March 2023 Update
Sunart Community Company Update:
Sunart Community Benefit Fund: APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW!
The Sunart Community Benefit Fund is accepting grant applications during Spring 2023. The fund supports community projects benefiting those living in Sunart, and has previously supported projects such as MaAD Pipe Band, Dualchas Sunart Heritage Group, and The Men’s Shed.
Applications must be submitted to enquiries@sunartcommunitycompany.co.uk by no later than the 31st March 2022. For more information, or to download an application form, please visit www.sunartcommunitycompany.co.uk/document-category/scbf
Oakwood:
Solar panels will be installed on the Oakwood Visitor Centre during March; these will reduce both the carbon footprint and electricity costs of the Centre. The installation of these has been fully funded by grants from CARES Energy Saving Trust and SSE renewables.
Sunart Community Census and Questionnaire
We have now analysed the results of our community survey – a big thank you goes to the 155 people whoi returned their surveys! – Turn to page (NIC – CAN YOU INSERT DTD PAGE NUMBER PLEASE) to find out more, and to take a look at key dates, where we have arranged community consultation meetings during March to discuss topics highlighted by survey responses further, to begin acting on feedback and creating positive change.
Alongside these dates in the village hall, there will be Zoom Meetings for those that cant get to the village hall get togethers so these will be promoted on social media and noticeboards in due course.
Strontian Paths
Sunart Community Company owns a couple of footpaths in the village area. These require periodic maintenance, and the Company with the Sunart Community Council are seeking to work with others, such as Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), to ensure that established footpaths in and around Strontian are retained and maintained. Would you be interested in offering a little of your time?
The recent Sunart Community Consultation survey and the January 2023 Sunart Community Council meeting has highlighted the concern of local people about the deterioration of the paths in and around Strontian; and the Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) have downgraded a number of these local paths.
The Community Company established a Paths Group, as a result of the community survey (CADISPA Report) and subsequent public meetings in 2014. The Paths group helped develop the footpath at Ardnastang down to beach and, amongst other things, produced the local Paths Leaflet that is till available from the Oakwood shop. The group wants to install a bench at the jetty and a member of the community has asked that one be installed at the Teddy Bear’s Picnic. There is also a need on an annual basis to maintain certain paths, for example by clearing leaves from the Back Road path, the one that runs along the river by the High School, and maintaining the beach path.
Our paths group can schedule and coordinate work required, can organise working party events, where people lend a hand, volunteer a couple of hours with a spade or rake and help keep things tidy or not too overgrown.
The Company wishes to re establish the working group to coordinate these activities and also to see if there are other things that may need doing or that people locally would like to see happen. In the Community Survey a significant number of people not only expressed concern about the state of some of the local paths but also indicated a willingness to be involved, therefore we have arranged a local walk, led by Ranger Eilidh-Ann Phillips, followed by tea and cake in the village hall on Saturday 11th March at 2.30pm. So, if you are interested please come along. You can also register your interest by emailing: enquiries@sunartcommunitycompany.co.uk
Jetty Shed
Last month volunteers tidied the shed and reinforced several of the beams in the ceiling and began to partition the roof space to keep the house martins nesting in one spot.
There will be a work party on the 26th March to clean the jetty and slipway of seaweed and perhaps put a lick of paint or two inside the shed. (Meet at 1pm onwards at the jetty.) We hope the window will be installed by then too.
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