Boost for Highlands and Islands projects from Scottish Land Fund

The money will be used for a range of initiatives, including crofts, community spaces and land for affordable housing.

The grants are amongst 11 totalling £1,460,888 that have been announced this week for projects throughout Scotland.

Cairnbaan Community Trust has received £134,796 to purchase two buildings in the centre of Cairnbaan, Mid-Argyll, which will be redeveloped to create a community hub. The buildings will include visitor information, pop-up café, desk and room rental, and potentially a gym/wellbeing space in the future.  

Lismore Community Trust has been awarded £83,596 to acquire a development plot of land in the village of Achnacroish. The group will provide the community with affordable housing in the form of two new-build semi-detached three-bedroom homes for rent. 

Raasay Development Trust has been given  £137,000 to acquire two terrace houses in Inverarish on the Isle of Raasay, which will be redeveloped for affordable rented accommodation for the community.

Kyle and Lochalsh Community Trust has received £166,720 to purchase two parcels of land at Ratagan and Saraig, Lochalsh, from Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) through Community Asset Transfer (CAT). KLCT will provide woodland crofts, two business units, a community growing space, and a campsite. 

And Friends of Portnahaven Church on Islay have been awarded £85,990 to acquire Portnahaven church through a negotiated sale from the Church of Scotland (CoS) and convert it into a flexible space for group gatherings, activities, exhibitions and life events. 

Another group receiving funding to pursue community ownership ambitions include South Ronaldsay and Burray Development Trust, which has been awarded £357,705 to purchase The Tomb of the Eagles Visitor Centre. 

The Scottish Land Fund is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered in partnership by the National Lottery Community Fund and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), both of which have extensive experience of helping communities to acquire and develop their assets for over a decade.

Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary, Rural Affairs and Islands, said: “To date the Scottish Government has invested more than £50 million through hundreds of awards through the Scottish Land Fund to help communities develop facilities they need. These latest groups to share the funding show the incredible mix of how this support can be used to offer social, sporting and wellness spaces and support the development of much-needed affordable housing options.”

Cara Gillespie, Scottish Land Fund Committee Chair said: “These grants reflect the inspiring diversity of projects that community ownership can help to deliver in both urban and rural areas. With their awards, these groups will be able to deliver projects with direct benefits to their communities, as well as  positive cultural, social and economic impacts for Scotland as a whole.”.

Sandra Holmes, head of community assets at HIE, said: “The successful projects announced today across Scotland are all great examples of people taking control of local resources for the long-term benefit of their communities. For example, the South Ronaldsay and Burray Development Trust in Orkney will re-open the visitor centre and Neolithic site which serves as an important tourist attraction for the island.  This will provide employment and volunteering opportunities and will strengthen the local economy.

“All these projects announced today will help retain the population, attract visitors and create jobs. Ownership will give the community groups greater control over important assets that will reap rewards for people now and for generations to come. We wish all the successful groups the very best in their new ventures.”

Jim Maitland, Cairnbaan Community Trust, (Urras a'Chàirn Bhàin) said: “The award is the culmination of three years of work by the small group of trustees and volunteers.We are delighted with the outcome and would wish to express our thanks to the Scottish Land Fund for this award and to the many people who have helped and supported us.In the current economic climate we are extremely grateful to the SLF for the award.”

Andrew Livingstone, Chair, Lismore Trust, said: "The Lismore Community Trust is delighted to be in receipt of the Scottish Land Fund Grant.It is a major step in being able to deliver two brand new community owned homes that we hope will attract new families who will support the community and infrastructure. This will inevitably help sustain the Lismore Primary School, assist in stabilising the population on the island and, we hope, attract new skilled individuals to work on the island." 

Lindsay MacLean, director, Raasay Development Trust, said: ”Being able to buy these traditional terraced houses means that we can now fully renovate them and provide another two homes for social rent. Although our population is now just under 200, local job prospects mean there is the opportunity for this to increase. However, we have too many people living in unsuitable accommodation, such as caravans, or potential new residents unable to take up job offers as there is nowhere for them to live. This funding will therefore help our small island community and its economy in so many ways and we could not be more delighted. “

Maggie Byrne, Chair, Kyle & Lochalsh Community Trust, said: “We are delighted that plans to build affordable housing can proceed to the next level in Ratagan and Saraig.  Affordable housing  has been the top priority in our Lochalsh Community Action Plan and the ability to deliver affordable house sites, small business units, the development of woodland crofts and a community growing area, alongside a parallel project to develop 6 affordable housing units with partners is a big step forward.”

And Neil Gillespie, Chair, Friends of Portnahaven Church, said:“The Friends of Portnahaven Church are so grateful for the award of our SLF grant, which gives us the gift of being able to preserve this iconic Telford church, its history and heritage, for the future benefit of our otherwise fragile community.”

Red more on the SLF website 

Pròiseactan coimhearsnachd air feadh na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean a' faighinn maoin-airgid bho SLF

Tha sia pròiseactan coimhearsnachd air feadh na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean air roinn de £965,807 fhaotainn, a’ leantainn air duaisean bho Mhaoin Fearann na h-Alba.

