Other Groups

This page will provide information about and links to other Transition and Community groups, mainly those closest to the Black Isle, but also some further afield.

February 2019    The Sheiling project  Strathfarrar

Do you want to milk a cow, build a bothy, or plant a forest? Be an archaeologist, a poet, a weaver? Come outdoors and get stuck in to shieling life with us.

The Shieling Project is an off-grid learning centre based in Glen Strathfarrar, near Beauly in the Highlands of Scotland.  The project is all about outdoor living – from looking after our livestock to making real buildings, from weaving baskets to making burgers from the meat we have raised here. The tradition of the shieling where folk lived outdoors all summer herding the cattle, gives us a window onto the past, but also helps us look forward to a sustainable future.

Sheiling project website

February 2019    Wild Things at Findhorn

Wild things! is an award winning environmental education charity based in Findhorn, on the magnificent Moray Firth, in Scotland. We provide inspiring wilderness, nature based, and outdoor learning experiences for all ages and abilities. We have courses and activities suitable for all, regardless of learning challenges, physical difficulties, financial constraints…or even a fear of spiders!

Wild Things website

January 2019    Events at Logie Steading

Logie steading has emailed with colourful information about various events and classes over the next few months.

You may be able to read the email here, or you can look at the what's on page on their website. 
                                                             

Forth Environment Link

Forth Environment Link is not a Transition group, but apparently one with very similar objectives.  Of particular interest to TBI (not only because of the similarity of the name) is their Food and Growing project Grow Forth.  This includes Stirling Food Hub - "We want to see local food linked to every aspect of community life" - and the Stirling Food Assembly online market.  There is  more about Grow Forth on our  Food & Growing / Other Growing Groups and Courses page.

Other FEL groups and projects include Forth Valley Orchards, Stirling Cycle Hub, Cycle Stirling - "Creating cycle friendly communities across Stirling" - and Forth Upcycling Network - "Working with communities to reduce waste".

You can find out more about all of these on at http://www.forthenvironmentlink.org/

but note that the website is currently being updated (November 2018) and the information is therefore incomplete.

Highland Environment Forum

The Highland Environmental Forum (HEF) was established to provide an arena for discussion, networking and action on environmental subjects. 

To do this we:

• Foster and coordinate activity on environmental matters
• Take forward relevant actions identified in the Highland Outcome Improvement Plan and be a valuable source of practical advice
• Identify, and respond to, emerging environmental agendas
• Provide a link between local groups and national strategies, action plans and reporting
• Raise awareness and promote good practice on environmental issues

We hold two full Forum meetings a year, organise annual biodiversity and invasive species conferences, and set up working groups as required.

Visit the HEF website at  http://www.highlandenvironmentforum.info/

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Culbokie Community Trust

October 2018 Newsletter

Richard Fyfe writes

 

Culbokie Community Trust AGM and Talk on Highland Hospice

CCT would like to invite members and non-members to the 3^rd AGM on Monday 26^th November at 7pm in Findon Hall.  The short AGM will be followed by a talk by Kenny Steele, CEO of Highland Hospice on ‘Life in the Last Lane’. He will explore:

• What does living well and dying well mean?
• What are the current and future challenges?
• Who is responsible?

Refreshments will be served.

Culbokie Community Market 
This month’s market plus apple pressing (see attached poster) and a 2^nd hand book/DVD/CD sale is on Saturday 20^th October in Findon Hall from 10.00 to 12.30. There will be the usual wide range of quality local food products, produce and crafts. The café, with soup lunches and teas and cakes, will be in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support so come along for your local goods, browse and have a chat.

The next market on Saturday 17^th November, when apart from the regular stalls it’s a good chance to find an unusual Christmas gift or two.

Make it a date and we hope to see you there.

Culbokie Woods Group

Orienteering News

If you go down to the woods ….. you’re very likely to bump into groups of spirited young children running around enjoying the new orienteering course. During the autumn term, children at Culbokie Primary School are receiving orienteering lessons with help from one of our CCT volunteers and a young leader from Fortrose Academy along with parents and teachers. Resolis school have also taken their children to Culbokie Woods for their first orienteering experience following advice and help from CCT. It’s fantastic to see the young people enjoying the woods on their doorstep – and learning new skills at the same time.

Did you try the orienteering event at the end of August? While it is still fresh in your mind why not have another go? Here is a new short-course to try: https://bit.ly/2DV01CA . This is an ideal activity if you are looking for entertainment close to home for young people and visitors. Don’t forget that copies of the full orienteering map and instructions are available from the Spar Shop or the Primary School for £1.50 per copy.

