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by a consultant or doctor if they decide they are suitable for their TAFFIN patients. More information will be sent out to Staffin households very NEWSLETTER soon. IRIS AN TAOBH SEAR FOGHAR / AUTUMN 2020 Staffin Youth Club

LIKE most public activities the youth club - which was only reformed last year after a long period of abeyance - was unable to meet. “Up until that point we were seeing between 25 and 30 kids every Friday night in the Hall which was great,” writes volunteer, Helen Atkins. “This was enabled by the funding we Taken by Allan McIntosh on a recent visit to Staffin received last year from Calmac. Staffin to pilot NHS video Back in February we also had two very successful fundraising events. appointment service “The Hungry Gull put on a curry Staffin has been chosen as the and quiz night with the proceeds pilot for an NHS video service given to the youth club. The whole called “Near Me” in which doctors night was fantastic fun with some can speak directly to patients. interesting rounds about Scottish music and abandoned buildings on The scheme, also known as Attend Skye. Anywhere, is an NHS scheme which “During the interval our second offers people the chance to fundraising event was drawn, a reduce travelling, or time away 100-square raffle where local from home, work or school to businesses and local people had attend appointments. It involves a very kindly donated some amazing consultation via video link through prizes. Huge thanks to everyone a laptop/phone or computer. who donated to our raffle or Volunteers from the Staffin attended the quiz. We raised Community will initially help local about £2,000 between the two people access the Near Me service events which will be put towards by providing a device and support our planned trip away, hopefully on how to get in touch for their in 2021. appointment with a Dr or “We also successfully applied for a Consultant. This will save people youth Rural Engagement who are able to get a near me Award of £750 to help pay for appointment travelling to planned activities during the year. Inverness of Fort William for non- During the Lockdown we have emergency appointments. Near Me helped the Staffin Helpers Group appointments will only be issued to create youth packs. Every

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2 school-aged child living in Staffin, Higgins, the hall committee including teenagers and any chairman. “When we do open the youngsters who attend the club toilets, it will be limited to from outwith the community, existing user groups only, probably received a pack which included withdrawing from amongst many things a craft Council's Toilet Comfort Scheme activity and school items. They and the cafe operating take-away were very well received. food only. These measures are to Helen added: “Earlier in the year operate as safely as possible for we had a visit from the Skye Youth staff and users. Development officer Roddy “After a bright and positive start Mackinnon who is helping us to to 2020, it has been a frustrating create leadership roles for some of year for the Hall. We said farewell our teenage members via the to committee stalwarts Effie Saltire awards. MacLeod, Andrea Kerley and “Our Young Leaders have been Martin Perry (both to Wales). A amazing throughout the last year, new committee was elected: coming down and setting up and Gordon Higgins (chairman), Jen being great role models to our Shanks (Secretary), Peter Richell younger members. We look (Treasurer), Flora Ann MacDonald forward to extending that (Gym), Helen Atkins, AnnMarie provision in the next few years. Ferguson, Colin Wilson and Liz The youth club is hoping to restart MacFarlane, while Lyndsey Clark at some point but this is remains our contact for hall dependent on lots of factors of bookings. health and safety. We would like “At the point when the committee to thank the whole of the were starting a discussion on Ridge community for possible hall improvements and their continued support and new activities, the country was hit reiterate our thanks to all our by Covid-19, with all areas of the financial sponsors including hall being closed to the public Calmac, Uig Gala, the Hungry Gull, from March 18. F. MacLeod Funeral Services.” Staffin Stores, with the hard work, innovation and good planning by Staffin Community Hall Lyndsey and her team, remained Association open to serve the local community. After a period of serving on a closed-door basis, the Staffin Stores and the Hungry Gull store reopened to the public with are both trading but the Kilmartin measures in place to protect both River Café, the Hall, gym and staff and customers. public toilets are still closed “Obviously, the local community unfortunately because of the will be missing being able to COVID-19 risks. attend activity groups and “We have had an initial look at hopefully when we are able events reopening but until such times as like the yoga, badminton, fitness, we can carry out a full risk after school, youth club and other assessment and employ a new activities can recommence. cleaner, we cannot put in place a date for opening,” writes Gordon

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Staffin Community Trust/ The kits for the buildings will be Urras an Taobh Sear made at the company’s Crossal headquarters and most of their sub-contractors are based locally. STAFFIN Community Trust (SCT) The build is expected to take was delighted and relieved at approximately one year. the site start for the Affordable SCT has received 15 local Housing, Health and Business expressions of interest in the Development in August. homes. Most of them are young It took a lot of work to get to that families and residents living with stage with the pandemic and their parents in Staffin, or in securing the overall funding rented accommodation, with package. strong local ties. More than 85% of the peat has now It illustrates the keen demand been removed from the site and with 2020 marking 21 years since taken to Maligar, with the consent the last affordable housing of the township and Department. development was built in Staffin, The water mains have been at the site of the old primary diverted as they were running school. close to the new buildings and it is hoped the Building Warrant will be Health Centre approved imminently so the SCT has an agreement, in foundations for the houses, health principle, with NHS Highland in centre and business units can selling the Nurses Cottage and commence in earnest. becoming a long-term tenant of

the new facility. It is SCT’s aspiration that the building will be able to provide other health related services during the week so that our community can avoid having to travel to or further afield. SCT is working hard on that at present and will consult the community about the potential service(s) that could be provided from the new base in the very

near future. SCT also believes the Peat getting cleared at the site in September. facility could benefit residents in Kilmuir and Uig. SCT will also work closely with the North Skye James MacQueen Builders are the Campaign Group on this specific main contractors for the project project. reject and SCT was pleased that a Skye-based contractor won the Office Move contract as it will help provide SCT has now made the short flit work for locals, following the from its previous Portacabin base. impact of Covid-19 on the Hugh Ross, the development economy. officer, and Angus Murray, the Druim nan Linntean programme

