Kyle & Lochalsh Community Trust is pleased to announce that it has secured a further £39,133 from the Scottish Government’s Supporting Communities Fund and the National Lottery Community Fund to continue the delivery of Covid projects by the Lochalsh Community Response. The funding will allow the continuation of the Food vouchers, food share, virtual meeting space, community newsletter and volunteer expenses. It will also continue to support Covid-related projects of the Lochalsh Youth Community Trust, Kyleakin Connections and the Kyleakin & Kylerhea Community Council.

This round of funding was significantly more difficult to secure than the previous one and unfortunately, our funders decided that some of the

initiatives that we had applied for were not eligible for emergency funding, the main ones being the Local Food Security Project and also creating a Women’s Well-being group by the Women’s Aid to combat mental health emergency. On the positive side, we have managed to secure limited funding for small art packs for children in Lochalsh through an application to the National Lottery Community Fund and we will continue to deliver online talks related to food.

Our Covid projects are funded only until the end of September as part of the emergency stage supported by the Scottish Government. This will be followed by a recovery stage but we are not sure yet what support, if any, will be available after September.

Issue 4 17th July 2020

Additional funding for

Lochalsh Community Response

CommUnity News

See page 10 for more information on the highly anticipated Pet Show Winners Announcement

Energy Top Ups available New Start Highland Food Hub in Inverness is able to offer food, sanitary products and other essentials, as well as energy top ups. The project is currently funded until the end of September but they are looking at ways to extend this. KYCT are working to ensure blessing boxes in our area are well stocked with these provisions. If you would like more information on the Energy Top Ups please call Lochalsh Community Response Helpline on 01599 534505.

New Layout Coordinator With funding from the Supporting Communities Fund, Kyle & Lochalsh Community Trust have appointed Aileen Turnbull as Layout Coordinator for CommUnity News. She will be working with Susan Walker, Community Development Officer and Karen MacRae. This will free up more of Susan’s time to work on the Lochalsh Community Collaboration. Aileen’s background in publishing is a useful addition to the team and this is her first issue.

Full article on pages 2&3 As she moves on to pastures new, KLCT’s Development Officer reflects on her time with the Trust

C R O S S W O R D

P A G E 1 5

Please email articles, news or images to: editor@lochalshcommunityresponse.co.uk

STROMEFERRY & ACHMORE The first in a series of special focus pieces on each community council area.

P 4 & 5 History and archives P6-10 Community data

Issue 4

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PAGE 2 NEWSLETTER TITLE

Farewell to Jo By Pam Noble

On behalf of all the Trustees and staff at KLCT, the directors of our Trading Company, and members of the Lochalsh Collaboration, I’d like to say a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to Jo for the huge amount of work she’s put in over her three years with the organisation, and especially for how she has coped with the demands of responding to the Covid-19 crisis over the past months. Her dedication, enthusiasm and no-nonsense approach to work have been brilliant and we will miss her very much. However, life must go on and we have to look to the future. It’s all a bit uncertain as we gradually emerge from lockdown and nobody can foresee how things will develop in the

weeks and months ahead. But we have to be positive, which is why we’re advertising for our new post of Trust Manager - an exciting opportunity for that special someone out there who has all the right credentials to lead the Trust as we move ahead with our ambitious plans. We hope to recruit the new person early in August, so check out our website if you’re interested in applying. If the Manager’s job is not for you, don’t worry – there will be other job opportunities coming up soon, so keep an eye on our website for details as they arise. And of course there are always plenty of volunteering opportunities, whether it’s working on one of the projects, helping with activities, or joining the board as a trustee. Please get in touch – we’ll be delighted to hear from you! Good luck in your new venture, Jo, and many thanks for everything you’ve done.

I am writing this message to you with a mixture of sadness and excitement. After over 3 years with Kyle & Lochalsh Community Trust my time here is coming to an end as I’m moving to the Scottish Borders to start another adventure. It makes me sad though to leave this beautiful part of Scotland, the people I’ve met here and the organisation which I’ve worked so hard to develop. The last 3 years have been a real challenge and a mammoth team effort to get KLCT from where it was in May 2017 to what it does today. We’ve started with resolving numerous organisational issues, setting up a new website (www.lochalsh.uk) and email addresses, developing a trust logo with the help of school kids; and pushed forward the long-term aspiration to take ownership of the Plock and the Toll Office, which we managed to finalise in February 2019. The Plock has played a major part in our activity in the last 3 years. In spring 2018, working with the community and consultants, we developed a Masterplan for the Plock and the Toll Office which allowed us to focus on specific projects which the community identified as priorities. We employed a part-time Plock Project Officer who has helped us to move our office to the Toll Office, and has been investigating the feasibility of a pitch & putt or a mini golf course at the Plock and looking into funding to extend the paths there.

She has also helped to organise events and submit a successful funding bid to develop the idea of a Viking Living Village and employ a VLV Project Officer. A lot of effort has been put into collecting evidence and doing trial activities to secure large funding for 3 years of activities at the Plock. Thanks to this effort, we are now in the position to employ a Ranger and Outdoor Learning & Well-being Officer, make the Toll Office disabled friendly and create a better space for activities. We will also be setting up a Community Shed at the Toll Office after the Covid crisis ends. All this work helped us secure a partnership with the Highland Green Health Partnership which resulted in Kyle being chosen as one of 3 pilot areas in the Highlands to test social prescribing of green activities. We also have huge plans to improve infrastructure at the Plock and develop recreational facilities. We are working with architects on designs for a Hub building and accommodation pods which can be rented out to generate income for the Trust. We’ve also installed a car charging point at the Toll Office car park but there have been severe issues with the units not coping with our stormy weather conditions. We are now awaiting installation of a shelter and replacement of the broken charger.