Woods Work Party

Diary Date: There will be a woods working party starting at 10.30 am on Saturday 1st December. As usual, all volunteers will get a chance to choose and cut their own Christmas tree. More details to follow.

History Group update
Good progress has been made towards installing new gates to facilitate access to the Teanagairn henge. The first gate has been installed through the fence adjacent to the henge, but should anyone be tempted to view our handiwork in person please DON’T use the wooden gate on the B9169 as it is even more dilapidated!  Use the metal gate instead and cross the lawn, showing respect for the owners’ privacy. Otherwise photographs can be seen through the History Group index, look for Henge photographs for September 2018. Our special thanks go to Donald McLarty for the generous donation of the timber materials and the Ferintosh Community Council for a contribution to the hardware. The team led by Gordon Robb made good use of an inaccurate weather forecast! 

Three teams of guides are now organised for the Open Day on Wednesday 17^th October, 10am to 4pm and they will have handouts and be ready to assist in car parking which is extremely limited. Sturdy footwear is recommended and there is no wheelchair access.

The page “Photographs of Groups associated with Culbokie” has been reorganised and contains photographs of the Indoor Bowling and Petanque Clubs.

Glascairn Community Project
Please don’t forget to respond to our consultation on the public open space at Glascairn that was recently circulated. Consultations often draw out negative comments because people who are content, understandably, don’t bother to reply. Even if you only send us one line (or a smiling or sour emoji), please let us know what you think.  The deadline is Oct 15^th.

Mailing on behalf of Culbokie Community Trust Limited

Scottish Charity Number SC 045867

www.culbokiect.org

info@culbokiect.org

01349 877822

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MOO Food,  Muir of Ord

(information from Facebook,  October 2017)
https://www.facebook.com/MOOFood/

Story
MOO Food is a social enterprise based in Muir of Ord with a vision to create an inclusive hub for producing environmentally conscious food that sustains a healthy, empowered, low carbon community.

Mission
To inspire healthy, environmentally friendly living and give the Muir of Ord community opportunity to reduce carbon footprint and contribute to the production of affordable, chemical free food. Whilst providing hands-on learning opportunities and increasing social capital.

MOO Food Aims

• to improve access to affordable, local, seasonal, chemical free fruit and vegetables.
• to inspire healthy, sustainable, green living
• to provide opportunities for the community to be active
• to empower the community by increasing knowledge and confidence through delivering a suite of courses on growing fruit and veg, food preparation, nutrition, waste reduction and composting, and ongoing support
• to increase social capital by bringing people together and facilitating sharing of knowledge and skills within the community and to prepare the younger generation for the future
• to facilitate an organic waste collection service and community composting
• to be inclusive

For information about  MOO Food contact Emma Whitham at   MOOFood@mail.com

Gairloch and Loch Ewe Action Forum (GALE)

14 October 2017       GALE  'Social Saturday'  newsletter

More about  'Social Saturday'  and similar events.

GALE, or Gairloch and Loch Ewe Action forum, is a community owned and managed charitable development company.  Its key aim is to develop and improve the way of life and standard of living in the Gairloch and Loch Ewe area of Wester Ross.  This involves working with a range of community groups and volunteers to develop sustainable community projects that tackle important issues within our community, such as improving the social life, the local economy and the environment.

GALE is based in a new purpose-built centre in Gairloch, which includes a cafe, offices and community shop.  The aim of the shop is to provide a permanent outlet for local people to sell their products and in many cases launch new product ideas.  It also creates valuable year round local employment opportunities for both the shop staff and for those who supply the shop with their locally made products.

GALE has been running community markets in the Gairloch and Loch Ewe area for over 10 years.  They have grown significantly in size and frequency and have become a regular fixture in local diaries.

The Community Markets are currently held in Gairloch, Poolewe and Aultbea and feature a wide range of products and producers.  As well as offering local people an opportunity to buy and sell local products they are of great social benefit to the community, offering a friendly meeting point over a hot drink and local homebaking.

For more information visit GALE's website at   www.galeactionforum.co.uk  or their  Facebook page.

Transition Town Forres

This is an article contributed by TTF's Treasurer and Company Secretary Carin Schwartz. Transition Town Forres .

