Ewe Brew investment and geology trail green light
Read to the end to watch a video of a mountain biker in the Torridon hills.
Meteorological spring starts in March, so this will be the last Wester Ross Round-up of the winter. This week our warming Round-up is being sent to 1137 people. If you just signed up last week, welcome!
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🟡 This week local firm Ewe Brew announced that Highlands and Islands Enterprise have awarded them funding to help them expand. The cash will help them to develop the Tap Room in Poolewe Village Hall, plus it will help them buy additional equipment to boost production and event capacity. Founder James Struthers said: "This investment is about strengthening our capacity to grow, support more events, and create more opportunities locally. It helps us build long-term resilience as a business while continuing to play an active role in community life here in Wester Ross." More: Facebook
🟡 Highlands and Islands Enterprise revealed another Wester Ross investment this week. The Applecross Community Company is to receive a share of a £100,000 grant towards affordable housing on the peninsula. The project aims to create 18 affordable homes, along with six business units. More: Highlands and Islands Enterprise
🟡 And in other funding news, Lochbroom and Ullapool Community Trust has been awarded £46,239 for the New Broom project from Highland Council. The cash will help them create a donations depot and workshop space to support the established work of the New Broom, the trust’s "preloved" charity shop. More: Gregor White | Ross-Shire Journal (£)
🟡 Planners have given the go-ahead to a "Geological Timeline" trail that will run from the Carn Dearg Youth Hostel to Gairloch Museum. The 4.5km path project promoted by the Gairloch Museum involves 18 waymarkers and 2 information boards. More: Highland Council
🟡 Gairloch Markets have announced that they can't find a regular slot that works for both organisers and a sufficient number of stall holders this year. Sadly, there won't be any regular markets in Gairloch this summer. More: Facebook
🟡The Aultbea Post Van has broken down, meaning deliveries today, 26 February, will not be possible. At the time of writing it was not known whether this would be for one day, or may last a few days. Parcels and mail will be available for collection. More: Facebook
Events
These are just the latest events we've spotted. Paying digital subscribers can access our full What's On guide for the area in the latest issue of the Gairloch and District Times.
🟡 A tabletop clothes sale scheduled for this Friday February 27 will now take place in Gairloch Village Hall annexe from 18:00 until 21:00. More: Facebook
🟡 On Saturday February 28, Applecross Film Club are showing Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown. More: Facebook
🟡 The Mikeysline mental health support service will be visiting Aultbea, Poolewe and Gairloch on Monday March 2. If you feel you would benefit from some one-to-one, in-person peer support, please book an appointment in advance by emailing: [email protected]. More: Facebook
🟡 Gairloch Active Schools has announced that their weekly mini movers sessions for toddlers to primary 3 age kids have proven so popular that they will continue into March. More: Facebook
🟡 On Wednesday March 4 at 19:30 there will be a fundraising Whist Drive at the Loch Torridon Community Centre. Funds will go to supporting the costs of maintaining local defribrillators. More: Facebook
🟡 At the Lochcarron Centre on March 5, there's an event on called Inner Landscapes. It features viewings, readings and a Q&A with poet Sue Mitchell, novelist Cynthia Rogerson and visual artist Tamasine Quayle. More: Facebook
🟡 Poolewe Village Hall are fundraising. Details in the flyer below. The hall will also be closed from March 2 - 6, as a new heating system is being installed.
🟡 For traditional music fans, the Sgoil Chiùil na Gàidhealtachd S6 tour comes to Gairloch Community Hall on March 29, featuring talented local musician Monica Cairney. If you can't catch them in Gairloch, they also have an Ullapool gig the next day too. Get Gairloch tickets here: Eventbrite
🟡 On April 14, Gairloch Boat Club are offering free sailing taster sessions for children aged 9 - 16. For more information email Fiona at: [email protected]
🟡 Would you like to take part in an archaeological dig in Torridon between May 2 and May 7? The National Trust for Scotland are inviting volunteers to take part. To find out more email Rory Shannon on [email protected]
Jobs
Don't forget you can find more local job vacancies in the latest issue of the Gairloch and District Times. The next issue is out on Friday 27 of February and you can buy it from these shops.
🟡 Applecross Walled Garden are hiring for both a Front of House role and a Chef. More: Facebook
🟡 The Arch Inn, Ullapool have various different seasonal roles to fill. More: Facebook
🟡 Also in Ullapool, The Seafood Shack are looking for two full-time seasonal members of staff. More: Facebook
🟡 The Torridon Hotel have three posts open at the moment. More: Harri.com
🟡 The Shieldaig Bar and Coastal Kitchen are also recruiting for the new season. For more info email: [email protected]
🟡 If you are looking for a job in the Gairloch area, organisers tell us 14 different firms have now signed up to take part in a Job Fair at the Myrtle Bank Hotel on March 13, from 10:00 until 15:00.
More News
🟡 Gairloch Community Council has thanked Highland Council and their contractors Alec Grant for replacing a weak bridge on the beach path near the golf course. They've even posted drone footage of the new crossing. More: Facebook
🟡 James Struthers was also on Radio Wester Ross recently, along with Saul Davies. The pair gave an update on the Loch Ewe Community Enterprise project. If you missed it, you can listen online. More: Radio Wester Ross
🟡 Celebrity UK auctioneer James Lewis paid a visit to the Arctic Convoy Museum recently. The star of Bargain Hunt was helping to value some of the unique items in the collection. More: Facebook
🟡 Local MP Angus MacDonald has branded The Scottish Government’s new proposals on community benefit from renewables, "an insult to the Highlands and Islands." More: Facebook
🟡 Ullapool’s West Coast Delicatessen will hold a final sale on February 28, marking the end of an era following the passing of its beloved owner, Shân Tunsley, earlier this year. The deli has been a cherished part of the community since 2013. More: Iona M.J. MacDonald | Ross-Shire Journal (£)
The top three most clicked links from last week:
🟡 Who can you vote for in the upcoming Scottish elections on May 7? There's an independent website that collates that info, called Who Can I Vote For? If you live in the Caithness, Sutherland and Ross constituency, details of the candidates announced so far can be found here. And the long list of confirmed candidates for the Highlands and Islands Regional vote can be found here. At the time of writing there was some uncertainty over whether the listed Alba candidates would in fact be on the ballot paper, and Reform had not named any candidates at all yet.
More: Who Can I Vote For?
🟡 And finally, here's a nice short clip of mountain biker Jamie Fraser cycling in the Torridon Hills. More: Facebook
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