The Penicuik Community Development Trust (PCDT) is a charity (SC037990) and was set up as a company limited by guarantee (SC 380626) in June 2010.
Its charitable aims are to benefit principally the community of Penicuik, postcode EH26, by actions to:
- Advance community development
- Advance education
- Advance arts, heritage, culture and science
- Make available facilities for recreation and other leisure activities
The Penicuik Library of Things (PLoTs) is one of the PCDT’s newest ventures, following on directly from the Carbon Challenge project.
The longest running ventures, on the other hand, were started to encourage widespread community use of the Cowan Institute, also known as Penicuik Town Hall. The building was gifted to the community, but it is an expensive building for Midlothian Council to maintain. The PCDT run Saturday Open House exhibitions with conversation and delicious home-baking; and the Sunday evening Cinema shows in the Cowan Institute. These add weight to the case for retaining the Cowan Institute as a community building.
The PCDT owns the Pen-y-Coe Press, 7 Bridge Street. Volunteers continue to run the long-established stationery and print services shop here. Surplus generated by the shop funds the operation of the charity.
Another of the PCDT activities is the new community garden group. It has been formed by people keen to regenerate and replace the “Lost Garden” with newly found gardens, starting in a corner of the public park.
PCDT volunteers have opened Scotland’s only museum to paper making in what was the paper store of the Pen-y-Coe Press at 1 Bridge Street. A female entrepreneur, Agnes Campbell, is said to have established the town’s first paper mill in 1707. The industry grew fast, driven by the Cowen family and their huge paper mills, until Penicuik was known world-wide as “the paper town”. The last mills closed within living memory; and the museum is a testament to Penicuik’s long and proud role at the centre of an international business.
The entire PCDT is 100% volunteer run. We are always evolving, always looking to collaborate and encourage community development and always ready to welcome new members!