Farewell from Jo, KLCT’s Development Officer

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secured funding for projects. In the last 3 years we’ve also secured £872,498 in funding for specific projects, the majority of which is yet to be spent. Due to this fast growth, we are currently working with an independent consultancy on a Strategic Review of KLCT to make appropriate organisational changes to ensure that voluntary trustees and staff can cope with the increased amount of work. The first change that we are implementing is for my replacement to have the role of Trust Manager rather than Development Officer. This new position will have overall responsibility for KLCT. We are currently accepting applications for this post so check our website for details! I will miss this exciting buzz! I’m delighted though for KLCT and anyone who will get involved with it, either as a member of staff, board or a volunteer supporting individual projects or conservation volunteering at the Plock. There are SO MANY AMAZING THINGS COMING UP! If you are not a member already, make sure you sign up. I know that I will now that I am no longer an employee! It will be a great way to follow how the trust is getting on. Farewell to you all and I wish you all the best in the future.

PAGE 3

Farewell from Jo, continued Not all our efforts have been focussed on Kyle though. Since autumn 2018, we’ve been working with local Community Councils and groups to set up a Lochalsh Collaboration. As part of this project, which received Scottish Government funding and was endorsed by the local Community Planning Partnership, we will be undertaking a Lochalsh-wide consultation, developing Community-led Action Plan(s) and investigating Lochalsh-wide projects. This is supported by our recently appointed Community Development Officer, Susan Walker. The Covid emergency has clearly shown the benefit of having close working relationships with groups in Lochalsh. KLCT played a critical role in setting up the Lochalsh Community Response and co-ordinating Covid response in Lochalsh along with initiatives set up by individual community councils, groups and individuals in our area. You can find all the details on our Covid dedicated..website: www.lochalshcommunityresponse.co.uk Not all our efforts have been successful however. Our attempts in 2017 to secure funding to extend the community pontoons in Kyle and install a breakwater have been fruitless. Since then, we’ve had a number of other issues with the facility. Currently we are working with analysts from the Scottish Government, who will carry out an independent review of the pontoons later this year. Overall though, KLCT has experienced fantastic growth in the last 3 years. Our assets increased from 2 to 5, our turnover increased from £57,334 at the end of July 2017 to £181,053 in July 2019 and the number of staff currently stands at four, up from one in May 2017. And there will be several more people employed in the next half year, thanks to

Kyle and Lochalsh Community Trust AGM Join our Annual General Meeting via phone or digitally and get the opportunity to hear our staff talk about the projects we are currently working on.

6:30pm on Tuesday 21st July 2020 Via Zoom and/or (stationary) telephone You need to register prior to the meeting so we can send you access details. You can do that by either: • Booking a free ticket at EventBrite: find details on our website (www.lochalsh.uk) or our Facebook

page • Emailing development@lochalsh.uk • Calling 01599 534505 (Option 3 – the office) We ask all Voting (Ordinary) Members to send us a proxy form, even if you plan to attend the meeting. This would ensure that your vote counts if you cannot attend and our meeting is quorate.

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Stromeferry & Achmore—Looking back in time by Catherine MacPhee, Skye and Lochalsh Archives

This month we will look at School Records - our Highland School Records include Admission Registers, Log Books, Feu Charters and Minute Books. They come from hundreds of schools, school boards and management committees and can include photographs and other school documentation. School records usually start in or around 1873, following the Education (Scotland) Act of 1872. This act established the first compulsory system of state education for children aged 5-13. Prior to 1872, education provision had been inconsistently provided across the country by various bodies. Dates can vary depending on what records (if any) survive. It also depends on whether or not records have been deposited with the Highland Archive Service. At the time of the First Statistical Account there were only two schools in Lochalsh: one near the parish church and another in ‘a detached district’, run by the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge. In 1838, Rev Hector MacLean reported that this total had increased to six, but that an additional school was still required. Following the education Act of 1872, the Lochalsh School Board retained or built new schools in Plockton, Achmore, Erbusaig and Auchtertyre. After the extension of the railway to Kyle in 1897, the population of the village increased, and a new school was opened there in 1905. This was replaced by the current primary school in 1958 (extended 1978). Plockton Primarystill uses the original building first opened as a Free Church School in 1858. Erbusaig, on the other hand, closed in 1933. In 1990, pupils from Achmore and Lochalsh transferred to the new Auchtertyre Primary. Teachers were required to submit attendance statistics for monitoring. The image shown below is Lochalsh, Kintail and Glenshiel School Management Minutes, 3 Dec 1931. School Log Books reveal the day to day life of the school. They can include names of pupils who behaved very well or very badly! School Board or Management Committee Minutes record the appointment of teachers. They also contain details regarding the condition of the school buildings.

This image shows the Achmore log book for November 6th 1920 “The School Children and teacher were entertained at Stromferry Lodge…” and on the 9

th November we see

attendances have dropped due to illness. Please feel free to contact us at:

skyeandlocalsh.archives@highlifehighland.com

“School Log Books reveal the day to day life of the school.”

