The Killie Community unveils ambitious plans and sustainability investment for new facility

The Killie Community launched its ambitious new five-year strategy during a special event at its newly renovated Community Hub at Rugby Park on Friday, fresh from winning Ayrshire Charity of the Year.

The gathering brought together community partners, funders, local politicians and council officials for the first public presentation of the charity’s future direction, focusing on improving lives across Ayrshire through the power of football.

Guests were welcomed by the charity’s staff and trustees, including the Chair of Trustees, Cathy Jamieson, before taking part in an interactive walk-through of the strategic plans, a Q&A session, and a guided tour of the Hub and the emerging Rugby Park Community Campus.

Speaking at the launch, Jordan Allison, Head of Charity, said:
“Our new strategy is about creating a healthier and fairer Ayrshire, where football is just the starting point for change, belonging, learning and wellbeing. We work with thousands of people of all ages and circumstances, from those facing mental health challenges to young people at risk of exclusion, and our team are proud to see lives transformed every day.

The Hub is now central to our work, and this incredible funding means we can deliver more programmes, more support and more impact, while reducing our environmental footprint. It’s a huge step forward for a community that deserves world-class resources.”

Cathy Jamieson outlined the changes in the charity since it was originally set up in 2015, with Paul di Giacomo, now Head of Kilmarnock FC’s Youth Academy, as the first Community Engagement Manager.

“We’ve spent time over the past year reviewing what our purpose and priorities should be, and updating our constitution to better reflect what we do. We’ve officially changed our name to The Killie Community and expanded our charitable objectives to include tackling poverty and disadvantage, and promoting equality and inclusion.

With the Football Club and its supporters having played a massive role in local culture and heritage, we are looking at new ways of celebrating that, building on the great work of the Football Memories Programme. We also have new Trustees who bring a wide range of experience.”

A major highlight of the event was the announcement of a £107,032 sustainability investment, jointly funded by East Ayrshire Council’s Renewable Energy Fund (with funds received from ScottishPower Renewables Whitelee Windfarm) and CARES, the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme, delivered by Local Energy Scotland and the Energy Saving Trust.

The funding will enable Green Home Systems to supply and install 42 solar panels, air-source heat pumps and insulation upgrades, reducing long-term energy costs for the charity and helping bring the facility as close as possible to a net-zero Community Hub.

Following the presentations, guests were shown around the expanded community facilities, including the newly enhanced Hub which features several multi-purpose rooms with state-of-the-art touchscreen technology. One of these can also be used as a sensory room, alongside a large meeting area and Astro Room, before visiting the developing Community Pitch at Rugby Park.

The charity reaffirmed its commitment to continue developing the Rugby Park Community Campus as a flagship centre for sport, learning, wellbeing and environmental sustainability.

The Trustees and staff of The Killie Community would like to thank everyone who has helped the charity reach this stage and encourage supporters to visit the Hub and find out more.