New Job at an CRÙBH an Crùbh
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An Lianag Date: SPRING 2020 IMPROVING THE ROAD TO New Job at AN CRÙBH An Crùbh We have some good news as we can afford at a time, when for everyone who has bumped up they are working in the area. A new position has been the road to An Crùbh through the We are a small charity created at An Crùbh as part of potholes. Anyone who has been with few resources, and a trading the graduate placement scheme up to An Crùbh since Friday will subsidiary which is not expected which creates one year positions have noticed we have managed to to generate any profit until the for those who have been gradu- tar another of the worst sections end of 2021 at the earliest, so we ates for up to 4 years. The fund- of our road - the section at the are reliant for building up a fund ing covers 50% of the position, bottom. We are lucky to have for improvements on a combina- with An Crùbh Ltd covering the found a contractor who is willing tion of rental income from the other 50% of the salary. to tar short sections, as much as hall and community room, and Business Development the hard work of the Camuscross Manager, Sharon Campbell said CDI AGM, & Duisdale Fundraising group. “This is an exciting position for We hope to start a crowd- a new graduate with IT and mar- Have Your Say & funding page soon, and will be keting skills to work with us to hoping for donations small or create a new digital booking sys- Community Meal large to help us to build up our tem and a marketing strategy. tarring fund so that we can tar the This new position will improve This year’s Camuscross & Duis- whole road and parking area. our efficiency and ability to dale Initiative’s AGM will be on Look out for details which will be market all the services and activ- the 29th February at 4.00pm in An called Pitch in to Tar our Road. ities we offer to a wider audi- Crùbh. All welcome—if you’re ence.” not a member, why not come Applications can be along and join up? If you live in made via the Scot Grad website, Camuscross, Cruard, Isle Ornsay, New Disabled up until 15th March 2020. See or Duisdale, you can become a Parking Bays page 5 for the advert. full member, or, if over 12, a Jun- ior member If you live outside We are delighted that this area, you can become an asso- Siusaidh NicNèill has been suc- Online questionnaire ciate member or you could be- cessful in securing a grant of Launched come a Friend of CDI. £6,400 from Awards for All to You are also invited to take part create new, tarred, disabled park- An online version of the ques- in our big community consultation ing spaces, closer to the shop and event which opens from 2pm in tionnaire asking for opinions main building entrance. The con- about An Crùbh shop, café and the hall and a special session firmation was only received on where you can tell us what you hall has been launched. If you Friday 21st February, so more have not already filled in the pa- think at 4.30pm, after the AGM. details to follow, as we continue Please come along and tell us how per questionnaire, please take a to try to improve the building and short time to tell us what you we are doing and what else you the surroundings. This will add to think we should do. think and give your ideas and the new outdoor lighting which opinions. An email has been sent Then at 5.30pm, please join us has made access to the building for a community meal—please out to members. The link is during darkness much less haz- https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ bring along a dish or a bottle to ardous. FWPX753 2 AN LIANAG WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE AN CRÙBH FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE By Sharon Campbell We are really fortunate to have such a fantas- profit making to future proof the facility for the ben- tic community owned facility in An Crùbh. efit of the community, as without ACL’s trading in- An Crùbh Ltd is a wholly-owned trading come this would not be a viable operation. This year subsidiary of the charity Camuscross & Duisdale is an extremely crucial year financially as the last Initiave (CDI). An Crùbh Ltd (ACL) operates the instalment of Revenue Funding from Big Lottery of trading elements - shop and café - which only co- £8,000 will be received this year, meaning ACL vers 43% of the overall floor space within the facili- needs to continue to grow the business to generate ty but pays 100% of the overheads for the whole enough income to meet the funding shortfall, pay building, along with paying an annual rental to CDI staff and cover all building overheads, with a view for the shop and café of £4,800 including vat. An that in the future any profits made will be paid up to Crùbh Ltd also pays for all staff costs including the CDI for community activities and benefit. caretaking, cleaning and maintenance and overall management of all areas and activities within the NEW DEVELOPMENTS PLANNED building, including the community areas of the hall ACL are continually trying to add value to and meeting room. the facility and service we provide, for example Hall and meeting room hire generated just Electric Vehicle Charging Points, exhibitions and over £7,000 in 2018 for CDI, but when ACL started other events. We have set in motion this year a se- the business, although equipped with a business plan ries of funding applications for various projects that we quickly learned that there were costs that had not will add to the appeal and ethos of the community been anticipated. Although costs were projected for and visitors alike. These include solar panels – to gas, electricity & woodchip along with professional offset electricity usage, campervan service points (as fees, these have proved considerably higher than an- these currently use the facility anyway) and encour- ticipated and additional costs such as £2,100 to get age people to stay and use the other facilities availa- the bins emptied, cleaning supplies at £2,500 and ble, and a community electric vehicle, to transport other costs were unexpected - giving overheads for people within the community to and from AC and the entire building coming in at just over £44,000 in possibly offer a grocery delivery service to vulnera- 2018; this does not include staffing costs, for not ble people. We are also exploring the potential of only the shop and café, but also the caretaking, getting a bus stop at the drive entrance. cleaning and management of An Crùbh’s communi- ty areas and activities. If you have any ideas for any developments you We have done very well so far to build the think would further enhance An Crùbh for the business as the revenue funding reduces over the community we serve – please get in touch. first four years, but we need to ensure that ACL is AN LIANAG 3 Looking Back, Looking Forward by Mark Wringe This time in 2019, as we were coming up for staff to open seven days a week. Sharon’s cheery the AGM, I was nervous about how the Board of demeanor might make you think it’s a breeze, but CDI needed new pairs of hands, fresh energy, per- don’t be fooled. It’s a really demanding role, and haps some new ideas - or even reminders of some we couldn’t ask for better. We are hopeful of suc- old ones we had forgotten. We were and still are a cessful funding applications to relieve some of the small band of volunteers, most of us with demand- burden through a graduate employment scheme. ing full-time jobs or small businesses to run, all of As it begins the 2020 season, this is the year us wishing we had just a little bit more time to spare. when An Crùbh has to stand on its own feet. It’s It doesn’t take much - an elderly parent’s illness, a already making a significant contribution to the lo- sudden work deadline - to mean there’s one less pair cal economy in Sleat, and with the continued sup- of hands at the pump. port of the community and of visitors it will take the A year on, we have some new willing hands next step of generating surpluses to provide more at the Board meetings - Penny Hardie, with experi- facilities and to support community projects. Every ence of a community venture very similar to our penny spent in the shop and the cafe works hard to own hub; Euan MacDonald, with a deep knowledge benefit this community. of finance and business; and our own shop manager, Speaking of pennies, or rather pounds, lots Jeana Wilkinson, with a finger on the pulse and a of pounds, the fundraising group have been magnif- real desire to make the whole venture a success and icent, coming up with a brilliant range of ways to Michael Rossi with his knowledge of Scots law. enjoy ourselves while raising vital funds for dull but Since early summer I’ve been feeling a bit more essential things. Thanks to them, CDI has been able confident. On the other hand, Siusaidh NicNèill has to pay for all those unsexy things like insurance, just had to step down for health reasons - and that is audit and accountancy fees, repairs, and starting a no small loss of energy and ideas.