About Us
Sheila’s Cottage has been part of the tapestry of West Linton life for over 150 years. Originally a weaver’s cottage, in more recent times it became a souters where shoes and leather goods were mended by Glen Walters. And until February 2021, it was a Red Cross charity shop.
Making, mending, re-cycling and reusing has been a thread running through its story and all the while it has been a place where people have lived, worked and gathered – a quietly important part of the village’s social fabric.
When the Red Cross shop was put up for sale in early 2021, it was evident the shop had a special place in folks’ hearts and there was a desire for it to continue to be a valued asset for the community.
However, in spite of significant community support, there was not enough time to raise the funds needed to purchase the shop and it was sold.
Except, it transpired that the shop had been bought by a kindly benefactor, their hope being that the village could take the opportunity to retain the cottage in a way that connects it with its history while also reflecting the needs and wants of the community in years to come.
A group of local volunteers – the West Linton Enterprise Group (WLEG) – took on the business of running the shop and consulting with the community as to how it moved forward.
An initial consultation led to the decision to have one room of the cottage as a second hand Emporium selling preloved items at bargain prices, with the other room being a Gallery for local artists and makers to sell their creations.
In the summer of 2021, The Knot opened its doors and started to trade.
The initial focus for the shop was to raise funds to purchase Sheila Cottage and a lot of work went on behind the scenes with applications being made to the Scottish Land Fund (SLF) and other grant organisations.
Meanwhile, a growing band of volunteers was opening the shop every week and doing a great trade in second hand goods and Gallery items. The shop profits were covering the running costs and helping to build funds towards the purchase of the cottage.
New friendships were being forged amongst the volunteers, and local people were discovering that The Knot was a welcoming space to pop in for a bargain and a blether.
The application for support to the SLF was successful and the WLEG committee worked with a consultant to build the case for a funding application to purchase the cottage and make general repairs to the fabric of the building.
WLEG was registered as a Community Benefit Society, a type of cooperative, where anyone in the local community can become a member and have a say in the running of The Knot. This decision was important to ensure that the use of The Knot could change over time to reflect the needs and wants of the community. See Membership.
Approval from the SLF came in early 2023 and with additional funding from The Orcome Trust and trading profits, the ownership of Sheila Cottage transferred to West Linton Enterprise Group in July 2023.
Since Sheila Cottage came into community ownership, profits from the shop have started to be shared with local groups and organisations.
Festive Funds campaigns in December 2023 and December 2024 led to over £3,000 of grants being distributed and a separate Funding committee has now been established to oversee future grants from the new ‘No Strings’ Community Fund. See Giving Back.
In the summer of 2024, and thanks largely to the funding from the SLF, extensive refurbishment work was carried out on the roof of Sheila Cottage to ensure the building remains in a state of good repair.
January Why Knot Drop In events have also brought some winter warmth with weekly coffee mornings open to all, and in January 2025, The Knot worked with West Linton Village Centre to provide a warm space for people to wait for the Post Office van throughout January, February and March.
The Knot has come a long way in the last few years, and is constantly evolving. Why not become part of the story and get involved? Shop, Donate, Volunteer or Join as a Member. See Getting Involved.