ISSUE 2 CROSSWORD ANSWERS:

ACROSS 1 LAGG, 2 MURCHISON, 6 SANDAIG, 13 COD, 14 EILEANDONAN, 16 TOR, 17 SALTY, 18 RESULT, 20 & 25 HEILIN COO, 22 BALVRAID, 24 RIB, 25 COO, 26 FISH, 29 ARDNARFF, 31 ALE, 32 LOCHS, 33 ROWAN, 36 TELVE, 37 GRUGAIG, 38 EWE, 39 WSW, 42 NOR, 44FREESEALTRIPS, 47 SEA, 48 AMBATA, 51 TRODDEN, 52 SHINTY, 54 CONCHRA, 57 NOFERRY, 58 FALLSOFGLOMACH, 60 TRAD, 61 PLOCKTON, 62 CRAGS, 63 AGA

DOWN 2 MOD, 3 RIOT, 4 SPIRITOFFREDOLSEN, 5NEEP, 7 ARDELVE, 8 DUNCRAIG, 10 NAVY, 11 KYLERHEA, 12 STRATH, 15 HUTCIRCLES, 19 THOMASTELFORD, 21 IONA, 23 ASH, 27 RONA, 28 DEER, 30 DILL, 32 LOW, 34 WAVERLEY, 35 DUBH, 37 GORSE, 39 WEST, 40 SSE, 41 WEATHER, 43 SKAT, 45 AMEN, 46 DARACH, 49 GOLF, 50 MANSE, 53 TRAIN, 55 OWL, 56 CAMP, 57 NET, 59 FIR

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The above image was taken by Kyle Pharmacist and photograher Duncan MacPherson, It shows the photographer's wife, Margaret, daughter Mary and son Neil, are pictured walking past the railway station on the left, with what was once the Station master's house on the right. The larger building in the background, Stromeferry Lodge, was a hotel until virtually destroyed by fire in 1990s. The building was designed by Alexander Ross and built in 1872, with alterations made in 1882. It was convenient for both rail and ferry passengers, being near Stromeferry station and close to the old jetty for the ferry service which once operated there.

The original small settlement expanded rapidly when the Dingwall and Skye Line of the Highland Railway was built in 1870 with its terminus at Stromeferry. The village became a hive of activity, with regular steamer services to Skye, Lewis and mainland villages meeting the trains. The improved services were also used to transport mail, fish and cattle and the railway company decided to run Sunday trains. This offended members of the local population who were opposed to working on the Sabbath. The situation resulted in the Stromeferry Riot of June 1883 when members of the Free Church, opposed to any work being undertaken on the Sabbath, prevented railway employees transferring boxes of fish from 2 steamers at the pier onto a train for transport to London. Some 150 local men succeeded in halting the loading until past midnight on the Sunday, but 10 of them spent several months in jail for their pains. After the railway was extended to Kyle of Lochalsh in 1897, much of the traffic transferred to Kyle, although the often busy ferry across the narrows continued until 1970 when the by-pass along the south shore of the loch was opened.

Riots, fire and fish in Stromeferry by Catherine MacPhee, Skye and Lochalsh Archives

The beautiful community bunting created as part of the Barra Bunting project.

The trustees of KLCT and the directors of KLT are pleased to announce that the community facilities in Kyle are scheduled to re-open on 16 July 2020. This means that you’ll once again have access to our public toilets, showers, and launderette. They will be open seven days a week between 9am and 6pm. As you would expect, there will be some changes to take account of government guidelines introduced to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. You will see signs reminding you of the need to maintain social distancing, to wash your hands thoroughly, to use a face covering, and to respect the cleaning staff who are there to help keep you safe. Hand sanitisers will be available. To ensure that social distancing is maintained, the number of cubicles will be reduced and we would ask people to queue

responsibly while waiting to enter the building. You will not be able to enter while the facilities are being cleaned – this is for your safety and the safety of the staff – and we ask you to be patient and understanding. During lockdown we have reviewed our pricing structure which has remained the same for many years, and we have now decided it is necessary to increase our charges to reflect the costs of maintaining the facilities. It will therefore now cost 50p to use the toilets. Charges for showers and launderette will be posted on site. If everyone does their bit to observe the guidelines and act responsibly, we will be able to keep the facilities open. However, we reserve the right to close the premises at any time if we consider that members of the public or our staff are at risk.

What a relief! By Pam Noble

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Local Area Profile: Stromeferry & Achmore the first in a series from each area of Lochalsh with community data collected by local groups

The work on collating information for local community profiles is part of the community consultation exercise being undertaken by the Lochalsh Collaboration. This baseline community data will be used to highlight questions that need to be asked in the questionnaire, and to provide baseline information for the Community Action Plan, to be written next year. The collection of data is being led by community councils, working with other local groups. All of the data has been turned into percentages to anonymise the information in small communities. This project is being supported by Susan Walker, Community Development Officer with Kyle & Lochalsh Community Trust. Contact her on 01471833274 or email communitydevelopment@lochalsh.uk

Stromeferry and Achmore Community Council is the northem most the Community Councils in Lochalsh. It has shared boundaries with Lochacarron Community Council to the North , and Dornie, Lochalsh and Plockton to the South. Stromeferry & Achmore Community Council covers an area of 29.7 sq. kms and there is a resident population of approximately 144 with 81 residential dwellings and 3 house plots in the Strome area, of which one is under development. The other non-residential buildings are a Community Hall and the Forestry Office in the centre of Achmore.

Community description

Stromeferry & Achmore has a total population of 144. While 11% are in the 10-19 age group, there are 4% in the under 10 age group, suggesting that the numbers of children being born or moving into the area are decreasing in comparison to 10+ years ago. The other two smallest deciles are the 20-29 (5%) and 30-39 (5%) age groups, which suggests that young people are migrating out of the area after the end of school. The data suggests an ageing population, with under 50s representing 37% of the population, while over 50s represent 63% of the population.

