A big thanks to everyone who helped plant trees in Kirkton Woodland on April 7th. Our next volunteer day is May 5th, so why don’t you join us? Now that all the tree-planting is done, the focus shifts to maintaining paths and drainage ditches, and chopping back the gorse. Next Volunteer Day – Sunday 5th May. Meet at the Woodland Shed at 10.30. Bring any tools you have, especially snippers. All welcome. More info from lcdc@lochcarroncommunity.org.
Come and join us on May 11th to help clean up the community woodland at the Smithy Hub. Many thanks to Lochcarron Weavers Heritage Shop for organising this. Sandwiches provided!
When: Thursday November 9th at 7pm
Where: Howard Doris Centre
Please come along to LCDC’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) to find out what’s happening in the last year and help to plan for the future. All members welcome. All local residents can join at the door for £5 for life.
Lochcarron Community Development Company (LCDC) is delighted to announce that Lochcarron Weavers Heritage Shop is now open for business in its new retail unit at the Smithy Hub.
The new shop features a wide selection of Lochcarron Weavers iconic products, including tartans, tweeds and accessories, all produced in the company’s mill in the Scottish Borders. The shop also offers a range of Scottish gifts and souvenirs, for tourists and locals alike.
Said Helen Murchison, Chair of LCDC: ‘Lochcarron Weavers are a well-established tourist attraction with very strong local connections and we believe their new location will be a major boost to other local businesses, including our existing tenants at the Smithy Hub – Kiki’s Corner, Balnacra Pottery and Freedom Framery.’
‘We are delighted to be moving our Heritage Shop to a more accessible location,’ said Dawn Robson-Bell, Managing Director of Lochcarron of Scotland. ‘The new setting will provide our customers with a unique shopping experience, surrounded by the beauty of the Scottish Highlands, and our shop manager Joy Moran and her team will be on hand to offer a very warm welcome to familiar and new faces, and to showcase our exceptional range of Scottish textiles.’
Joy Moran, the Retail Manager of Lochcarron Weavers Heritage Shop, added: ‘We are so excited to welcome all our visitors to Lochcarron and open the doors of our amazing new premises. My team and I will be singing the praises of our wonderful village and area, at the same time as encouraging our customers to visit other businesses around the village. If we work together, then we have a winning formula. We hope our local residents will pay us a visit and have a look around our shop. It will be lovely to see you all!’
Please come and join us at Couldoran House on Monday March 27 from 5-7pm to find out more about the DIGITAL WOODLAND and let us know what content you would like to see included.
“It takes decades for forests to grow but a Digital Woodland could make it happen in a matter of seconds…”
We’re sorry to have to tell you that we’ve had to close the doors at Cafe Ceardach, from November 24th onwards until further notice.
This will be very disappointing to a lot of our members as well as local residents and visitors, but the Board of LCDC and the Board of Cafe Ceardach have decided we have no other option, faced with the continuing financial losses and the other challenges we face in coming months, including the need for major infrastructural changes.
The Board came to this very difficult decision this week after receiving extensive legal and financial advice, and considering the views of our members at the recent open meeting and since then. We have had a meeting with the cafe manager to explain our decision and are doing all we can to address the needs of the staff.
We will provide more details as soon as we have more information to share, but please be assured that we are doing all we can in the best interests of Cafe Ceardach and LCDC.
If you have any questions or comments, please get in touch via lcdc@lochcarroncommunity.org. Many thanks for your attention, The LCDC Board of Directors
The Annual General Meeting of LCDC will be held on Thursday, September 8th at 7pm in Cafe Ceardach. Please come along to find out what’s been happening in the last year and discuss our plans for the future. The annual accounts will be emailed to members in advance of the meeting, along with the agenda. New members are welcome – it costs only £5 for life!
Your woodland needs you – and to help restore its natural beauty, you can buy your own trees. Kirkton Woodland will soon be replanted with native species, including birch, alder, hazel and rowan. To fund the replanting, we will soon apply for government support, but this will only cover a small part of the total costs. And that’s where you can help…
For just £5 per tree, you will not only do some good for the planet (removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere) but also have the opportunity to commemorate the life of a loved one or simply buy someone a tree as a gift – the gift that keeps growing.
Or how about buying a grove – 12 trees for just £50?
All donors will be recognised by having their names displayed in the woodland. And to celebrate your purchase, you can also buy a special certificate for only £10 more.
Please email lcdc@lochcarroncommunity.org to confirm how many trees you wish to purchase and we will get back to you with further details, including how to pay.
Date: March 28, 2022, 6pm
Location: Cafe Ceardach
Present: Board members: Helen Murchison (HM), Hilary Rooke (HR) and Peter Barr (PB)
Declaration of interest: None
1 Minutes of previous meeting: Approved.
2 Matters arising: None
3 Open Meeting: There was a good response from members who voted 38-2 in favour of replanting native woodland. The board also promised to add a clause to the constitution to the effect that any major decision by LCDC affecting local business should be decided by a good majority of members.
4 LDO: Following a strategic review supported by HIE, it was decided to discontinue the LDO post, with effect March 31, 2022. ACTION: Board to issue statement and contact relevant organisations to confirm status.
5 Outstanding LDO business: PB said he would check the status of the application to SSE for funding (since rejected) and speak to the Coastal Communities Fund re any necessary amendments. PB to liaise with Scottish Forestry and the Community Woodlands Association re planning for the woodland. Ronnie MacDonald to start refencing in early April, reporting to Board. Board to liaise with the Communities Housing Trust and LCDC solicitor re affordable housing project. ACTION: PB and HM to meet Kristine Mackenzie for handover.
6 Kirkton Trading: The argument for carrying on is that there is local demand, increasing fuel poverty and a need for the community to reduce our carbon footprint. HR proposed raising prices and rationalising delivery system to try to cut costs. Customers already becoming aware of the need for an increase, which is necessary to avoid losing money. HR to investigate purchase of timber for next winter’s supply.
7 Maintenance: The car park potholes have been filled in and the LCDC office has been reclad. There is a need to review other issues with a view to identifying someone to help with maintenance, on a voluntary or part-time basis.
8 Pontoon project: The application for funding from Crown Estate Scotland (CES) has moved onto Stage 2 and a business plan is now being prepared for the next round of submissions.
9 Communications: PB to submit article to April An Carrannach.
10 Treasurer’s Report: HR is about to prepare annual accounts and it was agreed to simplify these as much as possible and make sure they’re distributed in advance of the next AGM. HR to pay HIS invoice for fencing materials.
11 Climate Feis – March 26, 2022: The event was a big success, with 14 different stalls and about 150 people attending. Thanks to North Highlands Climate Hub for funding.
12 Office: Future of office: Either the office (now vacant) will be rented out to a local business or become, as several people have proposed, a Heritage Centre. Whatever is decided, members should have their say and if it is to be rented, we will advertise.
Ronnie Macdonald (pictured right) and his son Ian (left), assisted by their collie Ken, have started work in Kirkton Woodland, preparing the ground for the new fence. Once the fencing project is completed, replanting can start.
Lochcarron Community Development Company 