Almond Valley advances inclusive vision with Changing Places funding

Almond Valley Heritage Centre, West Lothian, UK – Almond Valley Heritage Centre is a much-loved visitor attraction and heritage charity in West Lothian, welcoming thousands of visitors each year. Set within a historic riverside estate, Almond Valley cares for significant natural, built and cultural heritage while offering engaging play, learning and discovery experiences for families and communities. Now in its fourth decade, Almond Valley is focused on access, inclusion and sustainability, ensuring it remains a valued community asset for generations to come.

• Funding awarded from the Scottish Government’s Changing Places Toilets Scotland Fund, overseen by Inspiring Scotland
• Supports Almond Valley’s five-year master plan focused on people, community, heritage & sustainability
• Application supported and informed in consultation with local schools, stakeholders and visitors

Almond Valley Heritage Centre has secured funding from the Scottish Government’s Changing Places Toilets Scotland Fund, a significant step forward in its commitment to improving access and inclusion for visitors with complex care needs.

The funding will support the installation of a Changing Places toilet facility at Almond Valley and enables the charity to accelerate work set out within its newly developed five-year master plan.

Developed in consultation with the workforce, community and key stakeholders, the master plan prioritises People & Place, Learning & Discovery, Engagement and Sustainability. It places people, community and heritage at the centre of Almond Valley’s future and sets out a clear ambition for the organisation to become both a cultural beacon for the region and a community anchor organisation.

Over the past 18 months, following a leadership transition, Almond Valley has embarked upon a journey to deepen engagement across its community. This has included supporting local gala events, working closely with local primary schools, and partnering with West Lothian College and SRUC to nurture the next generation. The organisation has also worked proactively with local social enterprises and community leaders to identify ways of collectively making a positive difference, while creating space for people to inform Almond Valley’s direction of travel.

Listening has been a vital part of the application process, particularly engagement with individuals who live with, or support people with, complex care needs. Almond Valley is especially grateful for the insight and guidance provided by Beatlie School Campus, Ogilvie School Campus and Cedarbank School, all of whom regularly visit the site. Their continued support, alongside that of other stakeholders, has helped shape a programme of change focused on ensuring more people can meaningfully connect with the natural, built and cultural heritage cared for at Almond Valley.

Commenting on the funding award, Jen Howard Coombes –  Director of Almond Valley Heritage Centre said:

“Almond Valley Heritage Centre is an extraordinary place, enjoyed by thousands of visitors every year. A much-loved sanctuary, cherished by our local community, we harness the power of natural, built and cultural heritage to inspire imaginations and create a much-needed space for people to step out of the noise of everyday life — to connect with each other, with nature and with history, and of course to let off steam in our play areas.”

“The introduction of a Changing Place facility supports a much broader ambition to ensure that our heritage is accessible, inclusive and relevant to everyone. While there is still much work to do in this area over the coming years, this funding represents an important and much-needed step change. We are extremely grateful to Inspiring Scotland, who oversaw the grant programme, for their support and guidance throughout the process.”

Work will commence in the near future, the ambition being to have the facility open and in use before the end of the year providing an invaluable asset to the community and visitors from further afield. 

Having contributed to the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of the region for nearly forty years, the Almond Valley team are now focused on strengthening foundations and building financial resilience, ensuring this much-loved heritage charity is here for generations to come, while continuing to elevate the visitor experience for everyone.