Thèid an t-airgead a chleachdadh airson raon de dh’iomairtean, a’ gabhail a-steach croitean, àiteachan coimhearsnachd agus fearann airson taigheadas air prìs reusanta.

Tha na tabhartasan am measg 11 a chaidh ainmeachadh an-diugh do phròiseactan air feadh Alba, a’ tighinn gu h-iomlan gu £1,460,888.

Tha Urras Coimhearsnachd a’ Chàirn Bhàin air £134,796 fhaotainn gus dà thogalach a cheannach ann am meadhan a’ Chàirn Bhàin ann am Meadhan Earra-Ghàidheal, a thèid ath-leasachadh gus mòr-ionad coimhearsnachd a chruthachadh. Am measg nan togalaichean ùra bidh fiosrachadh luchd-tadhail, cafaidh sealach, deasg agus seòmar air màl, agus ionad-cleasachd / talla sunnd san àm ri teachd.

Chaidh £83,596 a bhuileachadh air Urras Coimhearsnachd Lios Mòr airson pìos fearann leasachaidh fhaotainn ann am baile Achadh na Croise. Bheir am buidheann taigheadas air prìs reusanta don choimhearsnachd ann an cruth dà thaigh ùr leth-dhealaichte air màl,  le trì seòmraichean cadail.

Fhuair Urras Leasachaidh Ratharsair sùim de £137,000 airson dà thaigh barraid fhaotainn ann an Inbhir Àrais air Eilean Ratharsair, a bhios air an ath-leasachadh mar dhachaighean air màl aig prìs reusanta don choimhearsnachd.

Tha Urras Coimhearsnachd a’ Chaoil is Loch Aillse air £166,720 fhaotainn airson dà cheathramh fearainn a cheannach ann an Ràtagan agus Saraig ann an Loch Aillse, bho Choilltearachd is Fearann Alba (FLS) tro Aiseag Mhaoinean Coimhearsnachd (CAT).  Solaraichidh KLCT croitean coille, dà ionad gnothachais, àite fàis don choimhearsnachd, agus làrach campachaidh.

Agus chaidh £85,990 a bhuileachadh air Caraidean Eaglais Phort na h-Abhainne ann an Ìle gus Eaglais Phort na h-Abhainne fhaotainn tro reic co-rèitichte bho Eaglais na h-Alba (CoS), agus a h-atharrachadh gu àite sùbailte airson cruinneachaidhean, gnìomhachdan, taisbeanaidhean agus tachartasan beatha.

Am measg buidheann eile a tha a’ faighinn taic-airgid gus rùintean seilbh coimhearsnachd a leantainn tha Ronaldsay a Deas agus Urras Leasachaidh Burray, a fhuair £357,705 gus Ionad Tadhail The Tomb of the Eagles a cheannach.

Dh’fhosgail Maoin Fearann Alba a-rithist do thagraidhean sa Ghiblean 2021. Tha am program maoinichte le Riaghaltas na h-Alba agus air a lìbhrigeadh ann an com-pàirteachas le Maoin Coimhearsnachd a’ Chrannchuir Nàiseanta agus Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd ’s nan Eilean, aig a bheil eòlas farsaing le chèile airson còrr air deich bliadhna, air a bhith a’ cuideachadh choimhearsnachdan le am maoinean fhaotainn agus a leasachadh.

Thuirt Màiri Gougeon, Rùnaire Caibineit, Cùisean Dùthchail agus Eileanan: “Gu ruige seo, tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba air còrr air £50 millean a thasgadh ann an ceudan de bhuileachaidhean tro Mhaoin Fearann na h-Alba, gus coimhearsnachdan a chuideachadh leis na goireasan a tha a dhìth orra a leasachadh. Tha na buidhnean mu dheireadh a bhios a’ roinn a’ mhaoineachaidh, a’ sealltainn measgachadh do-chreidsinneach de mar a dh’fhaodas an taic seo a bhith air a chleachdadh gus àiteachan sòisealta, spòrs, agus chur-seachadan a thabhann, agus taic a chur ri leasachadh air roghainnean taigheadais feumail aig prìs reusanta.”

Thuirt Cara Ghilleasbaig, Cathraiche Comataidh Maoin Fearann na h-Alba: “Tha na tabhartasan sin a’ nochdadh na h-iomadachd bhrosnachail aig pròiseactan, as urrainn do shealbh coimhearsnachd cuideachadh le a lìbhrigeadh, san dà chuid àiteachan bailteil is dùthchail. Leis na duaisean, bidh na buidhnean sin comasach air pròiseactan a lìbhrigeadh le buannachdan dìreach do na coimhearsnachdan, a thuilleadh air buaidhean deimhinneach cultarach, sòisealta, agus eaconamach do dh’Alba air fad.”