Population Housing

Family homes make up 77% of Stromeferry and Achmore’s housing stock, however, it is not known if any of the previous council housing remains part of the social housing stock. There is no other social housing. It is not known how many, if any, of the family homes are available for long term rental. Homes that are not permanently lived in make up 22% of the housing stock, of which 10% are second homes and 11% are holiday units.

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There is a wide mix of land ownership and tenure in the area. Most of the hill ground above the Plockton road (Beinn Raimh up to Braeintra) is managed by Tillhill Forestry for private owners who are not resident in the area. The planted hill ground around the Glen and onwards towards Ardarnaff is owned by the public agency Forestry and Land Scotland. The flat land in the Strath Ascaig valley is owned by three local families and by the Fernaig Trust which manages the 110 acres of community-owned land, including 10 small holdings and also allotments. A local family

Employment, education, retired

The working population of Stromeferry and Achmore is 41% of the total population. This number includes part time income generation such as those who rent out a single room to those who are employed by a large corporation. Many people have more than

Employment & education definitions Self-employed - working for themselves, no company. Large Corporation - headquartered outside of our area with a large number of employees e.g Royal Mail Employed by a small company - few employees, mostly local to our area Owns own company - person works in the company and may employ others again local to the area Other - at home, home maker, may or may not be working Retired - not working. School - up to 18 years University - not yet graduated so counted as part of the family unit living in the area

of people who work in small companies, self-employment or running their own business is notable, making up 37% of the total figure. It is also notable that of these three categories, 53% are linked to hospitality and tourism, while 8% of the working population are involved in part time agriculture.

Land ownership & usage

owns part the hill ground Creag Mhaol - and the rest of this area belongs to Forestry and Land Scotland.

The strip of land between Loch Carron shore and bounded by the railway line is croft land and accommodates six registered crofts - most of the dwellings have been decrofted.

The valley is home to cows, calves, sheep, horses, hens and pigs and they mostly co-exist with the wildlife – roe deer, geese, pine martins, badgers, buzzards and foxes. The livestock owners have to be particularly diligent during the lambing season to protect their lambs.

The fields and land owned by Fernaig Trust and local familes, surrounded by forestry on the hills

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Transport

The Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh train service stops at Stromeferry, with a request stop at Attadale. It is a good service in the main but you cannot get back from Edinburgh / Glasgow on a Sunday due to trains not connecting up. There is no footpath between Achmore and Stromeferry, so that anyone accessing the station from Achmore has to walk along the road.

There are bus links from Kyle to North Skye, east to Inverness and south to Glasgow, but no transports links directly from Stromeferry and Achmore to Kyle or Strathcarron. The bus can be picked up in Auchtertyre (7 miles away) or Strathcarron (8 miles away).

People without their own transport or unable to drive have to rely on private hire companies or taxis as there is no Community Car Scheme in our area. Cars are the main form of transport, with many households needing a car per working adult to get to and from work. Bicycles are used, including to access the train service, mainly by people who do not have a car and need to be able to get out and about, and get to and from work. They are also used for leisure / exercise.

On foot, there are paths connecting some of the communities / villages and most people accept that they have to walk along the roads. However, there are no shops or services within walking distance, except for events and classes at Achmore Hall and the allotments, and the railway station at Stromeferry.

The only publicly provided facilities are a working telephone box in Achmore and a post box in each of Achmore and Stromeferry.

All residents in Stromeferry and Achmore have to travel up to 10 miles to Kyle for all health related services - the doctors in the health centre, dentist, opticians and pharmacy. There is a good range of small shops in Kyle with the CO-OP as our only supermarket offering. Lochcarron also has local services such as shops, garage, restaurants, post office, and sports facilities. Parking in Kyle is limited, and parking slots are hard to get in the summer season. Residents also have to travel for hospitality and leisure – the nearest community with hotels, pubs and restaurants is Plockton which is 7 miles on the coastal road, or 8.5 miles to the Balmacara Stores, and café and deli in Balmacara Square. There is a leisure centre in Kyle.

Services, retail, hospitality

Local Area Profile: Stromeferry & Achmore

Education

Stromeferry railway station

Local children attend Auctertyre or, if they wish to be taught in Gaelic, Plockton Primary School and then Plockton High School. There is a branch of the West Highland College – University of the Highlands — in Auchertyre which offers a wide variety of courses.

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PAGE 9

1ST LOCHALSH CUBS: Cub Scouts are young people (boys and

girls) aged 8 - 10½. 1st Lochalsh Cubs usually meet on a Tuesday night from 6.30 to 8pm in Achmore Village Hall. The Cubs enjoy learning outdoor skills, camping, fitness and being creative. Every year the Cubs go on at least 1 camp; last year joining ‘The Howling’ National Camp at Scout Adventures Fordell Firs, near Dunfermline.

The Cubs love to welcome visitors and learn new skills. If you are interested in coming along or know a young person who is interested in joining the Cub Pack, please contact Andrew McGrath (Akela) andrewmcgrath12@me.com or Kate Biss (Raksha) kate.biss@yahoo.co.uk

Fernaig Community Trust, Achmore

The Fernaig Community Trust (FCT) was set up in 1998 to give the community access to local land and to involve people in the decision making relating to this land. The FCT is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status and is managed by a board of directors from within the community.

In the year 2000 with the help from HIE and by selling two house sites to the Highland Small Communities Housing Trust we were able to buy-out 110 acres of farm land which we turned into ten small holdings. These are let on rolling 5-year tenancy agreements to local people to raise mostly sheep and cattle.

