizen/resident of Scotland - or the world at large - you might consider:

a) Making a donation towards their efforts [I am putting my money where my mouth is! ]

BTW, from the horse's mouth (ie the Coldingham Community Council):

If you feel that you would like to help our campaign by a donation, however small, then we would be delighted.

Also, you may have friends who have stayed at the hostel who might like to contribute. Please spread the word in any way you can as we have a limited period in which to raise the purchase price!

If you would like any further information, we would be glad to supply it.

Enquiries to 018907 71351 or email ar@1030.us

Cheques should be made out to: Coldingham Sands Community Company and sent to:- Elderbank West, High Street, Coldingham, TD14 5NL

Company No. 336722
Registered charity no. pending.
Application no.RS/STA/08-0615

My maths might have gone to pot, and pls correct me if I'm wrong, but if each resident of Scotland were to donate 10 p, the CSCC would more achieve its fundraising target! So g'wan, I challenge you! Invest a little now to save yourself lots in the future and not just in pounds and pence!!

b) Moral support [a FREEBIE!! ] could be offered as a letter of enquiry indicating interest in booking accommodation at Coldingham Sands YH for yourselves, your family, group, club, school.... sent to the Coldingham Sands Community Company (address provided above). My thought is that the CSCC could use such enquiries to demonstrate wider support and interest in their buy-out.

An email applauding their efforts :T would surely not go amiss either. [If my time/IT skills allow, I'll see if I can scare up an online-postcard thingy...]

THANK YOU ALL for reading this post and consider yourselves "spread" with the news of the CSCC's campaign.

I should make it plain that I am not affiliated with the CSCC, the SYHA or even live in the Borders. My stomping ground is East Lothian, and St Abb's Head is one of my favourite places to visit - puffins!!!!!!!