Ardgay District
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ARDGAY & DISTRICT Community Council newsletter Price: £1.00 ISSN (Online) 2514-8400 = Issue No. 36 = SUMMER 2017 = New Hub opening this summer The new Kyle of Sutherland Hub is almost com- plete. Here is a taste of what is to come. THE TEAM HAVE BEEN appointed Ann Renouf, Café Supervisor, and we would like to welcome Emma Mackay, General As- Adele Newlands, Hub Manag- sistant, and Clark Goodison, er; Vicky Karl, Café Manager; Cleaner. (Continue on page 9) The bright red Hub, as seen from Tulloch. THE CURRENT CC WAS FORMED IN FEBRUARy 2016 Achievements and challenges of your Community Council from June 2016 WE REPRODUCE Betty the issues discussed at Wright’s annual report our meetings? Which from our AGM. Our will feature in next year’s Chairperson thanks all agendas? We have cre- who have given freely of ated a map highlighting their time to CC business. the work of your CC in (Pages 4-6) What were 2016-2017. (Page 5). Opening of the Falls of Shin Visitor Attraction. The work of the Kyle of Plans to supply access to Sutherland Development Trust Superfast broadband to all Helen Houston reports on current and future projects What to do if you have been ‘left out’ Page 8 of the Trust (Pages 14-15) Beginning of the works on the Business Barn & Art Shed in Ardgay (Page 11) Know more about East Sutherland Energy Advice Service (Page 17) George Farlow’s farewell message Page 7 All you need Volunteering a to know opportunities 32 pages featuring Letters to the Editor, about horses in your Opening times, on the road area Telephone guide, Bus & Train timetable, Page 10 Page 20 Crosswords, Sudoku... New office space available WINTER 2017/2018 Facilities include • Furnished offices • Shower • Broadband Internet • Kitchen • Free car parking • Secure entry system 24/7 • Meeting room • Electric charging point Contact Valerie Houston for further details E: [email protected] T: 01863 766 190 M: 07923 951 568 The Trust Office, Dornoch Road Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust Bonar Bridge, Is a Company Limited by Guarantee Sutherland, IV24 3EB Registered in Scotland: SC401019 www.kyleofsutherland.co.uk Registered Scottish Charity: SC043587 ARDGAY & DISTRICT Community Council newsletter SUMMER 2017 = Page 3 Contents 10 13 22 25 ARDGAY NEWS =Bradbury Centre’s activities �������� 13 ADULT CLUBS & SOCIETIES �����������24 =Ardgay & District CC Chairperson’s =Account of the work of the Kyle of annual report �����������������������������������������������4 Sutherland Development Trust ������� 14 HEALTH & WELL-beiNG �������������������25 =The work of the Community Council =Lairg Learning Centre news ���������15 in 2016-2017 (infographic) �������������������5 =Lairg Asteroid exhibition �������������� 16 GEARRCHOILLE WOOD �������������������26 =Contact details of your CC, Highland =East Sutherland Energy Advice ��17 =Wildlife: Great crested newt ��������26 Councillors, MSPs and MP ����������������������6 =Windfarm Community Benefit� �� 18 =George Farlow’s farewell message CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE ������� 27 after his retirement ���������������������������������������7 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ��������������� 19 =Hamish, the Tartan Dragon ���������� 27 =Superfast Broadband for all ���������� 8 =Kyle of Sutherland Hub opening�����9 CHARITIES & VOLUNTEERING FROM THE manSE ������������������������������28 =The origin of pony trekking ��������10 =Sutherland Care Forum ���������������� 20 =Sharing our roads with horses ���10 =Universal Credit advice by CAB ��� 21 LOCAL SERVICES A-Z ������������������������29 =Works started on Business Barn ���� 11 New office space available WINTER 2017/2018 =Ardgay Public Hall fundraising �� 12 WHAt’S ON IN THE AREA ���������������22 PUZZLES�����������������������������������������������������31 Facilities include Ardgay & District photographs EDITOR’S LETTER • Furnished offices • Shower Success hen I took on the role of • • Kitchen Broadband Internet WEditor, we were all regret- • • Secure entry system 24/7 ting the loss of Carbisdale Castle Free car parking Youth Hostel, The Lady Ross, • Meeting room • Electric charging point and the Falls of Shin Visitor Centre. Three years on, not only all those key assets are being de- veloped or redeveloped, we are also about to see the opening of a brand new Family and Com- munity Hub between Ardgay Contact Valerie Houston for further details and Bonar Bridge. I wish all these projects every success. To E: [email protected] T: 01863 766 190 M: 07923 951 568 our contributors, -in this issue from 22 different groups!-, dis- tributors, funders, advertisers, donors, and to everyone who is supporting Ardgay & District The Trust Office, Dornoch Road Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust Aerial view of Carbisdale Castle by Richard Elliott CC newsletter: thank you. You Is a Company Limited by Guarantee Taken in 2015, before it was acquired by FCFM Group Ltd� In this unusual view, the make this possible.