There are also areas of native woodland and in 2018 the Trust completed 1.7km of attractive public access footpaths running from Achmore Bridge to Braeintra and a picnic area is under development. The Trust has a ‘concordat agreement’ with Forestry and Land Scotland on the Strome Woods that ensures there is consultation and involvement in its management for the benefit of the community. The Trust also designated an area of good arable land for use as allotments between Braeintra and Achmore.

Community groups in Stromeferry & Achmore Community Council

There is an active Community Council of 7 which meets the last Wednesday of the month and do their bit to fulfill their remit of cascading inform to all members of the community by various means – Facebook page, electronic copies of minutes, notice boards at Stromeferry and Achmore plus a leaflet box by the notice board in Achmore. The CC will take up issues which are relevant to the community once the originator has exhausted all avenues available to them. The Community Council receives a grant of around £470.00 per year from the Highland Council to cover meeting costs, insurance, and all other running costs.

Stromeferry and Achmore Hall The Stromeferry and Achmore

Community Hall is located in the centre of the Achmore area of the Community and is surrounded by a stone walled, well tended garden with a mixture of grass and shrubs. The Hall belongs to the community and cared for and managed by trustees and a voluntary hall committee of 10 which meets 1st Tuesday of the month. The hall was renovated with some redesign taking place in the early 2000. It consists of a large hall, atrium, and a meeting room and is capable of hosting supper evening through to larger wedding parties as it has a fully equipped catering kitchen with a serving hatch to the main hall. In addition to the table and chair layout the hall has a full set of raked seating available; so the space can be transformed into a music venue for gigs or ceilidhs or an intimate theatre experience. The hall is licensed for up to one hundred people.

There is an open green space across the road from the hall which is available for community use – playing area for the kids and stall area for the Gathering. This land is provided for community use by one of the local families and to quote Neil MacRae ‘"the green has trained many a good shinty player" including him

Stromeferry and Achmore Community Hall

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PAGE 10

CMNet CIC Broadband CMNet CIC is a Community

Interest Company established in April 2013 by a group of volunteers with the objective of providing speeds 10x faster than those available through the BT exchange and to do so for 10% less than the 2013/14 BT charge. To achieve this goal CMNet CIC had to get its communication links from the Plockton Exchange which in 2013 was a 8Mbps exchange in comparison to the capped Stromeferry & Achmore exchange of 0.5mpbs.

CMNet took advantage of the government's Community Broadband Scotland scheme which contributed 89% of the capital costs to buy equipment.

In 2016 the Plockton Exchange was upgraded to fibre giving a download speed of 80Mbps and an upload speed of 20Mbps from one line and this allowed CMNet CIC to re-configure lines to cuts costs and increase speeds to Next Generation Broadband standards with 30Mbps download and 15Mbps upload. In 2018 the Stromeferry and Achmore exchange was upgraded to fibre so CMNet CIC are taking advantage of this upgarde and are in the process of ordering an additional fibre connection which will hopefully be delivered in July 2020.

In 2017 the Scottish government started its R100 (Reaching 100%) programme to deliver 30 Mbps to every premise in Scotland; the initial date for completion was the end of 2021. Scotland was split into three areas to allow companies to tender. BT was awarded the contract for South and Mid. The North (which includes the Highlands) has not yet been allocated and is currently subject to a legal challenge from one of the potential suppliers. The rollout is now unlikely to be finished by the end of 2023.

Today CMNet is the only provider in the area that can deliver Next Generation speeds (30Mbps or more) to all of its subscribers, i.e. Achmore, Fernaig, The Glen, Craig, Stromeferry, North Strome, Ardaneaskan and Ardnarff. There are still a third of potential subscribers left to connect and now the COVID-19 lockdown is being eased most of these should be completed by the end of 2020.

Like all community groups CMNet needs the continued support of people in the area.

The CMNet mast, providing an enviable standard of broadband to its customers, established and run by a community-owned social enterprise.

Hopefully that support will continue until all the premises provided by CMNet are covered by the R100 rollout and have an alternate option for Next Generation Broadband at a reasonable cost. This is scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2023 but may be delayed to 2024, or 2025, or … And once an area gets infrastructure such as a good quality of broadband, it opens up opportunities for people to create, develop or expand their business, as is already happening in the area.

Local Area Profile: Stromeferry & Achmore

In Summary Stromeferry and Achmore may be a small community with few facilities and services but we make up for the lack of these by being a very proactive community who are self reliant and willing to volunteer to establish organisations, in some case build infrastructure to support and enhance life in our area. However, for our area to develop it needs a higher level of infrastructure, services and facilities that more populated areas take for granted.

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A wee birdy informed me that a great local character is coming up for his 90

th birthday on

the 17th of July. Bill Gordon, or Ginger as

most will know him, moved to Glenshiel from Huntly after taking a job on Inverinate Estate. He met his wife, Pat Fraser from Ault a’chruinn, and settled in the area. He has done many jobs including building the ‘new road’, running the seaweed boat and salmon farming in Sallachy. He also spent many years fencing and replanting forestry covering a great area and employing a number of young locals.

I am sure he will be spending the day with his family and his six grand-daughters and two great-grandchildren too.

Without doubt folk from all over the area and further afield will be joining me in raising a glass on the 17

th to the lovely man who is full

of stories, jokes and tales.

Happy 90th Birthday to Ginger by Karen MacRae

Someone didn’t want left out of Ginger’s photo!!