Thuirt Sandra Holmes, ceannard mhaoinean coimhearsnachd aig HIE: “Tha na pròiseactan soirbheachail air feadh Alba a dh’ainmicheadh an-diugh, uile nan deagh eisimpleirean de dhaoine a’ gabhail smachd air goireasan ionadail gu buannachd fad-amail an coimhearsnachdan. Mar eisimpleir, bidh Urras Leasachaidh Ronaldsay a Deas agus Burray ann an Arcaibh a’ fosgladh an ionaid luchd-tadhail a-rithist agus an làrach Nua-linn na cloiche, a tha a’ frithealadh mar tharraing cudromach do luchd-tadhail chun an eilein.  Bheir seo cosnadh agus cothroman air obair shaor-thoileach agus neartaichidh e an eaconamaidh ionadail.

“Cuidichidh na pròiseactan sin a chaidh ainmeachadh an-diugh leis an àireamh-sluaigh a ghleidheadh, luchd-tadhail a thàladh agus obraichean a chruthachadh. Bheir sealbhadaireachd barrachd smachd do bhuidhnean coimhearsnachd thairis air maoinean cudromach, a tharraingeas buannachdan do dhaoine a-nis agus ginealaichean ri teachd.  Tha sinn a’ guidhe gach buannachd do buidhnean soirbheachail nan iomairtean ùra.”  

Thuirt Jim Maitland, Urras a' Chàirn Bhàin: “Tha an duais seo mar cheann air trì bliadhna de dh’obair leis a’ bhuidheann bheag de dh’urrasairean agus saor-thoilich. Tha sinn air leth toilichte le a bhuil, agus bu mhath leinn ar buidheachas a nochdadh do Mhaoin Fearann na h-Alba airson na duaise seo agus do na mòran daoine a tha air ar cuideachadh agus a chuir taic rinn. Anns an àm eaconamach làithreach, tha sinn air leth taingeil do SLF airson a’ bhuileachaidh seo.”

Thuirt Anndra Mac an Lèigh, Cathraiche Urras Lios Mòr: "Tha Urras Coimhearsnachd Lios Mòr air leth toilichte tabhartas fhaotainn bho Mhaoin Fearann na h-Alba. Tha e na cheum cudromach ann a bhith ga dhèanamh comasach air dà dhachaigh ùr-nodha ann an sealbh na coimhearsnachd a lìbhrigeadh, agus a tha sinn an dòchas a tharraingeas teaghlaichean ùra a bheir taic don choimhearsnachd agus don bhun-structar.  Cuiridh seo taic gun teagamh sam bith le Bun-sgoil Lios Mòr a chumail suas, a’ cuideachadh le àireamh-sluaigh an eilein a bhunailteachadh, agus tha sinn an dòchas, daoine ùra le sgilean a thàladh gus obair air an Eilean.”

Thuirt Lindsay MacLean, stiùiriche Urras Leasachaidh Ratharsair: “Tha a bhith comasach air na taighean barraid traidiseanta sin a cheannach, a’ ciallachadh gun urrainn dhuinn a-nis an dèanamh suas gu tur às ùr agus dà dhachaigh eile a sholarachadh air màl shòisealta. Ged a tha an àireamh-sluaigh againn a-nis dìreach fo 200, tha dòchasan obrach ionadail a’ ciallachadh gu bheil cothrom ann air seo a mheudachadh. Ach, tha cus dhaoine againn a’ fuireach ann an àiteachan-fuirich nach eil freagarrach, leithid carabhanan, no luchd-còmhnaidh ùr san amharc a bhith eu-comasach air tairgsean obrach a ghabhail on nach eil àite-fuirich aca. Mar sin, cuidichidh am maoineachadh seo ar coimhearsnachd bheag eileanach agus an eaconamaidh ann a leithid de dhòighean, agus cha b’ urrainn dhuinn a bhith na bu thoilichte.”  

Thuirt Maggie Byrne, Cathraiche Urras a’ Chaoil is Loch Aillse: “Tha sinn air leth toilichte gum faod planaichean airson taigheadas aig prìs reusanta a dhol air adhart chun na h-ath ìre ann an Ràtagan agus Saraig.  Tha taigheadas air prìs reusanta air a bhith na àrd-phrìomhachas ann am Plana Gnìomha Coimhearsnachd Loch Aillse agus tha an comas air làraichean thaighean air prìs reusanta a lìbhrigeadh, còmhla ri aonadan beaga gnothachais, leasachadh air croitean coille agus àite fàis don choimhearsnachd, taobh ri taobh le pròiseact a tha a’ leasachadh 6 aonadan taigheadais le com-pàirtichean, na cheum mòr air adhart.”

Agus thuirt Niall Gilleasbaig, cathraiche Caraidean Eaglais Phort na h-Abhainne: “Tha Caraidean Eaglais Phort na h-Abhainne cho taingeil do SLF airson an tabhartais a bhuileachadh oirnn, a tha a’ toirt dhuinn a’ chothruim a bhith comasach air an eaglais chliùiteach Telford seo, a h-eachdraidh ’s a dualchas, a ghlèidheadh gu buannachd ar coimhearsnachd san àm ri teachd.”