Butt to Barra District News 31.3.16

Open Meeting - The Bayhead Community Association are having an open meeting in the Stornoway Bowling Club on Monday 4th April at 7.30, the purpose of the meeting is to inform the residents what the community association can do for them and also to see if they could suggest other improvements to enhance the area.

In the past the association were involved with part financing the improvements to the play park, helping other organisations with their fund raising, and to date we are finishing off the improvements at the bridge, there is quite a lot the association can do for you so come to the meeting and voice your opinions, you will be most welcome and maybe you will join and be a member of the committee.

ARGYLL AND THE ISLES

Appointment - The New Bishop of Argyll and the Isles, Bishop Brian McGee has made a senior appointment in the Diocese.

Fr. Roddy Johnston, the Parish Priest at Our Holy Redeemer Church in Stornoway since February 2011, has been appointed as the Vicar General (the 2nd in command or Deputy Bishop), for Argyll and the Isles.

Fr. Roddy Johnston is a regular contributor on BBC Radio Scotland’s ‘Thought for the day’, on Good Morning Scotland programme, he moved to Stornoway from Caol near Fort William in February 2011, (where he was a very popular priest and Honorary Chaplain of the Lochaber Burns Club), and has previously served as priest in Oban and Taynuilt.

DINGWALL

Service - The next Gaelic Service in the Dingwall Community Centre on Tulloch Street will be on Sunday the 3rd of April.

On this occasion the Rev Aonghas Iain Macdonald [Rtd] will conduct the worship.

Before his retirement Mr Macdonald was minister in the East Church in Inverness for over twenty six years.

The service to which all are welcome begins at 3pm as usual.

STORNOWAY

Event - The Simon Kennedy Band will be visiting The Woodlands Centre, Stornoway on Saturday 9th April as part of a mini-Highlands Tour for a night of Blues and Gospel music.

The band are delighted to be able to partner with Mission Aviation Fellowship for this event.

Doors open at 7.30p. The concert is free to attend, but there will be donations on the door, with all profits of the event going to the work of Mission Aviation Fellowship.

SHAWBOST

Funding Boost - A community-led project providing a range of support to people on the Isle of Lewis will receive a share of £10.8 million funding.

The project, that addresses inequalities in disadvantaged communities, will receive funding from the People and Communities Fund in 2016/17.

The Horshader Community Development Trust, a community led regeneration trust, will use the funds to provide advice and support to those living in the area.

The investment is aimed at giving communities the tools to deliver long-term solutions that tackle poverty.

Housing and Welfare Minister Margaret Burgess said: “This £10.8 million investment reinforces our commitment to giving communities a stronger voice in the decisions that matter to them.

“The People and Communities Fund recognises that every community in Scotland has different needs and challenges and it is the people who live and work on the Isle of Lewis that are best placed to come up with the solutions to address inequalities.

“By funding this project we are empowering communities and giving them the support they need to shape their own futures and tackle the deep-rooted causes of poverty.”

ULLAPOOL

Book Festival - Tickets for Ullapool Book Festival are now on sale.

The twelfth festival will be held from Friday 6 May to Sunday 8 May in Ullapool Village Hall.

Among the writers coming to Ullapool are Janice Galloway, Bernard MacLaverty, Raja Shehadeh, Kevin MacNeil and two award-winning Canadian authors Lynn Coady and Lisa Moore.

In her welcome in the programme Ullapool Book Festival’s honorary president Louise Welsh said: “Literary festivals abound across Britain and beyond, but Ullapool is unique in its combination of local and international.

“The quality of the writers involved is clear from a glance at the programme.

“So what draws these writers here? The incomparable countryside, warm welcome and superb food (including an impressive array of tray bakes) undoubtedly play a part.

“But the draw is more than that – remember writers are not easily extracted from their pages. Ullapool Book Festival offers the opportunity for a high level, continuing conversation between writers of different backgrounds and genres and an intelligent, involved audience.

“It’s the lively discussions that pull me back to Ullapool and which I will miss most this year when I am in New Zealand on a Scottish Writers’ Fellowship.”

The full programme with all the details for the festival can be viewed at website: http://www.ullapoolbookfestival.co.uk/UBF_2016.pdf

NESS

On Monday 21 March Alasdair Allan MSP for the Western Isles visited Comunn Eachdraidh Nis as part of a series of MSP visits to museums organised by Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS).

Mr Allan also presented Comunn Eachdraidh Nis with their certificate of accreditation from Museums Galleries Scotland.

Joanne Orr, CEO of Museums Galleries Scotland, said: “Museums play a vital role in the lives of individuals, families and communities across Scotland.

“Their learning and outreach work bridge inequalities in education and mental and physical health provision.

“They enhance the experience of visitors to Scotland and bring a positive economic impact.

“They connect people with their community.”

“As difficult decisions are being made about budgets across the country it is vital that the true value of the sector is understood and that is why we have organised these visits.”

MGS delivers strategic development support to a sector of over 450 museums and galleries. MGS will be visiting other museums and galleries with MSPs across Scotland over the coming months.