In the first edition of the newsletter we invited members of the community to submit entries to

our Virtual Pet Show. We were overwhelmed by the number of entries and the range of pets too! We had a total of

40 entries in over 9 different categories so judging was rather tricky for Iona and Kate from Highland Hound Groomers. We are pleased to say that the judging

has now taken place and the winners will be

announced during our Zoom Event on Sunday

the 26th of July between 4 and 5pm. We will

be showing

all of the entries,

presenting

certificates to the

winners of each class

and a special prize

has kindly been

Don’t forget! Pet Show Winners’ announcement and Presentation of Certificates on Sunday 26th July 4-5pm: Details of how to join in are on the back page.

Oreo

Pet Show Winners Announcement Event

Jack

donated by Kate at Highland Hound Groomers

for the pet the judges most wanted to take

home.

Here is a little selection of the lovely

photographs that have been sent in by

entrants. We can see why it must have been

so difficult to choose the winners! Every one

of them is a winner in our

eyes.

Oreo

Islay

Mokre and Skygge

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The Plock Volunteers By Derek Noble, Plock Volunteer

Tea break pre-Corona, 2015 Tea break post-Corona, 2020 . Photos by Chris and Nic

The Kyle and Lochalsh Community Trust has applied for and been granted additional funding for our Covid-19 food projects, which will allow us to continue them into September. One of these projects, the Food Voucher programme, has been very successful and is now in its 10th week. We have distributed £7,550 worth of vouchers in the past nine weeks, which have been sent to 208 households and helped 540 people. Another project, the Food Share programme, has helped an average of 37 households and 83 people per week since the trust took over management of the programme from the Lochalsh Youth Community Trust in April. Volunteers have given over 90 hours to helping distribute this food to people in need. For this programme, the Co-op has donated over £15,000 of food waste and the Spar has donated over £2,300 worth. With the Co-op changing back to regular opening hours, we have had to change the way the food programme is run due to the lateness of the hour. The food is now being placed at

For those of you who do not live in Kyle, the Plock of Kyle is a small parcel of land owned by Kyle and Lochalsh Community Trust (KLCT). Formerly it was Kyle golf course before the government’s compulsory purchase of land for the A87 road extension i.e. the Skye bridge. Upkeep of the area was adopted by KLCT during Chris Marsh’s time there as Ranger. Chris enlisted a group of conservation volunteers and set to work re-digging drainage ditches and initiating the eradication of Rhododendron ponticum as well as scrub clearance and footpath maintenance. Chris’s post ran out in 2016 but he left behind the Plock of Kyle Management Plan which outlines how the site could best be managed and conserved. The emphasis was on eradication of Rhododendron ponticum -something that the volunteers have taken on in the last four years. If

you have ponticum in your garden, please consider either deadheading to remove the seeds or removing the plant altogether as ponticum is very invasive and poisonous killing all but two of our 23 native bumble bees. Only ponticum sets seed in Britain so other rhododendron are OK from that perspective. Since Chris left we volunteers kept at it and have tried to keep the place reasonably respectable on our four hours per week. We have lost volunteers and have gained volunteers but never managed more than seven regulars. We had our first work morning after 13 weeks of lockdown recently. Even outdoors, great care is required to maintain social distancing so things aren’t so cosy. When visiting the Plock, please dispose of litter and dog waste in the bins provided.

Food programmes help local people by Annie Chalmers at Lochalsh Community Response

Kyleakin Blessings Box and at Kyle Hall from 9:30-10:30pm on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays so that people who are in need can come down and take what they like. We are currently delivering only to shielding, disabled, or elderly people as well as single parents who would not be able to go down to our food share locations. Anyone who feels that they may still need deliveries who fits the above criteria can phone the helpline at 01599 534 505 to speak to a volunteer. Those deliveries are happening Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays after the food is collected at 9pm. Any updates to information about the food share can be found on the Lochalsh Community Response Facebook page. We would like to again thank our lovely volunteers who are taking requests on the community response phone line and those who have graciously given up their evenings to help distribute food for the Food Share programme. We greatly appreciate all of the time that you have given to help our community.

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‘How the Isle of Skye inspires my writing’ A talk by local author Liz MacRae Shaw, will follow Lochalsh Book Club introductory meeting

In the first edition of the CommUnity newsletter we mentioned hosting a book club for the area. We would like to invite you to the introductory meeting, in the form of an informal chat from 7.45pm to discuss the practicalities of taking the book club forward. This will be followed by the talk. Liz MacRae Shaw, a Skye-based author, will chat about her books and tell some stories of the history of the Islands of Skye and Rona. Liz has also kindly offered a discount on her two books if anyone would like to read them in advance of the evening (see below for details of how to order).

Liz says, “The inspiration for my historical novels comes from the history and landscape of Skye and especially from the family stories I heard from my Granny. My first book, ‘Love And Music Will Endure’ is based on the life of Mary MacPherson (Màiri Mhòr nan Orain – Great Mary of the songs), the bard and political campaigner who was born into a

crofting family in 19th century Skye. Her powerful voice was unleashed when she was falsely accused of theft. She poured her rage and despair into songs about the plight of her fellow Highlanders who were being driven from their homes. Through force of character she overcame the barriers of background, class and gender to become their champion and inspiration. The main character in my second book, ‘No safe Anchorage’ is Tom Masters, a nineteenth century naval officer who is a round peg in a square hole. The tantalising glimpse of a stranger leads him to jump ship on a quest to find her. His subsequent adventures take him from the Isle of Skye to Canada. There he encounters others who have been jettisoned by society, especially Silent Owl, a native American. However, danger and exposure threaten Tom and he has to go on his travels again.’ Liz’s latest book, ‘Had We Never Loved So Blindly’ comes out early next year.

