Spring Greetings!
Through the Community Fund money is continuing to flow into various parts of Coigach. Since we last reported to you, through our Small Grants Fund for Organisations (up to £5k), the following applications have been successful:
- Coigach Heritage– £4,500 to support the development and promotion of the archive;
- Coigach Community Rowing–£4,550 for the club to purchase equipment with a view to competing in the world skiff championships in Stranraer in July and to involve more of the community in their activities by holding 3 social rowing/ taster days;
- Assynt and Coigach Creatives– part funding of £609 to produce a map-based creative trail guide and a leaflet promoting an Open Studios event in September;
- Coigach Community Trust – £1,500 towards the costs of a 20thAnniversary Celebration for the Hall.
Our Supporting Children and Young People Fund exists to enable Coigach youngsters to access activities or obtain equipment that will support their development. We continue to
awards grants for varied purposes including:
- musical instruments (we meet 50% of the costs);
- attending Feis Rois;
- going to a camp;
- driving lessons.
We are delighted when we hear how these funds are making a difference, so it was lovely to have this photo sent to us by one of the graduates from driving lessons. Congratulations to Calum Peach.
Our Education and Training BursariesFund is designed to enable adults to access training courses (including driving lessons) and further and higher education. Under this fund we have made an award recently for a person to undertake or a training course. We encourage any of you looking at training or attending college or university to apply to us.
Our Wellbeing Fund exists to support people in Coigach to participate in a range of arts, cultural and natural heritage, leisure and recreations and scientific events, non-certificated/informal life-long learning courses and activities. We have recently made an award to enable someone to take up High Life membership.
Coigach Piers and Harbours Group. We gave £745 to the Group to stage on 1stApril at the Hall a Duty Holder’s Training Course to cover the Port Marine Safety Code and the duties required to ensure compliance. This excellent course – delivered by Monty Smedley of APBmer – was attended by 19 people and proved to be absorbing and informative. It has given the Group much to think about as it looks at its next steps.
CCDC also funded the Living Well, Dying Wellday on 28thFebruary. A dozen stallholders offered advice and information on matters such as power of attorney, living wills, advance planning and personal wishes. Much was learned by those of us who attended.
For our youngest citizens we have the Coigach Baby Fund– a gift to all new babies to welcome them to the community.
We have also been able to replace the schoolhouse windows, making the flats extra-cosy and fuel efficient. The old ones are on their way to CALL’s demonstration croft at Reiff where a whole new life awaits them as cold frames.
If you would like to know more how our grants could benefit you, please get in touch.
Thanks to all of you who contributed to ourHousing Needs Surveyand £25 is winging its way to the winner of the prize draw. We are expecting a report detailing and interpreting the findings by 22ndApril. Initial feedback indicates that housing remains a priority in the community, with many respondents wishing to build their own or who are looking for secure and affordable rented accommodation.
New Development Plan. As part of the process of creating a new Plan we held a community drop in event and Burns Lunch on Saturday 19thJanuary in Coigach Community Hall. This was well attended with 36 people giving their views. There was an excellent lunch provided by Achiltibuie Primary School to raise funds for their new playground equipment. We are now working with the information provided on that day.
Acheninver Path. As part of the Coigach Assynt Living Landscape project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, we have planning permission to improve the Acheninver path. Keith Mackey of Outdoor Access Trust is the project manager. After the tendering process is completed, it is likely contactors will start work on the Path by the end of May.
Collected Music and Tales of Coigach and Assynt: As part of the Coigach and Assynt Living Landscape Partnership (CALLP) an oral history researcher will shortly be starting work conducting interviews, obtaining new and reviewing existing documents/music relating to people’s experience of Coigach and Assynt song and music over the years. This exciting piece of work will support the wider project aims to create a new piece of music, stage a concert, and publish a song book, by collecting and exploring the existing archive material and providing a context from which the new music will be created.
More Information.If you would like to know more or volunteer don’t hesitate to contact us. Julia Campbell/Donald Macleod info@coigachcommunity.org.uk