Friday, 26 July 2024

My final Five Things For A Friday

SOUP TO GO

I’d like to start Five Things this week by a thank you to Soup To Go for their tireless dedication to producing soup during Covid and the period of time when people where getting over lockdown and then the cost of living crisis.  It has been a pleasure to host you at the Wildside.  They have brought a smile to the faces of everyone who has attended their regular Monday meals – and they also brought Elvis too, which was a bonus!  Although we are sad to see them go we wish them all the very best.

SUPPORT BCC

You may have noticed this week that the charity Boleskine Community Care are now part of the HTSI Highland Community Lottery! For as little as £1 a week, you will be entered into draw for up to £25,000.

For every ticket sold, 60p comes straight to BCC as unrestricted funding! They would like to use this funding to provide a weekly free lunch club to the community over the winter months.

Please follow the link and click 'Buy Tickets' to support BCC! Every ticket will make a huge difference to them.  Support Boleskine Community Care when you play Highland Community Lottery - Highland Community Lottery

STRATHERRICK WAR MEMORIAL

It was good to hear Stratherrick War Memorial was judged the best in its category in the Highlands and Islands Area and has now been entered into the National competition. The National Judging will begin in the week commencing the 05th of August 2024. Keep checking social media for details of how to get involved.

THE HIGHLAND GATHERING

Thank you to everyone who came along to the Highland Gathering – over 700+ people came to the event.  Thank you to the Corriegarth Estate for hosting, all the volunteers and stall holders who helped make it happen and the Trust staff and Board Members for working above and beyond the call of duty!  We’d love to know what you thought about the event here by 2nd August THE HIGHLAND GATHERING 2024 EVENT SURVEY (surveymonkey.com)

MY FINAL FIVE THINGS FOR A FRIDAY

My Highland Adventure is coming to an end. After three and a half years at the Trust I am off to pastures new.  I was made to feel very welcome when I started and it has been a pleasure to work in the area.  

We now have planning in place for all the legacy projects for future generations.  We have identified what the community wants through the Community Action Plan and Place Plan - the first Place Plan to be submitted in the Highlands, and second in the whole of Scotland.  This will and is already unlocking additional funding beyond the windfarm/hydro projects for organisations across the Strath to ensure a healthy and happy future for the area.  There is a wonderful team behind all this who make things happen.

It's been great to see groups become active and stronger.  The support we were able to give through Covid and Cost of Living support (thanks to the Knockie Trust for their help too!).  Events from the Highland Gathering to Winter Wonderland and Fireworks.  Growing Projects at Wildside and Inverfarigaig with the Polycrubs.  The new playpark at Wildside. The growth of groups to encourage walking, running, cycling, horseriding and improving the bio diversity in the area.  The slipway and Riverside Sports and Recreation developments moving forward.  The first stage of the Errogie Church development being completed (and a wedding!).  Being able to find additional funding.  Strengthening our Finance Team.  The work that has gone into after school care, transport, Forest School and new affordable housing at Inverfarigaig.  How well you have been informed by weekly updates on this website, two magazines a year, newsletters now being delivered to your door and over 900 stories on the website celebrating everything you have achieved during that time.  The support the staff team has been able to give volunteers in getting things done has been fantastic.  I have been so impressed by how much time and energy many volunteers have put into the projects you identified and none of this would have been possible without your support.  It is amazing!

All being well, with a fair wind and working together I expect to see more great things built, operational and sustainable in Stratherrick and Foyers by 2030 and I am sure you will find someone far more talented than I to guide you through that exciting stage.

I’m off on holiday for a couple of weeks, one final Board Meeting and putting together my handover document for whoever is next so this is my final FIVE THINGS FOR A FRIDAY.

All the very best for the future.

TONY FOSTER

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 ...