Happy hens and Gairloch Markets return

Hello and welcome to another tasty smorgasbord of local news from the Gairloch and District Times. Each morsel is specially selected for your reading enjoyment. This week the Wester Ross Round-up is landing in 1170 inboxes. If you've just found us online or because someone forwarded the email to you, you can get on the list for free by tapping the button below.

🟡 At the start of the month we shared news that the British Hen Welfare Trust were looking for folk to adopt hens that had previously been kept in battery farms. So, it was heartening to read this piece in the Wester Ross Journal about some of these rescue hens that have found a new, far nicer, home in Ullapool. More: Iona J Macdonald | Wester Ross Journal (£)

🟡 Something rarer than hens' teeth has appeared. A three bedroom home for long-term rent in Wester Ross. Even more unusually, electricity is included in the rent. More: Rightmove

🟡 Should you prefer to avoid human interaction whilst posting parcels, or have an urgent need to send one in the dead of night, you will be pleased to learn that Royal Mail have installed parcel lockers at the Co-op Store in Gairloch. They go live this week. More: Royal Mail

🟡 Unfortunately it also looks like Royal Mail will be unable to deliver post to people living in Aultbea and the surrounding areas on Friday April 17 and Saturday April 18. Locals will however be able to collect their mail from the Aultbea Hub 15:00 - 18:30 on both days. More: Facebook

🟡 If you live in the Laide or Aultbea area you may have received a letter about a planned power outage on April 24 for "essential network maintenance." SSEN, the firm that manages the power network said: "As Laide's Post Office and Filling Station is the only such facility for the surrounding area, special arrangements have been made to provide back-up generation on the day in question so it can remain open. The local health centre is also being provided with a generator."

"SSEN would like to thank customers for their understanding and patience while this essential work is carried out as safely and quickly as possible." An SSEN representative assured us that customers whose power supply would be affected have been notified directly.

Events

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🟡 There are still tickets available for the guided walk from Lower Diabaig to the Craig Bridge on April 20. More: Eventbrite

🟡 On April 21, The Scottish Crofting Federation have organised an online hustings event focussed on crofting issues. More details and registration here: Zoom

🟡 On April 22, Lochbroom Community Council have organised a hustings event, and invited all the constituency candidates and all the regional list candidates for the forthcoming Scottish Parliament Election. The event will take place in the Ullapool Ferry Terminal, starting at 18:30. You can send questions for the candidates in advance to the community council Chair, Topher Dawson. Email: [email protected]

🟡 The planned music night at The Old Schoolhouse, Inverasdale on 24th April, mentioned in last week's Round-up, has been cancelled.

🟡 Artists Aileen Grant from Lochcarron and Martin Irish from Inverness are showcased in the latest exhibition at the Sawyer Gallery in Inverewe Garden. The opening event is on Saturday April 25, 13:00 - 15:00. More: Facebook

🟡 The Scottish Wildlife Trust are holding a series of community drop-in events looking at the future of the Inverbroom Estate. More details in the flyers below.

🟡 Migration, home and belonging are the focus of the next Starling Café, on Thursday April 30, at the MacPhail Centre in Ullapool. More: Facebook

🟡 Can you believe it is 30 years since Highland cop Hamish Macbeth first graced our TV screens? An event in Plockton Village Hall on May 1 is being organised to celebrate. Fans, extras, and local residents who remember the filming all welcome. More: Facebook

🟡 On Saturday May 9, there will be a bingo night in aid of the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance in Gairloch Community Hall. Proceedings begin at 19:30.

🟡 Gairloch Markets are back! They will be held fortnightly on Mondays at 11:00 in the Gairloch Community Hall. The first one will be on May 11. To book a stall email Louise Quinn on: [email protected] 

🟡 The Poolewe Village Hall AGM will be on May 14 at 19:00. The hall committee are also looking for more people to join. More info: [email protected]

🟡 There's a fundraising family quiz planned in Shieldaig on Friday May 29. More details in the flyer below.

🟡 Shooglenifty are headlining the Summer Isles Festival on May 1 - 2027. Everything you need to know about the weekend event, including ticket sales, can be found on their website. More: Summer Isles Festival

Jobs

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🟡 The operator of the Millcroft Hotel and the Loch Maree Hotel are looking for a seasonal Hotel Assistant to work flexibly across both venues. More: Facebook

🟡 The Woodland Trust are looking for a part-time self-employed assistant for their tree nursery on the Gleann Shìldeag Estate. More: Facebook

🟡 The Bealach Cafe are looking for a part-time member of staff to join their team. For more details email: [email protected]

🟡 The Clubhouse Restaurant in Ullapool is looking for a new member of staff too. More: Facebook

🟡 The Coigach Kitchen are looking for front of house team members. For more info email: [email protected]

🟡 The Lochbroom Filling Station are hiring a part-time member of staff. More: Facebook

More News

🟡 The Wester Loch Ewe Trust are planning on launching a bike hire project at the Old Schoolhouse, Inverasdale this summer. But they need volunteers to help run it. If you can help email: [email protected]

🟡 Gairloch / Aultbea United Football Club recently lost 3-2 to Kyleakin in the GF Macrae Cup Quarter Final. Match report here: Facebook

🟡 A stooshie is brewing over plans for a new Isle of Tweed store in Ullapool with locals citing concerns over the proposed green paint scheme that clashes with the village's traditional white aesthetic. More: Jamie Calder | The National (£)

🟡 Do you know where the Kishorn shinty goals have gone? If so, please tell the Kishorn Community Trust. More: Facebook

🟡 A proposal to transform an old concrete garage into two glamping-style Airbnb units has been submitted to Highland Council by Kune Vanommeslaeghe in Kinlochewe. More: Hector MacKenzie | Ross Shire Journal (£)

🟡 The first cruise ship of the year has been spotted in Loch Ewe. Poolewe House posted a photo. More: Facebook

🟡 The Woodland Trust, owner of the Gleann Shìldeag Estate, has asked supporters to ask their candidates for the Scottish Parliament election to back their "Mair Trees Please" manifesto. More: Woodland Trust

🟡 And lastly, The Woodland Trust also posted this video of red squirrels in their the Gleann Shìldeag woodland, spotted and filmed from a drone. More: Facebook