9th April 2010
Urras receives funding from John Muir Trust Conservation Fund
Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn have received funding from the John Muir Trust to undertake a project promoting Biodiversity in local schools. The project will be done in partnership with North Harris Trust and the project will be lead by the rangers in each area. The project will aim to get p4-7 children from eight schools to ‘discover biodiversity on their doorstep’ as part of the International Year of Biodiversity by exploring three of the islands most important habitats – Machair, Moorland and Woodland.
21st December 2009
Festive Greetings
The Directors and Staff of Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn would like to wish all their members and the community and a very Happy Christmas and New Year.
Nollaig chridheil agus bliadhna mhath ur dhuidh uile
5th November 2009
Urras help ‘create a wave of kindness’
On Friday 30th October UOG helped to host a low carbon lunch in the Clan MacQuarrie Community Hallfor 44 local senior citizens. The lunch was held as part of the CSV’s annual Make A Difference Dayevent and the Julie and Kirsty teamed up with Joan Morrison from the Local Volunteer Centre to organise and host the lunch. The lunch was designed to follow on from the success of the community markets and all the ingredients for the meals served were sourced from the estate area with donations of meat, fish and vegetables coming from local crofters. As well as the lunch a number of local agencies had information available about resources that may be available to help people make their homes more energy efficient as reduce their food waste in order to reduce their Carbon footprint.
12th August 2009
UOG response to CnES consultation on large scale wind developments
The board of directors of Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn have submitted a response to Western Isles Council regarding the planning guidance on Large Scale Wind Developments. To read the response click here
30th June 2009
Urras Calendar 2010 available soon
The 2010 Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn will be available from outlets throughout the estate and Stornoway in the coming weeks proced at £6.99. The calendar images have all been selected from our North Lewis Flickr site and contributions from the local community. The calendar represents all aspect of estate life from the iconic lighthouse to taking home the peats. Calendars can also be ordered through the office and postage is available to the UK and overseas. Please contact Julie for more information.
19th June 2009
‘Have your say’
Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn will be hosting a community ‘have your say’ day on Thursday 2nd July at 8pm in the Clan MacQuarrie Centre, Borve. The session will provide the community the opportunity to give their views on the estates development and particularly how they would like to see money from the community wind project spent. click here for more information
15th June 2009
New Staff appointments
The directors of Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn are pleased to welcome Kirsty MacLennan as the new estate powerdown officer. Kirsty is from Callanish and has recently finished a Business degree in Glasgow. She will be working on a number of projects such as home energy audits and co-ordinating our local produce markets.
The board are also pleased to welcome Donald Morrison who will be working with UOG over the summer through the CnaGsummer placement scheme. Donald will be working on a number of different activities such working on our newsletter and website and particularly the gaelic elements of both.
20th May 2009
Community Wind Project receives planning permission
Western Isles Council have granted planning permission for three turbines on moorland at Upper Barvas.The project was approved along with other community wind projects at Point and Sandwick, North Tolsta and South Uist.
24th March 2009
Renewables project public meetings
Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn will be holding another series of public meetings about the proposed wind turbine project at Loch Sminig. These meetings will have material on display about the project and directors will be available to answer any questions. The meetings are as follows
- Thursday 26th March – Barvas Hall, 4pm – 8pm
- Friday 27th March – Airidhantuim School, 4pm – 8pm
13th February 2009
Job Vacancies
Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn are currently advertising for a project officer to take forward energy effieciency activities on the estate.
For more information on the post please go to our Job vacancies page
4th February 2009
Urras receives funding for new post
Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn has been awarded £74.907 over the next three financial years from the Scottish Governments Climate Challenge Fund. The money will be used to employ a full time person to take the energy efficiency projects forward in the community. The funding is part of an award made to ‘community powerdown’ – a consortium of 27 community groups, Community Energy Scotland and the Development Trust Association Scotland. The project was set up in order to help communities tackle climate change by reducing their carbon dioxide emissions.
Community Energy Scotland press release
22nd January 2009
Scottish Government approves wave station in Lewis
The Scottish Government have approved an application by npower renewablesto operate a wave farm with a 4MW capacity at Siadar. The wave farm will be one of the largest approved electricity generating wave stations in the world andis the first commercial one in Scotland. The station will be able to power around 1800 homes andit is thought it will create around 70 jobs.
17th January 2009
Calendar sales going well
The Urras calendar has now been available for a couple of months and sales are going well. As well as being available at outlets locally and in Stornoway we are now able to arrange for calendars to be sent by post throughout the UK for a cost of £7.99. Anyway wishing to purchase one should contact the trust giving the delivery details and enclose a cheque made payable to GalsonEstate Trust. We are also able to send calendars overseas but people wishing to do so should contact the trust for more details. The response to the calander has been fantastic;
“It’s magnificentally produced andeach picture tells it’s own different story. We don’t have a favourite – they are all so good. Is it ‘June’ with the Swainbost machair at it’s best or ‘September’ harvesting at Port of Ness? Or any of the others.”
“Thank you so much for the beautiful Calendar. It has brought back great memories of our time with you and your wonderful part of the world. Your photographs are beautiful, congratulations, I love the flowers and Grahams favourite, the coastline. The calendar will sit by our phone and be in use constantly.” – Pam and Graham Lukins, Australia
12th January 2009
Second Anniversary of Community Buyout
Today marks two years since the papers were signed which passed the estate into community ownership. Since then there have been a number of projects carried out and some still in planning and many people are already benefiting from these. The trust directors have been working very hard over the last two years to negogtiatenew contracts on leases for sand extraction, phone and radio masts and other existing leases. Since community ownership we have also seen the production of the first leaflet dedicated to North Lewis, the first crofters markets being held and funding being secured for a number of projects and new staff being employed. The trust have also been able to secure the future of Community Newspaper Fios and the amenity site at Habost – securing jobs in the community. There is still plenty work to be done but a very positive start has been made in securing a better future for the people and environment of the Galson Estate.