- 01848 331435
- info@kptdevelopmenttrust.org
- Trust Office, Main St, Penpont
- 07548876433.
Image Credit – Susie Dryfe
The KPT Development Trust is a charitable company, limited by guarantee, established to advance the social, economic and environmental development of the three rural communities of Keir, Penpont and Tynron in Nithsdale, Dumfries and Galloway.
Working with local people, community councils, the regional council and other stakeholders, as appropriate, the Trust aims to address the sustainability of the KPT area, including:
The Trust works to a Community Action Plan, reviewed in 2021, which commits us to a range of broad activities, ie.:
The latest approved minutes of our Directors’ meetings and the latest audited accounts for the Trust are posted below. Consolidated (Group) accounts, for the Trust and its subsidiary companies, can be found on the Companies House website.
Maureen was instrumental in setting up KPT Development Trust in 2018. She has a wide range of knowledge, skills and experience gleaned from a varied career in social work, education and the voluntary sector before becoming self employed running a smokehouse and the local tearoom.
Fiona currently works for a local joinery & building company near Thornhill and also helps to run a furniture making business with her partner. She is originally from the Penpont area and, after a number of years living in England, is very happy to be back living between Penpont and Tynron. She joined the Trust as a Director in June 2021 and helped to establish our Community Growing group in the same year, which has gone from strength to strength. She is passionate about the KPT area and is committed to helping its development and sustainability for future generations to enjoy.
Hailing from Victoria, Australia Rachel has called Scotland home since 2013 and has lived in Penpont since 2021. Rachel has worked a range of jobs in the hospitality and tourism industry in Australia, Ireland and Scotland and currently works in funding within the third sector. Her interests are in Scottish culture, music and being outdoors. Joining the Trust in 2024, she looks forward to volunteering with KPT, contributing to the many active projects.
Born in Highland Perthshire, I graduated BVMS from Glasgow University Vet.School. I have taught in Kenya, practised as a vet in the UK, Singapore and Malaysia, and with the Cyprus Defence Animal Support Unit. Since returning to Scotland, I lectured at SRUC Barony Campus.
Community involvement included: Riding for the Disabled in Malaysia, Singapore SPCA, and honorary veterinarian for the British Armed Forces Animal Welfare Society. In D & G I continue to volunteer with a number of local charities.
I feel blessed to now live in such a beautiful place within a community determined to improve amenities for both residents and visitors and am committed to help further KPTDT’s objectives.
Kate Mink is an artist living in Penpont with her husband and daughter.
After living in the United States for 25 yrs she is so happy to be back where she grew up and be a part of this lovely community and land again.
Chris lives in Keir with his wife Lindsey and they moved here in 2015 after he retired from Argyll and Bute’s education service in 2013. He taught mathematics in schools in Croydon and Leeds, followed by advisory work in Hertfordshire. He joined Strathclyde’s Quality Assurance Unit in 1990 and carried out school and education service inspections in Argyll and Bute and with Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education after local government re-organisation in 1996.
He is currently Chair of Keir Community Council and Keir Village Hall Group and his interests include engineering, woodwork, DIY, family history, photography and motorcycling. He still rides a motorcycle and has just completed the rebuilding of a 1982 500cc Moto Guzzi.
Dean Foster is a retired engineer, originally from the Midlands and moved with his partner into the area in 2023. He has two grown-up daughters.
He has an interest in sustainable living, the environment and has had a lifelong passion for design, problem solving and creativity.
Among his achievements are a patent whilst working for Rolls Royce and co-founding a small business which went on to win a Queen’s award for Innovation in 2015.
Wanting to put his skills and experience to good use and work with the local community he is leading the Trust’s Affordable Housing project.
Born in Glasgow I have also lived in Whitley Bay and Peterborough until moving to Penpont in 2021. I worked in HM Land Registry for nearly 40 years before taking early retirement in 2018. Apart from processing registrations I was involved in the training and mentoring of staff for a number of years.
I am Secretary to The Joseph Thomson Group and a member of the Penpont Community Council as I think it is important to be involved in the local community.
My interests are gardening, knitting, needlework and 1/12th scale Dolls Houses.
Grew up on a small mixed dairy and arable farm here in Dumfries and Galloway and studied Environmental Science and Sustainability at the University of Glasgow. I have previous experience in intergenerational community learning development work, having worked in Upper Nithsdale, Northwest Dumfries and the Hub, in the centre of Dumfries. I feel fortunate to live locally, on the outskirts of Thornhill, and to work and to be able to contribute to the development of such a beautiful part of the world.
Born and brought up in Dumfries, Michelle trained and worked as a nurse, before moving to the voluntary sector in 2002, joining Dumfries based charity Food Train. Over 22 years, Michelle developed and grew Food Train to support older people right across Scotland, driven by a passion for older people’s rights in relation to food, nutrition, and wellbeing. She enjoys gardening, keeping chickens, growing her own fruit and veg, and signing with Dumfries Community Choir. Michelle is delighted to be working with everyone at KPT DT at such an exciting time.