Community Groups
This page will provide information about and links to other Community and Environmental groups, mainly those closest to the Black Isle, but also some further afield.
November 2020
Neighbourhood Watch 'Safer Communities' leaflet
Ferintosh Community Council has passed on information about a leaflet prepared and circulated by Neighbourhood Watch with the support of Police Scotland. The leaflet includes advice on detecting financial scams, fire safety, dealing with emergencies and numerous other topics, all aimed at keeping you, your family and the community safe.
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September 2020
RVA becomes Community Support and Information (Ross-shire)
Ross-shire Journal 13 September 2020
RVA is making a fresh start as Community Support and Information Ross-shire (CSI Ross-shire). Its office has also relocated to Strathpeffer Community Centre on a temporary basis pending a move to a permanent base.
Ross-Shire Voluntary Action was established in 1971 as Council of Voluntary Services, with the aim of providing support for local community organisations. Over time it has evolved supporting organisations, and latterly diversifying into community transport and employability.
CSI (Ross-shire)
- Is no longer providing services on behalf of HTSI
- Have been anchor group distributing HIE Covid-19 emergency funds
- Provide practical assistance (prescriptions, shopping etc.) to people sheltered or isolating.
Shona Street, Chief Officer
Community Support and Information (Ross-Shire)
in temporary accommodation at Strathpeffer Community Centre
Tel: 01349 862431
E: rva@rossvolact.org.uk
W: www.rossvolact.org.uk being updated
http://www.rossvolact.org.uk/team.html is current
www.facebook.com/RossVolAct
Scottish Charity No. SC006582 Registered in Scotland No. 234092
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June 2020
HTSI Community Signposting Directory
Highland Third Sector interface have produced this comprehensive list of community groups divided into three areas - Ross and Cromarty, inverness and Inverness-shire and Badenoch and Strathspey; and alphabetical and categorised lists within each area.
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Lairg & District Learning Centre
Courses, events and workshops
Our main aim is to provide or assist in providing local facilities and resources designed to support lifelong learning and skills development.
We run a range of exciting and educational courses, events and workshops on a huge variety of subjects throughout Sutherland.
Business services
We provide a range of services to local businesses and charities including room hire, PC Clinics and office services.
Social enterprise
Our community woodwork and sewing groups meet regularly in the Learning Centre, to make a wide range of items for sale to the public.
https://www.lairglearningcentre.org.uk/
Schoolhouse, Lairg, IV27 4DD 01549 402050
admin@lairglearningcentre.org.uk
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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, using funding from local wind farms. Projects 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.
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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 was a year-long 'Tattie Project' and another is a High Speed Broadband project in conjunction with Community Broadband Scotland.
http://www.soirbheas.org
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February 2021
Logie Steading News
The Farm & Garden Shop will be open from Friday 12th February,
10 am - 4 pm, 7 days a week. Fresh fish will be in by 1pm on Friday.
We are offering our order-and-collect service and will also be delivering to the Dava, Nairn, Forres triangle on a Wednesday, liaising with Wester Hardmuir as before. Please find more details here.
A one way system and limited numbers in the shop will be operating to keep staff and customers as safe as possible.
Full details of all our events are on the Logie Steading What's On page
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February 2021
Cromarty Arts Trust
The latest and previous CAT newsletters are always available on this site at News / Cromarty Arts Trust newsletters.
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Kirkmichael Trust
SeeTravel & Tourism / Historical on the menu
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Environmental Groups
November 2020
Planet Sutherland newsletter and thoughts on Resilience
Planet Sutherland is not a Transition group but has an ethos, objectives and activities very similar to ours, and shares some of the difficulties we are familiar with, in operating in an even bigger and more thinly populated area than the Black Isle.
"If I'd had £1 this month for all the discussions I've had on the meaning of "Resilience".. well I'd be rich for sure...."
In the November 2020 issue of Planet Sutherland's newsletter, Anna Patfield gives some thoughtful reflections on what we mean by 'Resilience'.
'Take One Step' video, and blog archive
List of Sutherland food suppliers
All Planet Sutherland's newsletters and blogs can be found at News / Planet Sutherland newsletters and blog
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November 2019
Recognition for the Shieling Project Strathfarrar
The Shieling Project has been named as Environmental Social Enterprise of the Year by Social Enterprise Awards Scotland.
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.
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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!
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Nairn River Enterprise and Green Hive
Check out this group with similar aims and activities to TBI's at
https://www.hub.greenhive.co.uk/
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Highland Environment Forum
The Highland Environmental Forum (HEF) was established to provide an arena for discussion, networking and action on environmental subjects, and to 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.
http://www.highlandenvironmentforum.info/
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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.
Highland Biodiversity Action Plan 2015 - 2020
Biodiversity Projects Directory
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
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Forth Environment Link
Forth Environment Link runs various projects including a food and growing project Grow Forth - "We want to see local food linked to every aspect of community life" - and the Stirling NeighbourFood 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 and Forth Upcycling Network - "Working with communities to reduce waste".
http://www.forthenvironmentlink.org/
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June 2019
Scottish Environment Link
Scottish Environment LINK is the forum for Scotland’s voluntary environment organisations, with over 35 member bodies representing a range of environmental interests with the common goal of contributing to a more environmentally sustainable society.
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Lochaber Environmental Group
LEG aims to encourage the desire to take action on the environment locally and to help local communities and people to do this. The company runs various projects throughout Lochaber - including a Food Lochaber growing group and an online food market on the Open Food Network platform.
http://lochaberenviro.org.uk/
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August 2019
Arran Eco Savvy
Arran is an island roughly the same size as the Black Isle, and Arran Eco Savvy is an organisation with very similar aims and activities to those of TBI and other Transition groups. Arran Eco Savvy showed interest in our Million Miles project of a few years ago, in relation to a similar 'Arran in Ten Years' sustainable transport project currently under way on the island. This includes an 'eBike Challenge' in conjunction with Home Energy Scotland, aimed at getting employers to persuade their employees to travel by bike rather than by car, a Liftshare scheme and production of an Active Travel Map.
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Latest News...

Forthcoming Events…
- Monday 8 March
- 16:00 A New vision for Land Use in Scotland - Scottish Ecological design Association
- Tuesday 9 March
- 19:30 'Economics for Activists' 5 - Nancy Folbre
- 09:30 Transition summit - What if... Neighbourhood Democracy!
- Wednesday 10 March
- 19:00 Transition Summit - Rob Hopkins - Cultivating everyday imagination
- Thursday 11 March
- 11:30 Highland Good Food Movement - Strategy, Policy and Communications
- 19:30 TBI Admin (Directors) meeting, 7.30 online
- 19:00 Transition Summit - The Power of Imaginative Communities
- Friday 12 March
- 19:00 Transition Summit - A Society where Imagination flourishes
Events to add to calendar? Contact Us.
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