For 30 years, Kit Trail has been the backbone of the Printfield Community Project. Having dedicated so much of her life, there is no denying that the project would not be the same without her.
So, we’d like to thank her for all that she does.
Kit “got a taste of doing things in the community” after she had her children and wasn’t interested in returning to her previous job. She turned to community work, heading off to college to train as a Youth Worker. Kit found her calling and never looked back. At college, she did a placement at Middlefield Community Project, before working there full time after college.
Arriving at Printfield in 1994, determined to make a difference to the community, after 10 years at Middlefield. The project was half the size it is now, operating out of the one flat.
Printfield was established with three goals in mind – encourage people to use the credit union, give people an opportunity to get back to work by providing an after-school club and develop youth work in the area.
Kit has continued to build the project over the years, expanding the space and staff, there is now 14 part time members of staff and 38 children on the register.
Kit cares deeply about the community and wants to make a difference. Looking back over her 30 years at Printfield, she recognises there has been ups and downs.
“We’ve been lucky here, we’re a strong team, and it’s been great to work closely with Mark and the staff at Fersands as well. We’re always at risk with funding cuts but we have been lucky to get what we need to cover our projects.”
“I think just seeing the impact on the families we support has been the highlight for me. The project is really all about supporting families to bring up their kids. We have had families that have moved away come back because they haven’t been able to access the type of support they can get here, where they’ve moved to.
“It feels really good to know we have been able to help so many families over the years.” Amanda, Printfield’s Youth Work Coordinator, is a shining example of the success of the project. “When I first came here, Amanda’s mum had her in the creche, then she was in all the youth groups. Amanda had her family, who used the services too, now she is our Youth Work Coordinator. It’s great to have been able to watch her journey.
“The support in the community, to me is always visible. I have seen instances where somethings happened to a family and you can see that people have rallied around, they’ve provided meals and they’ve been there to support. Not everyone in this community uses our services, but if something happens, you know the support is there.
There have been sad times over the years too. “We’ve had some heartbreaks and lost people along the way which happens in life. Rose, our Administrator passed away in 2016, which was our first big loss. We also lost Fiona one of our workers and Kathy who’d been involved with the project since 1989.”
Kit is as excited as ever for the future of Printfield and has no plans to stop.
“I’ve enjoyed my time here, otherwise I wouldn’t have been here so long. I keep getting asked when I’m going to retire but I have no plans to. I work part time, and I look forward to coming in my four days a week and I’m quite happy with that. I’m not saying never, you just never know. I want to see the Denis Law Trail completed and get involved with the community for that.”
It’s heartwarming to see someone love what they do and the passion they put into their role. The community wouldn’t be the same without Kit and her hard work, dedication and belief she has invested in the Printfield/Woodside Community.
On behalf of the whole community, The Woodside Free Press would like to thank Kit for all that she does and continues to do.