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5 manager, are now working out of Skye Ecomuseum Project an office in the recently refurbished Chich of Scotland. Hugh and Angus can be contacted between Monday and Saturday on 562 464 or staffin.ldo@gmail / [email protected]

Loch Shianta - one of Staffin's few wooded areas A native tree planting project will start in the winter. As part of this project there will an opportunity for local children to get involved with the planting of trees to the rear of the new housing A photo from the opening of the original slipway development, to provide shelter Staffin Slipway Redevelopment for the new buildings. Replanting native trees, such as SCT’s funding application to the hazel scrub woodland, will have Regeneration Capital Grant Fund – multiple benefits for the landscape. This work will be tied which is a substantial Scottish in with Druim nan Linntean | Skye Government pot - was successful Ecomuseum with the aim of in February, prior to Lockdown. It improving the local environment. saw £969,000 secured for the Education in the school and project, almost one third of the community will be a big part of estimated £3million cost. Since this project that will also include then SCT has formed a steering the planting of fruit trees. The group which has been meeting contractor that will work alongside online and working on the Site the team at Staffin Community Plan with the marine engineer Trust has significant school John Porteous, of Wallace Stone outreach experience having Ltd. SCT is also investigating other worked with Bun-Sgoil Shlèite on funding sources and will consult the Tormore Community Forest in recent years. with the community about the The work will look to inform our project and its next steps. youngsters about how the landscape and tree cover has changed in this area over millennia. Our recent archaeology work has revealed how our peat bogs act as illuminating records of changes to vegetation and tree cover. We can now evidence that the area around the Kilmartin river was once surrounded by trees and that the earliest people on Skye used to forage here for hazel nuts.

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The Trust’s registered name was formally changed to Staffin through time: Ongoing reflect the name and purpose of Archaeology work the heritage centre development. In common with other charities and groups, activities planned for this year had to be cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions. This did not mean the work of the trust had stopped and in August an advertisement was publicised seeking sought a new full-time member of staff, with job Hannah Boyd with Angus at Dùn Raisaburgh applications sought by September Hannah Boyd is working on a 18. Ionad Thròndairnis aim to remote placement as part of create a cultural asset - a Druim nan Linntean | Skye community-run centre in the Ecomuseum. For this placement Flodigarry township. With support her role is to encourage people in from Bòrd na Gàidhlig and HIE, Staffin to get involved in Ionad Thròndairnis is looking to archaeology. She has already been employ a suitable individual, or working on a full survey of all the engage a self-employed archaeological sites from contractor, to ensure sustained Flodigarry to the Old Man of Storr. progress in fulfilling the Over the next few months, she organisation’s aims. hopes to get as many local people as possible involved in researching Tha e na amas aig Urrasairean the Staffin area. There will be Ionad Thròndairnis seirbheis opportunities to learn about chultarach a chur air bhog – ionad Staffin’s history through its many air a ruith leis a’ choimhearsnachd and varied archaeological sites, ann am baile Fhlòdaigearraidh. and get to grips with the Gheibhear fiosrachadh relationship between the area and mionaideach air na tha for its people through time. She comhair san leabhran seo. already has worked on projects in the Highlands, having spent a lot Le taic bho Bhòrd na Gàidhlig agus of time working in Gairloch, bho IGE, tha Ionad Thròndairnis an Wester Ross and has lots of dùil neach freagarrach fhastadh, experience in community no cunnradair a tha ag obair air a archaeology. cheann fhèin a thoirt a-steach, She is very keen to hear from airson dèanamh cinnteach à anyone with an interest in adhartas leantaileach ann a bhith archaeology and should be toirt gu buil amasan na buidhne. contacted by email: [email protected] Gheibhear tuairisgeul obrach an seo. Ionad Thròndairnis/ Bu chòir gach tagraiche foirm- Trotternish Centre iarrtais a lìonadh a-steach. Bu chòir cuideachd dhan tagraiche làn

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7 chunntas-beatha (CV) a thoirt households, not only in seachad a bharrachd air an Staffin but Kilmuir; fhiosrachadh a tha san fhoirm.  prescriptions delivered across the district; a Ionad Thròndairnis can be located foodbank called the on Instagram, Twitter and Trotternish Kindness Facebook. The email address Container, was set up at is [email protected] or info@flo Staffin Campsite and is now digarrytownshiptrust.org.uk sited next to Staffin Hall  support was given to Fèis Thròndairnis families with reduced incomes with food, fuel and The Fèis planned for this summer electricity tokens at local was cancelled due to the Covid-19 shops restrictions.  basic food provision boxes Other fèisean too have fallen were delivered to families victim to the situation but Fèisean in Staffin, Kilmuir and nan Gàidheal, our parent body, Portree etc. has been able to organise and offer on-line tuition to our young The Helpers can arrange to do a folk throughout the summer, drop off from the container if writes Margaret Nicolson. Online required and are planning a tuition was offered, in groups of Christmas dinner delivery to those three Fèisean usually, according to in our community who will be the planned dates for each Fèis. facing the festive season alone or Fèis Thròndairnis along with Fèis who are vulnerable. Eilean an Fhraoich and Fèis air an Oir were scheduled for the week 27th - 31st July. The online format allows young people to receive tuition free of charge this year with Fèisean nan Gàidheal picking up the tab. This is an excellent opportunity to keep young folk involved and ensuring they do not miss out entirely on their Fèis experience this year.

Staffin Helpers

The Staffin Helpers group of volunteers carried out a huge amount of work locally during the Lockdown and afterwards including:

 delivering hot meals to elderly and vulnerable

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