This year has seen a lot of behind the scenes action at DCT and as the projects we’re pursuing become more complex, we want to make sure we schedule regular updates to our members and the wider community, to make sure everyone can get involved in projects that interest them if they want to, and at least be kept informed of news. It’s easy to get stuck at the computer moving from task to task without communicating as much as we should!
As a full resident member you can vote, receive newsletters, and run for the board. Becoming a member is a great way to get involved in your community and help use the SCIO as a vehicle to shape the area’s future. You can sign up online or Dunvegan PO has paper membership forms.
If you reside in the Dunvegan Community Council area, or have a project to benefit the area, you can apply for funding for various projects. The eligibility guidelines, criteria and application forms are on the DCT website. We offer funding for the following categories, and review applications at the end of every quarter:
- large projects (over £1,000)
- small projects (under £1,000)
- Skye charities grant applications (with a maximum award of £1,000)
- educational and employment development grant
Cruachan Woodland and Cnoc nan Craobh
DCT has been researching the options for creating two woodland crofts at Cruachan Woodland in Orbost, with the aim to making a Community Asset Transfer request to HIE for the acquisition of the land. Community Asset Transfers (CATs) allow community groups to request a substantial discount from market value when acquiring land from Public Bodies.
A community consultation ran earlier in the year, which showed the majority of respondents in favour of the proposals, with 13 respondents either interested in the tenancy of a woodland croft, or with a family member interested in a tenancy. There was a lot of enthusiasm; however also some concerns about preventing speculation and the position of the associated croft houses.
Included in this project is also the potential to acquire Cnoc nan Craobh (or Bluebell Hill) as an area of community woodland, to maintain, enhance and safeguard it. As an opportunity to discuss concerns and opportunities and logistics (like a locally developed allocation policy) we will be holding an open event in Dunvegan Hall later in the year. We are keen to have a clearer idea of the potential sites for the croft houses prior to the event, which requires commissioning flood risk assessments – so we expect to arrange the public event for sometime in October. We will be sharing the finalised proposals for the project prior to this event
Gaeltec Building
We are very grateful to the Scottish Land Fund for awarding the purchase costs for the Gaeltec Buildings to the Trust in March 2024. Since that time the conveyancing process has been continuing and we are all getting closer to these buildings being in community ownership! A Project Officer has been appointed and is now working on the plans for the buildings.
Following the consultation in February, the designs have been tightened up with Rural Design and planning permission for the renovations has been applied for. This includes improvements to make the buildings more accessible and a change in use of the building near the road so that we can introduce a gym facility, childcare, a tool library and space for workshops and classes. It is important that the buildings are made more sustainable, so quotes are being gathered for adding solar PV and batteries for power generation and storage. Further improvements to the shell of the building and insulation are included in the renovation plans.
Research is ongoing into how the services offered at the community hub will be managed, a tool library working group has been started up and we will soon be putting out a call for a childcare services working group. If you would like to contribute to either of these please contact [email protected] to register an interest.
We are looking forward to celebrating with you all once the purchase is complete, watch this space for updates
New Project Officer
We would like to welcome Bryony Anderson to the DCT team. Though a hydrogeologist by training, Bryony has worked in the community and cultural sectors for fifteen years, starting off as an Oxfam steward at music festivals, then working as events manager for Manchester-based co-operative music imprint Debt Records and later at performing arts charity SEALL here on the Isle of Skye (where she has lived since 2017). Bryony now works alongside Dunvegan Community Trust as Project Officer for the Gaeltec Community Hub project where she is also part of the Tool Library working group. In addition to this she is a volunteer assistant at Skye & Lochalsh Archive Centre and part of a local textile art group creating works around marine ecology and climate change
Shared Ownership Opportunity
Ben Sca is an approved windfarm development between Dunvegan and Edinbane, and the developers, Wind2, have offered the option of shared ownership in the development. Alongside other communities, we have received support from Local Energy Scotland, who have also funded legal advice on an appropriate vehicle for such an investment. This is information gathering, and as yet there are no financial details , but as soon as we have information on the level of investment required, funding sources, and the potential return, we will share this with the wider community and facilitate a discussion and a community decision on whether DCT should pursue such a venture
Dunvegan School Project and Masterplan
It was recently announced that despite the disappointment of the Dunvegan Primary School Project not being included in the Highland Council Capital Budget, alternative funding sourced through The HIghland Investment Plan will hopefully result in the project proceeding within the next 5 years. The development of a Community Pitch is a key part of the project and we are speaking to Sports Pitch specialists about getting the proposed site assessed and a feasibility study into the costs and potential funders of a new pitch.
Dunvegan Minibu
The Minibus has been getting a bit grubby on occasion and we’re going to make a rota to clean it once a month to start off with, and increase that if necessary. We have a few volunteers so far for a monthly slot, but if you would be willing to volunteer one or two times a year to help keep the bus tidy, please email [email protected]
Community Park
The park equipment is due to be installed in September. There will be more landscaping of the site happening in the coming weeks, and we can’t wait to have the equipment installed and to hold an opening event! Huge thanks to everyone who turned out to the volunteer days clearing the site and barrowing and spreading soil – it was hard work and an impressive turnout of volunteers. Thanks again to all of the individuals and businesses who donated time and money to fundraisers and supplies and services to the park project – it’s been a great community effort
Looking to the Future
As an incorporated charity, DCT is now in a position to pursue more ambitious projects to further community development in a way it previously couldn’t as an unincorporated charity. We can see from the wide variety of projects being undertaken by groups all over Skye that community development is a hugely broad term, and whether the aim is enhanced recreational facilities, overcoming rural transport barriers, trying to address the lack of childcare facilities or building houses, they are all interlinked, and part of the bigger picture of trying to keep our unique community and culture sustainable and vibrant, and to improve the lives of folk who live here.
At the end of May, there was a release of Scottish census data which shows that the demographic of NW Skye has is rapidly changing- a change which is perhaps less obvious when comparing NW Skye today to 10 years ago, but dramatic when comparing NW Skye today to 20 years ago. It shows both the need to adapt to an ageing population, but also to work to retain and include our younger population in future planning, so that those who want to live here, can, without missing out on those opportunities more readily available in more densely populated areas.
This, the climate crisis and the ever prevalent squeeze on public spending is the backdrop against which all of us live, as children, teenagers, workers, the disabled, entrepreneurs, volunteers, carers, the elderly, and in order to try to direct work and funding in the right directions, we want to get together with local groups and anyone interested locally to develop a Community Action Plan for the Dunvegan CC area. In addition to helping direct local projects, Community Action Plans are an increasingly important tool as evidence of need and strategic thinking to funders and government.
We have put an application into the Community Regeneration Fund to fund support from Community Enterprise and Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre, to help guide us along the way to creating a plan which looks to the future within the context of what has changed and what we don’t want to, what has been here before and the culture that makes this part of the world unique. We’re hoping to hold a meeting in Dunvegan Hall in September (date TBC) for everyone who wants to get involved or just find out more.
