A CENTRAL Fife group is preparing to celebrate 35 years of making a social impact on the area.

BRAG (Benarty Regeneration Action Group) will mark the occasion at its annual general meeting this week.

The organisation was founded by a group of community activists’ back in 1988 and it was formally constituted in August 1989.

Key people involved at that time were the late Willie Clarke, who was Scotland’s last communist councillor, and Joe Paterson, who was also a Cowdenbeath councillor at the time.

The initiative was a direct response from the community itself to the specific social and economic impact that the demise of the coal industry had on the communities of Benarty, Kelty, Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly.

READ MORE: New Parent and Toddler Group announced for Benarty

The Central Fife area had one of the highest rates of unemployment in the Kingdom and even rated in the top 10 for Scotland.

Previously relying on the coal industry, many men had then travelled to work in the larger deep mines under the River Forth after local pit closures, and also went to find work at Rosyth Dockyard.

By the mid 80’s many of these mines, along with their supply chain partners, had disappeared and the need for a local response to job creation led to the arrival of BRAG.

Today the organisation is still supporting its home community of Benarty but also other communities in Fife with employability and training still its core offer.

It also supports those living in poverty as well as providing affordable enterprise space from its enterprise centres in Crosshill and Leven.

The Crosshill site also supports community growing and a food pantry service with the most recent site in Leven providing a community space at our Together Levenmouth Hub.

Brian Roberston- Fern, the managing director at BRAG, said: “We are very proud of the impact we have had over the years and credit really goes out to all those people that have worked or volunteered for BRAG over those years.

"The organisation is still very much relevant today as it was back in 1989 albeit we have constantly evolved to the changing needs of the communities we support and the economy as it has evolved.

"The organisation will be celebrating this milestone occasion and the theme is BRAG – 35 years of sustainable community impact and we would love people to join us.”

The organisation's AGM and Celebration Event 2024 will take place on Friday at the Strathearn Hotel in Kirkcaldy.