Celebrate Kilmarnock: Bounce Back Better

In this piece, Tony Bone from Celebrate Kilmarnock, which has been used PB in the past, reflects on how we can create a new normal of empowerment and participation in the wake of Covid-19.

Much has been written about the likely impact of COVID-19 and how this will affect national and local economies. More specifically, at Celebrate Kilmarnock we are already reconfiguring our own priorities in light of the largely unexpected consequences of lockdown. This is the first in a series of articles that we hope will provide the readers with a greater insight into our future plans. 

The intrinsic themes of our whole outlook is around people-led town centre regeneration and that will not change however the challenge for Kilmarnock and the surrounding area just got that little bit more difficult. 

But we are only too well aware of the incredible resilience that exists among the many people, businesses and organisations that already operate in and around this part of the country.

A great deal has been written about community resilience in recent years however there is already a multitude of inherent skills and assets that have been lying dormant for far too long in Kilmarnock which will be key to revitalising our great town. 

There has never been a greater need or opportunity for us all to work together in common purpose towards greater prosperity and well-being. The future success of Kilmarnock is dependent upon uncovering the abundance of existing skills and talents within the local area and finding ways to collaborate on new and exciting initiatives. 

 No individual or single organisation can do this on their own but the links between social capital and economic performance are intrinsic to positive outcomes as well as the bonds of trust and solidarity. Enhanced social capital is just another way of recognising the networks of relationships, the strengths and capacity of the people of Kilmarnock. Similar examples across the world have been the keystone of future economic growth and greater social cohesion. 

The combination of exemplary leadership and common purpose will serve us well and help to lay the foundations for a more prosperous town centre in the future. 

We are inviting everyone and anyone to participate and contribute towards the sustained growth of our great town and to create a positive environment that we can all be proud of. At Celebrate Kilmarnock we have gathered a determined bunch of people of various backgrounds that hopefully reflect the needs and demands of local people. 

However, nothing is possible without the will and determination of as many people as possible. We need to lift Kilmarnock town centre out of the lockdown doldrums but the solutions and the skill-sets to do that are already out there. We can be a beacon of hope and inspiration to other Towns and at Celebrate Kilmarnock we intend to tell the world about our rich heritage. 

Uppermost in our list of priorities is empowering local people to capitalise on the vast opportunities in terms of existing social assets. We have an unwavering commitment in the belief that citizens can gain a great deal more from working collectively than they will ever do as individuals. By investing in social capital and networks of co-operation allied to mutual trust, we will ultimately achieve greater and more tangible economic returns.  

Tony Bone on behalf of Celebrate Kilmarnock