Special offer (including postage): ‘No Safe Anchorage’ £9 (£4 off RRP) ‘Love and Music Will Endure’ £7(£2 off RRP)

Or both books for £15!

lizmacraeshaw@outlook.com Tel: 01478 611907

We’re looking for a dynamic and committed person who will lead us on our journey as we progress towards long-term sustainability. The candidate After recent success in a number of funding applications, the Trust is entering a period of growth and is therefore also at a point where we need to develop new ways of working efficiently as an organisation. The ideal candidate will have experience of managing an organisation through change and will understand the particular needs and complexities of a community trust with ambitious plans. They will be highly motivated, an excellent communicator, and an experienced manager who can build a strong team ethos. The role The Trust Manager will be the outward face of the organisation, will report to the Board of Trustees, and will maintain strong working relations with all stakeholders including the local community. They will ensure that key initiatives are delivered in a timely manner and will oversee project staff and support them to deliver their own projects in accordance with agreed workplans. They will also be responsible for ensuring that funding is secured to allow the post to continue past March 2022 with a view to leading the Trust to long-term financial sustainability. Additional information Candidates can apply by sending their CV and Cover Letter to: development@lochalsh.uk by 9am on 31st July. Full details can be found on KLCT website: https://www.lochalsh.uk/about/opportunities/

Kyle & Lochalsh Community Trust is recruiting!

Position: Trust Manager Based: KLCT Office, Kyle

Reports to: KLCT Board of Trustees Hours: Full time 35 hours per week

Salary: £29,000 - £31,000 Depending on experience

Contract: Till March 2022 – continuation dependent on securing funding

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For those who missed this virtual event in June, here are the main points covered during the session.

Converting your lawn into a diverse flower rich sward requires patience and it is best to make small changes rather than large scale removal, which often require chemical interference. Local seed and plants are important so try to avoid packet mixes of wildflower seeds. Adding in a few species each year, don’t be too keen to cut it even though initially it can have a ragged appearance. Many areas of lawn are too rich and grassy, with a different cutting regime needed, removing nutrients each time. A key component is the addition of Yellow Rattle seeds into the grass in autumn. These plants are hemi-parasites and will draw energy from competitive grasses, allowing other more delicate plants a chance to flower and seed. Making space for nature - the use of native broadleaf shrubs and plants will provide maximum effect. It’s good to know that night-time wildlife is often ten times more abundant than the daytime, and that to be truly wildlife friendly, you have to look at what the small flies, moths and beetles are eating and

reproducing in, as that is the key to feeding reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals. It is a good idea to do an audit – and think exactly where is everything going to live. Think in 3D and try to maximise the area, including edges and walls. Don’t just settle for a bush, get honeysuckle and ivy and climbing roses on it too! Homes for wildlife - the best option is native vegetation and dead material, with compost heaps and log piles a good start. If you have space then make banks built up on logs and stones, so there is lots of nooks and crannies to hide in. Bird feeding - routine food provision is important, as many birds become dependent, especially in the winter months. Hygiene for yourself and the birds has to be a top consideration, and a full deep clean of feeders and bird tables is recommended every 2 weeks, with many bird pathogens having serious impacts on finch populations at present, fuelled by bird feeders. While we may be more conscious of where our own food comes from and the ‘food miles’, we might not consider bird food, which is often grown using chemicals in other parts of the

world, including Argentina, India and Ethiopia. Bird feeding also sustains generalists, birds that are mobile and can adapt, leaving the specialist species that are rarer out-competed. Bird boxes – hygiene is again a top consideration. Make bird boxes that can be cleaned. Position away from direct sun and prevailing wind, so typically facing north-east. They must be out of the reach of ground predators, especially cats, and also not have perches nearby so that woodpeckers, corvids and sparrowhawks can’t reach in easily. There are many products available these days, but bird boxes are easy to make. Make sure to use untreated timber, and if adding treatment or paint, only do it on the outside. An enjoyable way to use a bird box is to get one with a camera inbuilt – this can be relayed straight to your TV, so you have your own Springwatch from your garden. Ponds - a key wildlife habitat. Safety is paramount – unfenced ponds are dangerous if younger children or pets are around. Establish native plants at the edge and at the bottom and sides of the pond. For wildlife access and viewing, graded edges and beaches are recommended so everything can safely take a drink and escape if it falls in. The wildlife will find the pond quite quickly if there are clear access points to and from your garden to other habitats. Wildlife ponds are not found to work well with fish or with ducks, unless the pond is extremely large. Ponds should ideally be sunny, and topped up with rainwater where possible, or if tap water then ensure it has sat for a period outside first, to avoid the chlorine killing the key microbial life on which a pond depends.

AN INTRODUCTION TO WILDLIFE GARDENING By Phil Knott

‘Growing your own native trees and hedging’ Sunday 9th

August, 4 – 5pm Phil Knott returns to lead a session in growing native trees and hedging plants at home. Phil is a crofter on the Isle of Skye and has been successfully growing native trees at home for minimal cost for many years. Phil will take you from seed collection through storage, stratification, germination of seed and propagation by cuttings to planting out.. He will cover all of our common native trees and

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The beautiful community bunting created as part of the Barra Bunting project.

