Aultbea Hub revamp complete, football fans wanted

Hello and welcome once again to another Wester Ross Round-up. The days are getting a bit longer at last and our mailing list is also blooming like an eager snowdrop. This week we are sending to a record 1125 email inboxes. If you are new to us, welcome!

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🟡 The Aultbea Community Hub is open again after new flooring, insulation, solar panels and heating systems were installed in the building. More: Facebook, PLUS read to the end to see some photos.

🟡 Newly reformed football team Gairloch/Aultbea United have their first game of 2026 - and the first game against an outside team since 2019 - on Saturday February 7 at 12:30pm at the Gairloch Astro pitch. They're up against North West Skye FC and would welcome some local supporters. More: Facebook

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🟡 Following a winter break, the shop at the Sands Campsite is now open for the 2026 season. More: Facebook

🟡 The Lochcarron Spar has been shortlisted in the Scottish cohort of the Countryside Alliance Award for Best Village Shop. If you think they should win, you can vote here: Countryside Alliance

🟡 The Co-op has been criticised by the Advertising Standards Authority for promoting misleading price comparisons between their products and Lidl products. More: STV News

🟡 On Saturday February 7 it's Quiz night at Kinlochewe Village Hall. Details in the flyer below.

🟡 And on March 7 it's the big annual Bring and Buy Sale at Gairloch High. If you have stuff to donate to the sale, or you can donate a raffle prize, you must get it to the school by February 23. More details in the flyer below.

🟡 There are three documentaries being screened at the Ullapool Ferry Terminal that you probably won't find in any commercial cinemas. On February 26 at 19:30, Twice Colonized, is a “powerful exploration of cultural trauma” based on the story of Inuit lawyer Aaju Peter. More: Facebook.

Fires and Fascism is playing on March 18. The documentary "links the growing wildfires of Europe with past fascism, big business, organised crime, and the far right."

And Lesley Riddoch is showing her documentary called, "Finland: The happiest country that almost never existed." in the same venue on April 4, followed by a Q&A discussion. More: lesleyriddoch.com

🟡 The North West Mammal Network also have two films lined up for local nature lovers. There's one about wildcats on February 19 and one about beavers on March 19. Both are showing at Poolewe Village Hall. More details: Facebook

🟡 And on a light-hearted note, the folk at the Loch Torridon Community Centre are showing The Golden Spurtle documentary about the World Porridge Making Championships on Saturday February 21. More: The Loch Torridon Centre

🟡 Catering supplies firm Brakes are hiring Business Development Managers in many parts of the Highlands. Among the vacancies, there is a post based in Gairloch, and another based in Strathcarron. More: Brakes

🟡 Fire and Steam Sauna are hiring a "sauna host" to help out over the summer season at Gairloch. More: Facebook

🟡 Fèis Rois an Earraich is inviting young Highland musicians to a week of music, art, and drama workshops led by top traditional artists from April 6-9, with a pay-what-you-can pricing structure and free community cèilidhs in Tain, Ullapool and Dingwall. More: Iona M.J. MacDonald | Ross-shire Journal (£)

🟡 The Ross and Cromarty Educational Trust is open for applications. It provides grants to both individuals and groups of £200 - £2000. The deadline for applications is February 28. More: highlandcouncilcharitabletrusts.org

🟡 Highland Council has approved an 8% rent increase for social housing, despite some councillors raising concerns about the impact of the rise on poverty and tenant debt. More: Scott Maclennan | Ross-Shire Journal (£)

🟡 Bakkafrost's Applecross salmon hatchery has received approval from council planners for an extension. More: Iona M.J. MacDonald | Ross-Shire Journal (£)

🟡 Jenny Grant, High Life Highland Countryside Ranger for Wester Ross, has been reflecting on the buzz around Ullapool when a Humpback Whale took up residence in Loch Broom. More: Nature Unveiled

🟡 The Associated Press have published a well-produced feature on the impact of dredging along the west coast of Scotland and frustration over the slow pace of reforms that could protect more of the seabed and revive catches. More: Associated Press

🟡 And not unrelatedly, it was just recently revealed that no further action will be taken against two boats identified as dredging in a protected part of Loch Alsh. "Procedural errors" on the part of the Scottish Government Marine Directorate were cited as the reason that tougher enforcement measures were not pursued. More: Iona M.J. MacDonald | Ross-Shire Journal (£)

🟡 Scottish local councils are to be given the ability to hand out fines to people who break by-laws aimed at preventing wildfires. More: Emma Roddick

🟡 The former Achnasheen Village Hall has been on the market for a while now. If you're interested in putting a bid in, Highland Council have set a closing date of February 28, at 14:00. More: Facebook

🟡 And lastly, here's some pics from the Aultbea Hub revamp, showing the underfloor heating going in, and the new batteries and heat pumps.