< Bonar Bridge, Invershin viaduct, the Kyle of Sutherland, the bridge at Bonar and the Dornoch Firth Sutherland, IV24 3EB Registered in Scotland: SC401019 are all in the picture� More photos on his Facebook page Richard Elliott Aerial Filming� Silvia Muras Editor www.kyleofsutherland.co.uk Registered Scottish Charity: SC043587 Page 4 =SUMMER 2017 ARDGAY & DISTRICT Community Council newsletter Ardgay & District News WE REPRODUCE HERE BETTY WRIGHT’S ANNUAL REPORT READ AT THE CC AGM MEETING IN JUNE Message from the Chairperson HIS has been another busy brought ‘superfast’ broadband with- WINDFARMS & COmmUNITY BEN- year for A&DCC, with a mix of in the reach of subscribers in the EFIT: As part of our meeting each Tongoing issues, some reach- village. However at distances of month we consider applications ing a conclusion & others beginning; greater than about 1.5km, the speed to Beinn Tharsuinn & Beinn nan some addressing local problems and drops off quickly & these customers Oighrean community Benefit funds others Highland wide. will have to wait for the situation to – these support many local organi- I would like to thank those who be remedied by other means. How sations with grants of up to £2,000, have given freely of their time to CC this will be done is not yet clear and fund such projects as the Christ- business – my fellow councillors, our –there is currently a review of house- mas lights and flower tubs. There wonderful minutes secretary, mem- holds who do not benefit from BT are 2 CC reps on the E.ON Rosehall/ bers of the public who have attend- rollout so far and hopefully this will SSE Achany CB panel, which awards ed our meetings or communicated result in progress in late 2017. grants bi-annually up to £20,000, their opinion via the Newsletter or funding such projects as our develop- our website, our Highland council- TIMBER EXTRACTION AT GARVary ment officer, A&DCC newsletter, and lors, particularly George Farlow who WOODLAND: Several residents at- make valuable match funding awards attended the majority of our meet- tended December meeting to express to such projects as Falls of Shin vis- ings despite the distances involved. their concern about the felling of the itor Centre, Ardgay Regeneration George did not stand for re-election forest at Badvoon, which would result Project, and The Family Hub. These to the council and will be missed at in lorries using the very narrow road CB funds are making a huge differ- our meetings. We look forward to up Kincardine Hill to extract the tim- ence to our local area – in one edition working with our new and returning ber, work which would extend over of our newsletter I counted 14 differ- representatives in the future. Thanks several years. The CC invited repre- ent projects that had been supported. are due to Phil Olson for continuing sentatives from Fountains Forestry & Construction has begun on the to administer our website. Thanks to THC roads department to our Febru- Coire na Cloiche Windfarm; the our editor Silvia, the newsletter con- ary meeting to address these issues. It decision on Braemore following the tinues to be of a very high standard was agreed that the THC will carry out Public Local Inquiry (PLI) is still – Silvia will say more about this lat- a full survey of the road to establish with the Scottish Government; a er, but I would like to add thanks to what upgrading is required and no PLI into the application for Caplich those who deliver the newsletter to extraction will commence before the Windfarm begins 19th June and every house in our area. improvements are done and an agreed there is a scoping exercise for a pro- There have been a couple of traffic management plan is in place. posed Windfarm at Braelangwell. changes to CC personnel – in De- cember 2016 we welcomed Buster Crabb. Sheila Lall has intimated she Addressing the issues that affect you will stand down from the CC at this One of the most important functions of your Community Council is to assist in meeting due to pressure of other communicating your concerns with The Highland Council and others� This news- commitments. I would like to thank letter tries to keep you informed of various issues that impact our area� In addition, we try to aid residents in dealing with various concerns� Recently Sheila for her input and hope she we sponsored a meeting with The Highland Council and the timber carrier for will return in future. the Garvary woods� This will have significant impact on the Kinkardine residents� Some of the issues we have ad- Quite a few residents attended the meeting and were able to voice their concerns dressed this year: and got assurances of The Highland Council and the carrier would work closely with them to address all their concerns� Another issue we are pursuing is high speed Broadband� We are studying what BROADBAND: Some good news is going on in other communities and will advise the community when we find a here! BT installed a 3rd cabinet on plan that we feel will work in our area� Please feel free to contact the Community the Ardgay exchange, adjacent to Council if you have any concerns (contact details on page 6)� < Leslie Pope, the toilet building in Ardgay, which Secretary went live in February this year.