Acquisition of the Kirkcaldy Polish Club: the building will be transformed into a community center

Community group Bennochy Community Hub has received £316,250 from the Scottish Land Fund, with which it is expected to take over ownership of Bennochy House and continue to operate it as a social and recreational centre.

It comes after a campaign to save the club was launched after the London-based SPK – the Polish Association of Ex-combatants which officially run the club – decided to put the building up for sale in May 2021.

The Polish Club, located just off Forth Park Drive, has long hosted a number of community groups and is the base of the Kirkcaldy Acoustic Music Club.

John Hamilton, Chairman of the Trustees of the Bennochy Community Hub SCIO, said: “We are delighted to receive a grant from the Scottish Land Fund.

“This is a major boost to our efforts to purchase Bennochy House. Local ownership will remove the threat of closure, which has loomed over us for many years, and allow the hub to continue to be a multi-functional community facility. for the benefit of the people of Kirkcaldy Central.

“The building is the site of many activities, all of which are important to the local community. As a unique multi-purpose facility in Kirkcaldy Central, it offers meeting and consultation rooms; garden and housing estates; outdoor recreation areas and social gathering facilities.

Groups using the building include children of Polish residents, the Kirkcaldy Acoustic Music Club, darts and fishing clubs, groups fighting social isolation, and fitness classes.

The building was purchased in 1953 with funds raised by Poles who had settled in the UK.

The award is just one of many projects across Scotland that will receive funding after today’s announcement.

Mairi McAllan, Minister for Environment and Land Reform, said: “It is great to see such a diverse range of projects receiving support from the fund – collectively they are helping to preserve local and national history, provide affordable housing, support community events and encourage engagement with the natural environment.

“These grants are a tribute to the hard work and resilience of the many people who have given their time for the greater good.”