CuparNow is ‘by business, for business‘ – but we know and appreciate none of the town’s businesses would thrive were it not for the incredible community spirit that abounds in the town. There’s a multitude of groups and organisations that collaborate and work hard to enhance the Cupar experience. We caught up with Margaret Lawrence, Chair of Cupar Fair Trade, to discover more about their work …
In our work developing CuparNow, we have identified more than 380 businesses and organisations in the town – making and selling all manner of products and services to folk who live close to home and far afield. At our last Open Meeting, Fiona Adamson – a Partner in PLM Optometrists – came along to discover more about our project. And so to demonstrate how we can help, we turned the tables to focus on Fiona and her company. Here’s the latest in our wee profiles featuring Cupar’s businesses …
Anyone who found themselves in Cupar on Saturday 3rd August may have thought they’d stepped into a time machine. The town centre had been transported back to a time when rock was accompanied with roll, when you could tell one car from another by its design … and when haircuts were high with quiffs and beehives. This was Cupar’s inaugural Vintage Festival – and it wowed visitors with music, displays, events and stalls selling all manner of retro collectibles. We caught up with the event’s impassioned organiser …
Primarily, our work supports businesses in the town – but hand in hand with that work is our role to showcase the fantastic community groups that deliver all kinds of projects that help those living in and around our town. One such group is Tesco Cupar in The Community. We popped in to the store to meet with Elaine Brailsford, their Community Champion, to discuss how Tesco is engaging with Cupar and our wider community …
Part of CuparNow’s remit is to demonstrate just how improved digital connectivity can best support multiple audiences in our town. Over a number of months, we have championed the work of Ruth McCabe and the the work she is delivering for Dementia Friendly Fife. The project – overseen by Fife Health & Social Care Partnership – exists to train companies and organisations to be ‘dementia friendly’ so they can demonstrate to those affected by dementia that they will receive a warm and understanding welcome.
Since we started featuring the programme, we are delighted more businesses and organisations in Cupar have taken part and won their certificates. We hope this wee update helps to spread the word more …
On our travels around the town, we’re always pleased to meet the people behind the company names and fascias. The town has an increasing number of independent businesses who are nailing their colours to Cupar’s mast and we’re delighted CuparNow is enabling us to showcase them as never before. In our latest profile, we met with Gail Brunton and her business partner, Andrew Fotheringham, the duo behind Eden Escapes …
CuparNow is all about showcasing businesses in the town – and we’re delighted to be able to profile some on these pages. When you head south along Crossgate and, before heading into Millgate, take a left onto South Bridge, you can’t help but notice the garage opposite. Aptly named Southbridge Garage, this small, family-run business is a great example of the independents that make up much of our town’s traders. We visited and met with Andrew Thomson to discover more …
There’s a great deal of chat about local services – #ShopLocal and #KeepItLocal are two hashtags that often trend on social channels when people are trying to encourage folk to spend more time and money in their communities. Only this month (August 2019), The Herald shared a story on how the Federation of Small Business is calling for investment at a local level to help revitalise towns across Scotland. Two thirds of Scotland’s population live in 479 towns. We are helping to share local news, offers and events – seven days a week – and on our travels, we come across many organisations and community partners working hard to support the town. Cupar Library is no exception – and we discovered that they have a ‘Local Studies Department’ so we went along to find out more. We spoke with Local Studies Supervisor, Andrea McMillan …
Ten children from Bell Baxter High School have been chosen to undertake a self-led 100km Polar expedition next Easter – supported by another ten class mates who will be helping with the planning, training and fund raising … and who get to take on a challenge of their own in Scotland later next year.
Anyone visiting Cupar this summer cannot have missed the stunning floral displays that bedeck Cupar’s public gardens, streets, windowsills, railings and more. Much of this work is down to the small army of volunteers who make up Cupar in Bloom. We caught up with them … to dig a little deeper …