Friday, 26 January 2024

FIVE THINGS FOR A FRIDAY

Normal service is resumed this week as my Thursday update disappeared into world wide web heaven!  We are working on the website and the little gremlins that occur from time to time.

WARM WEDNESDAY IS BACK

Warm Wednesday is back from 9am to 2pm in the Wildside Centre at Whitebridge.  There will be a ‘quiet’ room to work in and a ‘noisy’ room to chat!  If it proves popular we may continue beyond the winter months.  Get out of the house, get a change of scenery, save on heating bills, use free internet, have a cuppa, chat with friends, whatever your reason the building is there to be used.  More here

EAGLE TALK

Great to see a talk on the Golden Eagles Past Present and Future in the Wildside Centre.  I hope in future we can have a place that can promote this heritage in the local area, to introduce people of all ages to what we can explore on our own doorstep, to understand how we can protect, enhance and enjoy our land and wildlife to the full and introduce the joy it can bring to future generations.  I am sure it will happen.

RAISING OUR GAME

We spent some time out working on consistent project planning across all Trust projects this week to make them not only accessible to the community but our own Board and Staff too.  A bit of work to do but it introduced some positive results with challenging questions.  The organisation is the same but it’s clear the individual members on the Trust Board is not the same Board it was three years ago.  Since the CAP and Place Plan has been published we have also seen the Community Council, Boleskine Community Care Board and the Stratherrick Hall have new members on their committees too.  Some have new staff, which brings another level of complexity but also helps get things done, alongside changes with stakeholder groups that may be involved.  Information and skill sets do get lost.  For us it’s how our local community organisations can continue and flourish through such changes, ensuring we meet community expectations on ideas that were developed before our time.

FUNDING

The Project Planning also helps us with funding applications and it’s great to see additional funding coming into the area beyond our windfarm and hydro money from work done at BCC and the Trust.  Recently we’ve had funds (cash and kind) come in for care, buildings, staff, business plans, advice, pathways, nature restoration, transport, childcare, recreation facilities and housing.  We aim to not only deliver on projects but make the funds we get in work harder for us to unlock other funds.  It's exciting to see and being able to deliver is key.

TRANSFORMATIONAL

It’s probably true to say we are seeing a big transformational shift in our local area by the work we are all involved with - even if it was just your idea given during the Community Action Plan or Place Plan process.  This work is highly regarded elsewhere and I've had the pleasure of sharing our success and challenges to other groups across Scotland.  At times we are going to be hit by opinion and proposals which can impact on that, for good and bad.  But we also have to not forget about the basics too.  After a winter of high winds, fallen trees, snow, flooding and no power we have to ensure our resilience at a local level can be met effectively and that ideas put into place by others in the past are consistent, fit for purpose and meet future demands.  We can learn from our own heritage and history.  This cannot be lost and strengthens projects we work on in the future.  In the here and now it comes down to people.  So a big thank you to those who have helped others this winter.  As I look out the window and see four seasons in one day I’m sure we are not finished yet!

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 ...