Maoineachadh bho HIE airson ath-leasachadh Sgoil Bhradhagair

Tha Urras Coimhearsnachd Bhradhagair is Àrnoil (UCBA) air £100,000 fhaighinn bho Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean (HIE) airson seann bhun-sgoil Bhradhagair ath-nuadhachadh is a leudachadh.

Ghabh a’ choimhearsnachd seilbh air an sgoil ann an 2014 an dèidh a dùnadh ann an 2012.

Le Ionad Ghrinneabhat mar ainm oirre, tha a’ bhuidheann an dùil ionad ioma-ghnìomhach a chruthachadh le fòcas air Gàidhlig is turasachd chultarach a  thuilleadh air a bhith a’ tabhann cothroman sòisealta is ionnsachaidh.  

Tha a’ choimhearsnachd air a’ phròiseact a leasachadh tro co-chomhairle leudaichte agus aig a’ cheann thall thèid an t-seann taigh sgoile ath-nuadhachadh is a leudachadh gu h-iomlan.

Tha UCBA an dùil cafaidh a chur air chois agus thèid àite coimhearsnachd a chruthachadh san togalach cuideachd, àite taisbeanaidh airson nithean eachdraidheil is cultarach a shealltainn, obair luchd-ealain ionadail agus òstail le deich leapannan.  

’S e dà bhaile san aon nàbachd a th’ann am Bràdhagair is Arnol le mu 400 neach a’ fuireach annta. Tha a’ choimhearsnachd air iomadh dùbhlan a choinneachadh, nam measg goireasan coimhearsnachd ionadail gan dùnadh sna bliadhnaichean mu dheireadh.

Thàinig UCBA gu bith ann am pàirt mar fhreagairt do na dùnaidhean sin agus gus a’ choimhearsnachd ath-bheothachadh. Tha a’ bhuidheann air a bhith ag obrachadh còmhla ri HIE gus dòighean a lorg airson eaconamaidh na sgìre a leasachadh, cothroman obrach a chruthachadh agus airson barrachd dhaoine òga a bhrosnachadh gus fuireach san sgìre agus an claonadh ann an ìsleachadh àireamh sluaigh a chumail air ais.

Tha an sgìre suidhichte sa prìomh chearcall turasachd ann an Eilean Leòdhais agus tha an àireamh de luchd-tadhail a tha a’ gabhail na slighe sin a’ dol am meud gach bliadhna. 

Thuirt Raonaid NicChoinnich, manaidsear sgioba roinn Innse Gall aig HIE: “Tha sinn air leth toilichte gun urrainn dhuinn UCBA a chuideachadh le bhith a’ coileanadh a’ phasgain maoineachaidh aca. Tha planaichean adhartach aig a’ bhuidhinn airson a’ choimhearsnachd ath-bheothachadh agus an sgìre a leasachadh mar àite fuirich is obrach. Thathas air a bhith a’ cleachdadh an ionaid mar bhunait airson obair choimhearsnachd bho dhùin an sgoil ged a bheir planaichean airson an sgoil ath-nuadhachadh cothrom a bhith na sàr ionad ùr coimhearsnachd.

"Thèid fòcas air Gàidhlig is air turasachd chultarach a bhios a’ frithealadh na sgìre is a’ cruthachadh obair is cosnadh seasmhach dhan choimhearsnachd. Tha sinn toilichte a bhith ag obair còmhla ris a’ bhuidhinn agus air leth toilichte taic a thoirt dhan phròiseact seo.”

Thuirt Catriona Chaimbeul, neach-cathrach UCBA,: “Tha sinn fìor thoilichte gu bheil HIE a’cur taic ri leasachadh ar goireasan coimhearsnachd le bhith a’ toirt a’ mhaoineachaidh dheireannaich dhuinn airson cothrom a thoirt dhuinn am  pròiseact a thoirt gun ìre mu dheireadh. Lìbhrigidh Ionad  Grinneabhat an goireas aig cridhe nam bailtean mu chuairt a bheir daoine còmhla agus tha mi a’ toirt taing dhan fheadhainn a dh’obraich cho cruaidh gus cuideachadh leis an ìre seo a ruighinn.

Tha am pròiseact a’ faighinn taic bho Regeneration Capital Grant Fund aig Riaghaltas na h-Alba agus COSLA, Aspiring Communities Fund, maoin-airgid Structarail an Aonadh Eòrpach, stiùirichte le Riaghaltas na h-Alba.

Tha maoin-airgid eile a’ tighinn Urras Leasachadh nan Eilean Siar, Scottish Landfill Communities Fund, Maoin Coimhearsnachd a’ Chrannchuir Nàiseanta, Bòrd na Gàidhlig agus Urras an Robasdan agus cuideachd mhòr bhon choimhearsnachd fhèin.

Deireadh.

HIE confirms funding for Bragar School redevelopment

Plans to build new community facilities on the west side of the Isle of Lewis are a step closer with the completion of the funding package.

Urras Choimhearsnachd Bhradhagair is Àrnoil (Bragar and Arnol Community Trust, or UCBA) has been awarded £100,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) to refurbish and extend the former Bragar Primary School.

The school was taken into community ownership in 2014 following its closure in 2012.

Renamed as the Grinneabhat Centre, the group plans to create a multi-purpose hub with a focus on Gaelic and cultural tourism as well as offer social and learning opportunities.

The project has been developed by the community through extensive consultation and will see the old school house and main building fully refurbished and extended.

UCBA plans to operate a café and the building will also include creating community space, exhibition space to showcase historical and cultural displays and local artists’ work and a 10-bed hostel.

Bragar and Arnol are two neighbouring villages with a population of around 400. The community has faced many challenges including the closures of local community assets in recent years.

UCBA came into being in part in response to these closures and to revitalise the community. The group has been working with HIE to find ways of improving the local economy, create employment opportunities and encourage more young people to stay in the area and reverse the trend of falling population.

The area is located on the main tourism circuit in the Isle of Lewis and the number of passing visitors has been increasing every year.

Rachel Mackenzie, area manager at HIE’s Outer Hebrides area team, said: “We are delighted to be in a position to help UCBA finalise their funding package. The group has ambitious plans to revitalise the community and improve the location as a place to live and work. The centre has been used as a base for community engagement since the school closed although plans to refurbish the school will enable it to become a quality modern community hub. It will focus on Gaelic and cultural tourism serving the area and creating employment and sustainable income for the community. We are pleased to work with the group and are delighted to support this project.”

Catriona Campbell, Chair of UCBA, said: “We are delighted after many years to have reached the point where work is about to begin on what will be a new chapter for the building and for the communities of Bragar and Arnol. This is a project which is deeply rooted in the local community but which we think will be of value to the wider community in the Western Isles. I would like to thank all the organisations for their support and also the people of Bragar and Arnol for their huge voluntary effort which has helped get us to this point."

The project is supported by The Regeneration Capital Grant Fund, a joint investment by The Scottish Government and COSLA and also by The Aspiring Communities Fund, a European Structural Funds 2014-2020 programme managed by The Scottish Government.

Other funding has come from Western Isles Development Trust, Scottish Landfill Communities Fund, The National Lottery Community Fund, Climate Challenge Fund, Bòrd na Gàidhlig and The Robertson Trust and a significant contribution from the local community.

Ends.

Grinneabhat photo - Rachel Mackenzie is pictured (2nd left) with Councillor John Mackay, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (far left), Catriona Campbell (Chair, Urras Coimhearsnachd Bhràdhagair is Àrnoil )  and Alasdair Allan MSP.