You can of course find out more about the activities of Transition Town Forres by visiting their website at  https://ttforres.scot/

Soirbheas

Soirbheas is a community development organisation for Glen Urquhart and Strathglass, receiving income from a part share in the locally-owned Corrimony wind farm to re-invest in the community through a variety of projects, in conjunction with other community groups.  One of these is a year-long 'Tattie Project' - one of several offshoots from our own potato days - and another is a High Speed Broadband project in conjunction with Community Broadband Scotland, with the aim of extending fast broadband coverage to all households and businesses in the area.

Find out more about Soirbheas by visiting their website at  http://www.soirbheas.org.

Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust 

Based in Bonar Bridge, the Trust aims to ensure that long-term, sustainable benefits are achieved throughout the Kyle of Sutherland area, by focussing on how best to utilise funding from local wind farms and renewable energy projects and identifying match funding opportunities.

A priority of the Trust is to oversee the implementation of a local development plan, with the aim of strengthening and uniting the local community through a range of projects. These include increasing leisure and outdoor activities available to residents and visitors, supporting local businesses and industries including tourism, fishing and food production and increasing education and training opportunities.

Find out more at  www.kyleofsutherland.co.uk.

Lochaber Environmental Group

LEG is a registered Scottish Charity and a Company Limited by Guarantee. Its aim is to encourage the development and the desire to take action on the environment locally and to help local communities and people to realise this. The company runs various projects throughout Lochaber - more information can be found in the current projects section of thir website.

http://lochaberenviro.org.uk/

Highland Biodiversity Partnership

The Highland Biodiversity Partnership comprises around 30 representatives of local groups and key organisations committed to understanding, safeguarding, restoring and celebrating biodiversity within the Highland Council area.

Its purpose is to provide guidance and support to the existing network of local biodiversity groups, and to make progress on the key strategic biodiversity issues in the Highlands.

Since the Highland Biodiversity Project was started in 2002, over £700,000 of new funding has been spent on biodiversity action and planning in Highland. Over two thirds of this money was targeted towards local biodiversity projects. Seven Local Biodiversity Action Plans have been produced, over 130 projects delivered and over 250 awareness-raising events held across the seven LBAP areas.

http://www.highlandbiodiversity.com/index.asp

Highland Biodiversity Officers
Janet Bromham and Jonathan Willet  (job share)
The Highland Council, Planning & Development Service
Glenurquhart Road, Inverness IV3 5NX

Tel:  01463 702 274
Fax: 01463 702 298
Email:  janet.bromham@highland.gov.uk            jonathan.willet@highland.gov.uk
 

Ross-Shire Voluntary Action

Ross-shire Voluntary Action exists to support voluntary groups across Ross-Shire, working to build communities which are safe, strong and sustainable for the future.
As one of the partners of the Highland Interface, The Highland Third Sector Interface, we work collaboratively across the area to ensure that the voice of the voluntary sector right across Highland is heard.

Valerie Cameron, Chief Executive Officer
Ross-Shire Voluntary Action, Thorfin House
Bridgend Business Park, Dingwall  IV15 9SL

Tel:  01349 862431      Mob: 07739 071365
E:    val@rossvolact.org.uk
W:   www.rossvolact.org.uk

www.facebook.com/RossVolAct
www.twitter.com/RossVolAct

Scottish Charity No. SC006582   Registered in Scotland No. 234092
 

The Dùthchas Project - Our Place in the Future

The Dùthchas Project was a demonstration project funded by the EU Life Environment Programme from 1998-2001. Focused on the Scottish Highlands and Islands, the Project worked with 3 communities and 22 public agencies to explore ways of sustaining fragile rural areas – the natural heritage, the people and the economy. North Sutherland, North Uist and Skye’s Trotternish peninsula were chosen as the 3 Pilot Areas.

The Duthchas website  www.duthchas.org.uk  is packed with still really ground breaking and useful information for the kind of things that TBI are seeking to achieve.
 

Transition University of St Andrews

Transition St Andrews came to our attention in October 2014 when Anne Thomas went to their two-day Transition Roadshow, which included a talk by Transition co-founder Rob Hopkins.  A quick look at their website shows them to be engaged in activities similar to some of TBI's, with bike maintenance classes in May, a report on one member's first experience of an electric car, and a whole section of the site devoted to re-using and re-economy, including training in repair skills.

Check out Transition St Andrews at  http://www.transitionsta.org.

Transition Network

For the main Transition Network website go to   www.transitionnetwork.org/