Regenerate Oldmeldrum Royal British Legion

As the newly appointed Chairman of The Legion in Oldmeldrum, I am excited to share with you our vision for the future of this town centre building. The Legion has been an important part of our community for many years, providing the largest space in our local community for clubs, events, and socialization. Our building requires extensive regeneration, and we need your help to make it happen.

In 2022, the club was facing closure, but the community rallied together and voted to keep it open. As a result, a new committee was appointed, and we have been working hard to make improvements. Our recent Community Building Energy Audit, conducted by MW Clubb Architectural Designer and funded by Aberdeenshire Council, identified significant energy losses in the building. The audit showed that we are losing energy through:

Ventilation (34.7%)

Walls (34.4%)

Roof (15%)

Floor (10.6%)

Doors & windows (5.3%)

These energy losses have led to problems such as mould, damp, and condensation in certain parts of the building, which are a high priority to address for health, especially in light of a recent recommendation by English Housing regulators. We believe that addressing these issues through additional insulation and the installation of a heat recovery system for our commercial kitchen will bring the indoor average temperature from 14 to 19 degrees, making it a comfortable space for everyone.

We are looking to address these issues by implementing the Architectural Designer’s full recommendations, including the provision of additional insulation, the installation of a heat recovery system in the commercial kitchen, and the installation of a ground-source heat pump, which will allow us to discontinue the use of gas and reduce our carbon emissions. This could be expanded to a district ground source heat pump, providing heating to local businesses. These measures will also help us reduce energy costs by an estimated £16,000 per year, allowing us to extend our opening hours throughout the week and create more jobs in the local community.

Our building is an emergency resilience hub for the secondary school and care home, so it is essential that it is fit for purpose for years to come, especially for those with disabilities and health issues. Within The Legion, there is also a museum dedicated to our local heritage and military history, which provides an educational benefit to local school children. The Legion also hosts the local food bank and provides a weekly food delivery service to local elderly residents, along with the following activities:

Monday: Ladies Darts (In season)

Tuesday: Pilates, Pipe Band Practice, War Games Club, Grampian Motorcycle Club

Wednesday: Bingo

Thursday: Karate

Friday: Private Dance Lessons

Saturday: Bingo, Scottish Social Dancing on the 1st & 3rd of every month

Sunday: Pipe Band Practice

We believe that these changes will help reduce social isolation for the older population of the community and create a warm space in winter for those struggling with energy costs. It will also offer a workspace for flexible workers, supporting the reduction in social isolation and allowing local community members to work close to home.

By reducing our heating costs, we can extend our opening hours throughout the week, creating more jobs in the local community and attracting new groups and clubs. We need your support to make these changes happen and ensure that The Legion remains a vital part of our community for generations to come.

Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to us as a committee and community.