Creating resilient and sustainable islands
15 Oct 2021 09:50 AM
Funding allocated to local island projects.
People living in Scotland’s island-based communities will benefit from new funding for projects designed to support employment, community resilience and health and wellbeing.
Through the £2 million Island Communities Fund, 29 successful community groups and businesses across 23 islands have been awarded grants of up to £150,000 each. Projects focus on developing sustainable economic activities on islands with the majority of projects having a net zero theme, while also supporting the delivery of the Scottish Government’s National Islands Plan (2019).
Projects include the installation of a range of spinning mills to allow full processing of fleece into yarn on Foula, which will use electricity from Foula’s off grid renewable network, as well as a project to expand a community garden on Lewis to improve mental health opportunities and reduce social isolation.
Islands Secretary Mairi Gougeon said:
“With just a few weeks until the eyes of the world are on Scotland for COP26, it’s great to see more projects designed to address the growing climate crisis. There is so much potential across our islands and we received many innovative and creative applications. It’s clear to me that our island communities are going to play an important role in helping us meet our ambitious climate change targets and I am excited about that.
“The projects that have been awarded funding will contribute to our ambition to make Scotland greener and fairer. They will help us achieve a just transition to net zero and climate resilient living on our islands. I’m looking forward to seeing work get underway to help people, businesses and communities on our islands thrive.”
Inspiring Scotland CEO Celia Tennant said:
“Inspiring Scotland is delighted to be the delivery partner for the Scottish Government’s Island Communities Fund which supports the aims and outcomes of the National Islands Plan. The successful funded organisations will make a vital contribution to the economic, environmental and social wellbeing of our island communities and we are looking forward to working alongside them to deliver their projects.”
Background
The Fund is managed by Inspiring Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government. It is backed by £2 million of Scottish Government funding, which comes from the £9.5 million committed to the Islands Programme for 2021/22.
Projects should be completed by 31 March 2022.
Island Communities Fund
The National Plan for Scotland's Islands
Allocations by local authority
Argyll and Bute - £319,044.34
|
|
Organisation
|
Project name
|
Islands for delivery
|
Amount allocated
|
|
1
|
The Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust
|
Gigha's Active Travel Hub
|
Gigha
|
£75,600.00
|
|
2
|
Islay Development Initiative
|
From Small Seeds - Cornabus Tree Nursery
|
Islay
|
£86,000.00
|
|
3
|
North West Mull Community Woodland Company
|
Ulva Housing Refurbishment Project
|
Ulva
|
£72,859.04
|
|
4
|
Islay & Jura Community Enterprises Limited
|
Islay leisure’s resilience and sustainability
|
Islay & Jura
|
£84,585.30
|
Na h-Eileanan Siar – £475,853.32
|
|
Organisation
|
Project name
|
Islands for delivery
|
Amount allocated
|
|
5
|
Clan Macquarrie Community Centre
|
The Hebridean Community Garden
|
Lewis
|
£48,361.40
|
|
6
|
Leverhulme Community Hub
|
Leverhulme Community Hub -Towards Net Zero Carbon
|
Harris
|
£36,330.00
|
|
7
|
Point and Sandwick Coastal Community Path SCIO
|
Shuilishader to Flesherin link track and Path
|
Lewis
|
£80,920.00
|
|
8
|
Garadh a Bhagh a Tuath (SCIO)
|
Rays of Hope
|
Barra and Vatersay
|
£14,520.00
|
|
9
|
Keose Glebe Estate
|
The 80/90/100 Project.
|
Lewis
|
£80,000.00
|
|
10
|
MacLeans Bakery (Benbecula) Ltd
|
Bakery Green Transport
|
Benbecula
(Delivery to Barra, South Uist, North Uist, Grimsay, Berneray, Eriskay, Harris & Lewis)
|
£110,000.00
|
|
11
|
North Uist Distillery
|
Nunton Steadings' Journey Towards Carbon-Neutral Status
|
Benbecula and North Uist
(Delivery to South Uist, Berneray, Eriskay and Grimsay)
|
£49,310.17
|
|
12
|
Comunn Eachdraidh Nis
(Ness Historical Society)
|
A' gluasad gu suidheachadh neodrach a thaobh carboin (Aiming for Carbon Neutrality)
|
Lewis
|
£56,411.75
|
Highland - £230,569.55
|
|
Organisation
|
Project name
|
Islands for delivery
|
Amount allocated
|
|
13
|
Eigg Trading Limited
|
An Laimhrig Community Hub
|
Eigg
|
£149,785.00
|
|
14
|
Isle of Canna Community Development Trust
|
Canna Decarbonisation
- Phase 1
|
Canna
|
£80,784.55
|
North Ayrshire - £130,000
|
|
Organisation
|
Project name
|
Islands for delivery
|
Amount allocated
|
|
15
|
Community of Arran Seabed Trust - COAST
|
Our Own Boat
|
Arran
|
£63,000.00
|
|
16
|
Millport Town Hall
|
The Green Economic Recovery of Cumbrae
|
Cumbrae
|
£67,000.00
|
Orkney - £445,224.05
|
|
Organisation
|
Project name
|
Islands for delivery
|
Amount allocated
|
|
17
|
Island of Hoy Development Trust
|
YM Hall Regeneration
|
Hoy
|
£99,436.68
|
|
18
|
Eday Community Enterprises Ltd
|
Eday Shop Community Hub
|
Eday
|
£147,234.00
|
|
19
|
The North Ronaldsay Trust
|
The North Ronaldsay Meat Larder
|
North Ronaldsay
Shetland (mainland) where abattoir is located
|
£102,831.41
|
|
20
|
Sanday Community Shop
|
Cycle Sanday
|
Sanday
|
£7,477.48
|
|
21
|
Upper Stove Gardening
|
Upper Stove Market Garden extension
|
Orkney (Mainland)
|
£6,201.48
|
|
22
|
G Ballantyne
|
Grass harrows
|
Orkney (Mainland)
|
£6,000.00
|
|
23
|
Hilary Grant Knitwear & Textiles
|
Orkney Knit Factory
|
Orkney (Mainland)
|
£76,043.00
|
Shetland - £399,308.74
| |
Organisation
|
Project name
|
Islands for delivery
|
Amount allocated
|
|
24
|
Lerwick Boating Club
|
Renewable Energy Project
|
Shetland (Mainland)
|
£20,842.00
|
|
25
|
Shetland Seafood Auctions Ltd
|
Electric transport
|
East Burra, West Burra, Trondra, Muckle Roe
|
£75,328.00
|
|
26
|
Kergord Hatchery Bookshop
|
Bookshop net zero
|
Shetland (Mainland)
|
£39,810.11
|
|
27
|
|