FIVE THINGS FOR A FRIDAY | 02 September 2022 | Stratherrick & Foyers Community Trust

FIVE THINGS FOR A FRIDAY

Friday, 02 September 2022

STAFF SUPPORT 

The Community and the Community Action Plan identified staff support as a key requirement to support the work of the community and the volunteers. Creating employment is also a key objective for our funders SSE.  The Trust has put into place staff who will work across the Action groups to support the CAP outcomes.  They also support the Board of the Trust. This week we have been following up on their appraisals with job chats, creating their work plans for the months ahead. We also took on a new member of staff. So rather than Five Things For A Friday we have ten staff for a Friday! They are; 

Trust Manager TONY FOSTER – to oversee the organisation and move us forward in an objective and strategic way, engaging with relevant stakeholders and supporting staff and community volunteers. 

Community Liaison Officer STEVEN WATSON – to support community groups, business groups and individuals by advising them of how to get things done, best routes for advice and funding.  To pro-actively support groups and ensure we promote their impact. 

Administration Officer LAURA WALKER KNOWLES – to work with the Board in ensuring audit trail of all decision making, support grant applications, finance and HR, maintain IT network and update our annual timetable of activities to ensure good governance. 

Project Co-Ordinator CAROLINE TUCKER – to project manage and advise on timelines, ensuring follow up of suppliers and stakeholders to maintain project timetables.  To keep the Board and community informed of progress on all major projects. 

Buildings and Facilities Officer STEVE MARSHALL – to ensure our service to the community through our estate and ensure we meet our health and safety and legislative requirements.  To manage sub-contractors and staff to ensure a quality of service throughout our estate. 

Finance Officer MARIE KEENAN – to ensure the financial stability and management of the organisation and report to all our stakeholders the financial position of the Trust.  To advise us on the financial stability and viability of other groups and projects who are requested to meet the objectives of the CAP.  To produce an annual budget and ensure we remain on target to meet those budgets on an annual basis and oversee our investment portfolio for sustainability beyond the lifetimes of the windfarm/hydro projects. 

Fundraising Officers SARAH BYRNE AND SHARON FERGUSON – there must be less reliance on grant funding from windfarm/hydro as the community expectations and legacy projects are developed.  The Fundraisers will help raise capacity for the Trust and other groups in a co-ordinated way, using the community needs identified in the CAP as the cornerstone for each application.  There is an expectation we hope to raise £4million in five years for the benefit of the community.

Cleaner GAIL MARSHALL – Makes sure the Wildside is clean and tidy for everyone booking the facility.

We hope to take further staff on a project-by-project basis, pending funding.  Staff will not necessarily be managed by the Trust (other groups perhaps) but could be supported by the Trust using the resources at our disposal. This week we took on our first member of staff, funded additionally following an application to the SSE Stronelairg Fund.

COMMUNICATIONS AND EVENTS Jillian Barclay – To help support Communications over one year, externally funded by SSE Stronelairg Fund and self funding in the future.

2026: February (2 stories); 3 February 📚 Mobile Library Visiting Tomorrow! 🚐✨
The Mobile Library is rolling into the area tomorrow, Wednesday 4th February, so pop along and say hello to Mark! Stop & time: • The Wildside Centre &ndash...; 3 February RSABI Fundraising Event
Don't miss out on an incredible evening of music and laughter with the talented Farmers Choir performing in Aviemore late February in aid of RSABI and SAYFC. ...; January (12 stories); 28 January Six Nations: Scotland 🆚 England LIVE at The Wildside
💘 This Valentine’s Day, find someone who loves you as much as you love rugby 🏉 We’re streaming Six Nations: Scotland 🆚 England LIVE at The Wil...; 27 January 🌳 Development of Inverfarigaig Forest School 🌳
A community member has been in touch about the possibility of setting up a Forest School within our community. With the support of the Community Trust, a short survey has...; 26 January 📚 Mobile Library Visiting Tomorrow! 🚐✨
The Mobile Library will be in the area tomorrow, Wednesday 27th January, so pop along and say hello to Mark! 📍 Stopping points & times: • Errogi...; 22 January 🔥 Free Firewood Available – Whitebridge Area 🔥
A member of our local community, has been in touch with Stratherrick & Foyers Community Trust (SFCT) to let us know that he has a significant amount of larch firewood...; 21 January Large grant application from BCC for Foyers Stores Acquisition - Update
A Board meeting is taking place this evening in order for Directors of SFCT to consider the application and agree their recommendation. As the Chair of SFCT explained at ...; 20 January Thank you!
Thank you to everyone who came along to the public meeting at the Wildside last night. We had a fantastic turnout, with 110 people attending in person and 26 joining u...; 19 January Agenda for Public Meeting - Regarding the Foyers Stores Acquisition
Please find the agenda for tonight’s public meeting at the Wildside Centre regarding the proposed community acquisition of Foyers Stores. 1. Welcome &n...; 14 January Apply for our Project Coordinator role
👋 Friendly reminder! There’s still time to apply for our Project Coordinator role at Stratherrick and Foyers Community Trust ...; 8 January Notice to the Community: Change of Date for Public Meeting on Foyers Stores
Stratherrick and Foyers Community Trust (SFCT) would like to update the community regarding the previously announced public meeting relating to the proposed purchase of F...; 7 January 🌟 New Year, New Opportunities! 🌟
Stratherrick & Foyers Community Trust is here to support your projects with our grants! 💡✨ 📅 Next application deadline: 21st March 2026 Learn more about ...; 6 January 🎉 Calling all community organisers! 🎉
Do you run a class, group or one-off activity in one of the local buildings? We’d love to help spread the word! 💛 Our SFCT Community Calendar is looking a ...; 6 January Mobile Library Visit Cancelled – Wednesday 7th January 2026
👋 Hello and welcome to 2026 from SFCT! 🎉 We bring news from the Mobile Library as our first update of the year. 📚 Mobile Library Visit Cancelled – Wednesday ...

News Archive

Stratherrick & Foyers Community Trust,
The Wildside Centre, Whitebridge,
Inverness IV2 6UN
admin@sfctrust.org.uk
07300 562443

Mission statement: To act to enhance the quality of lives of people by engaging with the issues that matter to the community and by supporting people, at a sustainable level, to help people make things happen.

Thanks: Many thanks to our funders for making this site possible - SSE Renewables, Greencoat UK Wind, Green Highland Allt Luaidhe (228) Limited, Easter Aberchalder Partnership. Also the Trust extends its heartfelt thanks to all the community volunteers who have contributed ideas and content to the site.

Fair Work First Statement - Stratherrick and Foyers Community Trust (SFCT) is committed to advancing the Scottish Government Fair Work First Policy and the criteria as set out within the Fair Work First guidance document. We confirm that we pay our staff the Real Living Wage. We make every effort to ensure that our suppliers/contractors are offered the same Real Living Wage rate when procuring goods or services. We also confirm that we offer our staff and/or volunteers an Effective Workers Voice channel within the workplace. Our full policy can be found in ‘Our Documents’, then click on ‘Good Governance’.