ANOTHER significant step has been taken by the campaigning group fighting to preserve the heritage of Glenbuck.

An inaugural meeting to explore launching a World Heritage Site bid for Ayrshire was held at the Cevic Centre in Catrine.

Kieran Wardrop, representing East Ayrshire Council’s Vibrant Communities team, advised on the formation of a constitution for funding purposes.

Among the subjects which were discussed were what sites and areas would be included in making such a bid.

Sam Purdie, Gillian Davies and Ian Scade also reported on a recent meeting they attended in Stirling, run by Historic Environment Scotland, which was run on a workshop basis.

Armed with much information and advice, the group are now looking at funding sources and possible corporate support for the bid.

Ms Davies is under no illusions that the process will be a long and laborious one but everyone remains positive.

She said: “If we can pull it off, the end result will be the long-term protection and highlighting of the core industrial and social heritage of the area which is something I think we can all get behind.

“Ayrshire, and East Ayrshire in particular, has the potential to become a world class tourist destination but the key is our incredibly rich built and social heritage and we need to take it more seriously as we work towards that. Hopefully we, as a group, can promote that goal.”

Academics have also rallied to help the group as Sam Purdie told the Chronicle: “We are now being approached by Strathclyde and Glasgow Universities in a bid to remedy the total neglect of the whole of the social and industrial heritage of Ayrshire.

“Meanwhile, I am also grateful for the support from Ian Bone from London, who sent me a fabulous pic of Stoorie Aggie, the first motorised link between Glenbuck and other places.”