Our Community

Community has always been at the heart of Estate Life for both Douglas and the Hirsel.

Inevitably, there are conflicts from time to time; however, striving to balance the needs of the Estates with those who share “the same space” has long been one of the family’s objectives.

Historically, the Family have been benefactors to the communities of Douglas, Glespin, Crawfordjohn, Birgham, and Coldstream, and always been willing to listen to the community’s needs whether it be for a hospital, a school, a playing field, a village hall, bowling green, a contribution to the village firework display, or new shirts for the football team.

The walks in the Douglas Castle Policies and at the Hirsel are open and are available for the public to enjoy all year round.

At Hirsel,  the Estate runs “Field to Fork” an educational programme for school children teaching them the importance of farming, food, where it comes from, and the environment in which it is produced. If you would like your primary school to visit the Hirsel please contact Sally Fleming on her email sally.fleming@daestates.co.uk Tel 07802 788744

Hirsel Estate Developments sponsor the Borders under 15 Netball Team, who in 2011 won the Scottish National Championships, held in Dundee at the beginning of March, with victories over Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Renfrew Districts and beating Perth in the final 15-13.

At Douglas, in conjunction with RHET (Royal Highland Educational Trust), educational school visits are run for the benefit of children from a number of local schools.

In 2009/10, over 2,000 school children have benefited from these two educational initiatives alone.

The Douglas Community Garden at Newmains, which is supported by the Estate, allows members of the community come together and involve themselves in the design of the garden, the implementation of it and the growing of flowers, fruit and vegetables throughout the year.

The stable lake is open to members of the local community to fish (free of charge), in season, and for Curling, when the weather allows, in the Winter months.

The Mainshill Trust was established in 2010 by the Estate and Scottish Coal in order to provide benefit to the local Douglas Community. The Trust is funded by financial contributions from the sale of coal from the Mainshill Open Cast Mine and it is hoped that over the life of the project a sum of about £500k will be available for the benefit of the village and the immediate surrounding area.

Recent awards have been made to the St. Brides Community Centre and the Douglasdale Players - further information can be obtained from www.mainshilltrust.co.uk

The Family have also given a comittment to set up a similar Trust Fund for the benefit of the community of Coldstream which will be funded from the residential development by Hudson Hirsel at Leet Haugh.