Our Story…
Where it started: the Connecting Communities Collective
In Oban, four local charities began working together to tackle problems that don't respect organisational boundaries: poverty, isolation, food insecurity, unemployment, energy costs, and wellbeing. They called this partnership the Connecting Communities Collective (CCC):
By working together, these organisations could share resources, avoid duplicating effort, and offer more joined-up support to local people.
Around this time, the CCC commissioned a series of Community Wealth Building (CWB) workshops delivered by local social enterprise The Resource Collective. These explored how Oban could keep more economic, social, and environmental value circulating locally — an approach that went on to shape projects like Re_Store and, later, ODDT itself.
One of the CCC's biggest achievements was Re_Store — a second-hand shop, community hub, and events space that opened in March 2024.
See the Re_Store page
Our Story Continued….
From tenancy to ownership
Hope Kitchen, on behalf of the CCC, took on the tenancy of 113 George Street in late 2023 to run Re_Store. It quickly became clear that renting wasn't enough. To protect Re_Store's future - and keep rent money in the local community rather than paying it to an outside landlord - the CCC partners wanted to buy the building outright. There was a problem: neither Hope Kitchen nor the CCC were eligible to apply for Scottish Land Fund grants, the main funding route for this kind of community buyout.
So the Oban & District Development Trust (ODDT) was created - a body that could apply for that funding and hold the building on behalf of the community.
In February 2026, thanks to a Scottish Land Fund grant, we bought 113 George Street. It was ODDT's first project, and our first concrete step towards a bigger goal.
How we're set up
ODDT is a Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) with an asset lock. In plain terms, this means:
No one owns shares in ODDT, and no individual can profit from it
Any assets we hold — like the Re_Store building — can only be used for the benefit of the community
If ODDT were ever wound up, our assets would pass to another organisation with similar community aims, not to individuals
This is what makes "community ownership" a lasting guarantee, not just a phrase. 113 George Street can't be sold off for private gain, now or in the future.
What's next: the Oban Collective
Collaboration, not competition is the shared statement behind both the CCC and ODDT's work. It's a simple idea: Oban's organisations achieve more by pulling together than by competing for the same funding, attention, or resources.
Building on the success of the CCC, a wider group of organisations - including ODDT - is now developing a broader, longer-term partnership called the Oban Collective. Where the CCC formed around one shared programme of work, the Oban Collective aims to be an ongoing framework for organisations across Oban to collaborate on community wealth building, resilience, and community-led development.
This partnership is still taking shape, and we'll share more as it develops.
None of this happens without local people. ODDT relies on its members - the more people who support our work, the stronger our voice, and the more we're able to achieve.
Membership is free and open to anyone in Oban, Dunbeg, Connel, Kilmore and Kilbride, with associate membership for supporters further afield.
[Find out about membership →]
Join us
Our Vision
We envision a future where the Oban & District area is a thriving, resilient, and self-determined community - where local people have real power over the land, economy, and services that shape their lives. We aim for a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and no one is left behind.
Our Values
Community-Led
Fair & Inclusive
Sustainable
Transparent
Collaborative
Our Aspirations
Grow community ownership of land, buildings, and renewable assets.
Support the sustainability and innovation of the local Third Sector.
Increase economic resilience and employment opportunities.
Create inclusive community spaces for all.
Retain and support young people to thrive locally .
The Trust is rooted in the principles of Community Wealth Building (CWB). CWB runs through our work as a ‘golden thread’. This provides a framework that seeks to retain wealth in local hands, build local power, and ensure that economic development works for everyone. The five pillars of CWB - plural ownership, local financial power, fair work, progressive procurement, and the productive use of land - form the foundation of this Trust’s vision and practical work.
Community Wealth Building
The Oban and District Development Trust is a tool for local people to take ownership of their future. It’s not about outside agendas or top-down decisions - it’s about empowering our community with the resources, voice, and structures it needs to lead its own renewal.
Community Empowerment
Our Objectives
(1) The advancement of community development (including the advancement of rural regeneration) principally within the Community;
(2) To relieve poverty and advance economic development and regeneration by supporting the creation of employment opportunities, enterprise development, and local business initiatives that contribute to a thriving and resilient local economy.
(3) To provide and maintain inclusive community facilities and spaces for recreational, cultural, educational, and social activities, with the aim of improving quality of life, reducing social isolation, and fostering community cohesion for all sections of the community, regardless of age, ability, background, or belief.
(4) To advance the education and wellbeing of young people by providing access to training, mentoring, and development opportunities that empower them to contribute positively to their communities and fulfil their potential locally
(5) Develop a more green and ecologically sustainable area, by growing of green space; protecting and nurturing natural habitats and wildlife; advancing the circular economy and advancing decarbonisation and net zero
(6) To build community wealth by promoting community-led ownership and stewardship of land, buildings, and renewable energy assets, in order to enhance local resilience, sustainability, and collective wellbeing.
(7) To promote the efficiency and effectiveness of the Third Sector (voluntary and community organisations) in the area of benefit by providing support, resources, training, and infrastructure that fosters innovation and long-term sustainability.