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Montrose Community Trust is celebrating after a record year, reaching over 12,000 participant engagements and running programmes in mental health, physical wellbeing, dementia care, cost-of-living support and employability. While proud of its football roots, the trust’s impact reaches far beyond the pitch.

The charity has big plans. Its £2 million state-of-theart facility, the Links Park Gable End, is set to open in autumn next year, giving the trust a stable home.

CEO Chris Platt has played a big part in the charity’s success in the past year and has taken the time to reflect after his first 12 months in the post.

He said: “When I joined Montrose Community Trust just over a year ago, I expected to find dedication and community spirit. What I didn’t expect was the sheer energy that runs through Montrose – an energy that’s matched by ambition. This is a town that doesn’t just talk about making things better, it gets on with it.”

Chris believes that this feeling is symptomatic of the region.

“That energy is personified in the people who make up the voluntary sector here in north-east Scotland. The talent and competence in our charities, community groups and social enterprises is extraordinary,” he said.

“Yet too often, this talent goes unnoticed or unacknowledged, both by those outside the sector, and sometimes even from within. I’ve met people whose skills would command impressive salaries in the corporate world, but they choose to pour them into their communities instead.

“The emotional investment is huge. This is part of what makes people in the voluntary sector so effective: they care deeply, and that care shapes every decision. But it also comes with pressure. People are carrying enormous responsibility without the financial rewards you might see elsewhere. The fulfilment is real, but so is the mental strain.

“Right now, the pressures are greater than ever. Demand for services is at an all-time high. From mental health support to food provision, from social isolation programmes to employability projects, more people need our help than ever before. At the same time, funding opportunities are shrinking. It’s a near-impossible equation: do more with less, again and again.”

Chris believes that the best way to combat these challenges is collaboration. The charity is involved with North East Together, a coalition of football-clublinked charities across the region; Angus Climate Hub, which connects climate-focused groups; and Seachange, a coastal community partnership; and has close ties with commercial entities including Montrose FC and Montrose Port Authority.

Chris also thinks charities need to think more like businesses to combat funding shortages.

“Another response is to rethink how we view money and sustainability,” he said.

“Being commercially minded shouldn’t be a dirty phrase in charity. If anything, it’s essential. We should act like a charity, driven by purpose, focused on people, but think like a corporation when it comes to planning, efficiency and income generation.

“A balanced model, where philanthropic funding is paired with trading, sponsorship and enterprise, is the most resilient model we can build. It’s not about chasing profit for profit’s sake, it’s about ensuring that our mission isn’t at the mercy of every funding cycle.

“At Montrose Community Trust, we’ve been deliberate about telling our story.

“Not for the sake of publicity, but so that people know what support is available to them.

“I don’t mind if people think of us as ‘the football charity’. Football is our heritage and it’s an incredible way to bring people together. But I do want people to know that’s just the starting point.

“Ultimately, my ambition is for Montrose Community Trust to become one of Scotland’s strongest and most influential place-based charities – a platform to champion open, two-way conversations about how we support each other. Whether you’re an individual, a business or another charity, there are always ways to connect our work.

“The challenges we face are big, but the talent, energy and will to meet them are even bigger. And here in Montrose, we’ve got all three in abundance.”

This article appeared in The Courier on 23 August 2025