June 2023 Update

Sunart visit from Canadian Delegation:

In partnership with the Social Enterprise Academy, Sunart Community Company helped to facilitate a study visit by a delegation of Canadians to Strontian at the end of April.

15 people from social enterprises Learning Enrichment Foundation in Toronto and New Dawn, from Nova Scotia visited Strontian, and learnt all about  innovative local rural social enterprises in the area. Thank you to Oakwood, Strontian Community School Building Ltd, and Sunart Community Renewables for helping us to host this enthusiastic group! Here are some of the photo highlights:

Strontian Street Party!

On Saturday 13^th May 2023, Sunart Community Council and Sunart Community Company hosted a street party at the village hall. Thank you to everyone who came along on the day – what a great turn out!

We would like to thank all of our Sunart Community Council and Sunart Community Company volunteers, and of course thank The Bothy Bar and Restaurant for providing food, Sean Turner for the music and Alastair Maclean for the bar. It was so lovely to see the community come together and enjoy an afternoon of fun activities, and great food!

Longrigg Woodland Community Buyout – Exciting News!

Our Longrigg Woodland Committee’s hard work putting together an Asset Transfer Request at the tail end of last year has paid off, with Forestry and Land Scotland recently approving their Asset Transfer Request, offering a significant discount from the asking price, allowing a community buyout to proceed to the next stage.

We are delighted to announce that FLS have agreed to an incredible £99,500 discount from the woodland valuation, making the final purchase price £205,500.

Following on from this excellent news, the committee are planning to submit a Stage 2 Land Fund application over the next few weeks. Well done to everyone on the committee for their hard work so far!

The Longrigg team are looking for more committee members, who can help us take this project forward. Email enquiries@sunartcommunitycompany.co.uk to find out more about how you can get involved.

Strontian Parish Church Building

Work continues apace to explore ways to save the church building in Strontian from public sale. SCC in partnership with Dualchas, secured over £20,000 from the Scottish Land Fund to commission an architect, social enterprise consultant, valuation and geophysical ground survey. Last month work began with an independent valuation being carried out,  an inspection by the architect and the geophysical survey being completed. The latter has helped identify all the underground structures in the churchyard over which can be superimposed results of the Dualchas Gravestones Audit, completed by local volunteers.

Next month we hope to pull all this information together and to hold  community meeting, online and in the village hall – to share findings and look at proposals for the building to become an ecumenical  place of worship but also a heritage centre interpreting Sunarts’ unique history.

Moorings Fees & Jetty Works

Work has begun on resurfacing the jetty and all users and swimmers are asked to be careful when  using the jetty as various sections of concrete have been cut out ready for the new concrete to be poured. There are a few sharp edges!

We are pleased to report that a new mooring ring has been installed at the end of the jetty, and also on the shoreside ready for the moorings pontoon, so that this can be returned and repaired whilst safely moored on the shore.

Moorings Fees – Invoices will shortly be sent out for moorings fees and in some cases there are outstanding payments for previous years. Statements will be provided. Payments can be made by BACS or cheques addresses to “Sunart Community Company”

Strontian Angling Club

The Sunart Community Company is now acting treasurer for the Strontian Angling Cub. Members of the club are advised that following last months AGM, Annual Membership has been increased to £30 per year and payments can be made to the Committee Members or direct to the Sunart Community Company bank account (details on our website under “Support Us”) Thanks.