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ACROSS 1: ‘Place of the boat’ (opposite Dornie), (12) 6: Fossil fuel (4). 12: Unhappy (3). 13: Geal (5). 14: This King supposedly visited Eilean Donan Castle (6,3,5). 17: Village with one of the oldest thatched cottages in Scotland (7). 18: Popular girl’s name (abbrev) (4). 21: This group looks after the Train Museum in Kyle (7,2,3,4,4). 24: Not yes (2). 25: Name for an old horse (3). 26: Helpers (6). 30: Runs on tracks (5). 31: Garden tool (3). 33: There’s one in front of the Lifeboat Station in Kyle (7). 34: High (Gaelic) (3). 35: Honey drink (4). 36: Group for young people (5,4). 38: Not blunt (5). 39: Plockton Girls were champions at this (5). 44: Says yes without speaking (4). 46: Seafood delicacy (8). 48: Party entertainment, some people find them scary (6). 49: Metal fastening (7). 51: Where crops are grown (4). 53: A Highland dance (4). 55: Round loaf of bread (3). 56 Tree type (5). 58: Vikings usually carried these (5). 60: These critters have been re-introduced to Lochalsh (9). 63: Bivalve mollusc (4). 64 Sheep do this (5). 66: Wood & metal worker s use these (5). 69: Type of Fish (7). 70: Scotland’s flag (7). 71: Name of Glenelg Ferry (13). DOWN: 1: Young Scouts (4). 2: Big (Gaelic)(3). 3: Planet often seen in our skies (6). 4: Needed for Baking (4). 5: Golfers use these (3). 6: Even in Golf (3). 7: Male name (abbrev) (4). 8: Number in Shinty Team (6). 9: Kinlochshiel’s home ground is here (7). 10: Well known local Female Saint (11). 11: A Plockton group are very good at this (5). 12: This lass has a pub named after her (5,4).

DOWN continued 15: Every house should have one (4). 16: No Cards we only take (4). 19: Letterfearn has a Royal one of these (4). 20: There’s one below the Skye Bridge (10). 21: Beach near Achmore (7). 22: Ancient Hero local to Kintail (8). 23: One of the ships that attacked Eilean Donan Castle (10). 26: You need this to play Shinty (5). 27: Family known for its 20 downs (9). 28: Viking Banquet (5). 29: You’ll find this on local beaches (5). 32: Snake like fish (4). 37: Ball game that can be played indoors and out (5). 40: Popular drinking place in Plockton (4,3). 41: Barn (Gaelic)(6). 42: Forest Flower (9). 43: Pig feed (5). 45: Local Highland Regiment (8). 47: Blacksmiths tool (5). 50: Sheltered side (3). 52: Plant used to make the colour Red (6). 54: Plant or animal preserved in Rock (6). 57: Sea fog (4). 58: An ‘alternative’ type of energy (5). 59: Girls name/Plants (5). 61: Ferry terminal here (Skye)(3). 62: Garden flower (4). 65: Small bird (3). 67: A layer of eggs (3). 68: Hardwood Tree (3).

Local Knowledge crossword No. 3 set by Gordon McIntyre

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

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CommUnity News

Is written by the community and edited by: Susan Walker, Community Development Officer, Karen MacRae, Coordinator

and Aileen Turnbull, Layout Coordinator The views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily represent those of

Kyle & Lochalsh Community Trust

Deadline for next issue: Friday 24th July Please email your news to: editor@lochalshcommunityresponse.co.uk

Would you like to receive CommUnity News electronically?

Please email communitydevelopment@lochalsh.uk to tell us

CommUnity Virtual Events A safe way for members of the community to gather, online and by telephone. Details of how to sign up an daccess these events is at the foot of the page.

Telephone Ceilidh’s – Hosted fortnightly

Thursday 16th

July: 7-8pm Telephone Ceilidh hosted by Kinlochshiel Shinty Club (Rescheduled from the 2

nd – apologies if you called in) Join club members and fans for an

evening of stories and memories from the past and more recent celebrations

Live Online Events Tuesday 21

st July 6.30pm: Kyle and Lochalsh Community Trust AGM

Wednesday 22nd

July 4-5pm: Bunting Craft Session with Karen MacRae Join Karen for a craft event to start creating you bunting flag for our community project

Sunday 26th

July 4-5pm: Pet show winners announcement and presentation of certificates Join judges Kate and Iona from Highland Hound Groomers, for the long awaited announcements!

Tuesday 28th

July 4-5pm: Coronavirus Time Capsule with Lucy McGlennon Inviting all teenagers to contribute a time capsule film. All will be explained during the session and there is no need for you to be in your film! Please see for more details and more information is available on the events section of our Facebook page and website www.companythree.co.uk/compact

Wednesday 29th

July 7.45-9pm: Book club introduction meeting followed by talk from local author Liz MacRae Shaw on ‘How the Isle of Skye inspires my writing’

Wednesday 5th

August 8-8.30am: Beginners Metafit with Stacy Gilles Join us for an energetic start to your day with a tester session for Metafit

Sunday 9th

August 4-5pm: Growing your own native trees and hedging with Phil Knott Following on from Phil’s last session learn how to grow native trees from seed and cuttings

Sunday 16th

August 4-5pm: Foraging with Verity

Wednesday 19th

August: Local Bee Keeping with Audrey Sinclair

Wednesday 26th

August 4-5pm: Zoom in your Living Room! with Lucy McGlennon A little bit of theatrical fun brought to your living room, via Zoom (Children of all ages)

How to sign up and access the events

To sign up for the online events please email news@lochalshcommunityresponse.co.uk or visit the Lochalsh Community Response Facebook page or the Events Section on the Lochalsh Community Response Website. This must be done prior to the event to ensure access.

To access all of our telephone events please ring 0330 336 0036 (charged at local rate) at the given time and enter the pin number 237055 when prompted. Please note that this number has changed since the previous telephone event.