Shop Local is a message which most people now understand and we are familiar with the benefits of using our high streets and supporting independent traders and local companies, keeping money circulating in the community.
By choosing to buy from a local business, or eating and drinking in a local coffee shop, restaurant or pub, we’re helping to keep our:
- neighbours in jobs
- streets vibrant
- buildings in a good state of repair and
- we’re supporting our local economy
Buying local produce also helps our farming community, supports local artists and crafts people, and gives them the scope to develop and grow their businesses. And it’s eco-friendly – shopping locally cuts transport costs and helps minimise pollution.
Getting out and about in our town centre gives us a chance to connect with each other and have an experience that being online can't give us.
Please like, share and follow us on our Love Local East Ayrshire social media channels linked below.
Love Local Conference
In preparation of Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP) applications opening on 29 January 2024, the Community Led Regeneration Team ran two very successful Love Local PBIP 2024 conferences on Monday 22 January 2024 at The Howard Centre Kilmarnock, and on Thursday 25 January 2024 at Dalmellington Community Centre.
Focussing on the Place Based Improvement Programme fund, the conference invited community groups to come along and hear from previous successful groups and learn about their experience with PBIP and how they went about delivering their project detailed in the PBIP Brochure (PDF 17.39Mb).
Love local conference video
Photos of the conference
Presentations and other information
The Kilmarnock conference welcomed over 80 delegates to hear from:
Over 50 people joined us at Dalmellington to hear from:
Delegates also heard about:
The conference was well received, with feedback from one of the attendees stating:
These types of events can if not thought through properly, become tiresome by the end of the day. Your event was well organised, professional, relevant and informative. It enabled networking and sharing of ideas and information with others and therefore it was hugely beneficial. The event also had an atmosphere of motivation, warmth and fun (which is not easy to achieve and then maintain) that continued right throughout the day, which kept people full involved right up until the end.