FIOS COLUMN – 27 September 2016
We are delighted to be working with the Scottish Crofting Federation to support delivery of a series of training courses. Our first Access to Crofting Course will run in early November at the UOG Business Centre. This course has filled up very quickly and there are now only a couple of spaces left.
We will be promoting a series of practical skills courses and the first of these will be held at the end of October. A Dry Stone Walling and Dry Stone Skills course will be held across two days (Friday 28th and Saturday 29th October) and this course will provide those in attendance with background knowledge and information on dry stone walling, before demonstration and then hands on construction of a “double” dry stone wall. UOG have run similar courses before, previous courses were very heavily subsidised allowing for a very small delegate contribution. This course is also subsidised, but not to the same extent and the funding does not allow for further discount to be applied. We realise this may be disappointing, but at £40 per day these courses are still very good value. If there is not demand and the minimum participants are not achieved, then the course will not run. If you are interested, then please contact Donna to discuss and book your place Email: training@crofting.org Tel: 01343 209384
We have once again embarked on the successful HIE ScotGrad graduate placement programme. Fiona Rennie commenced a 9 month placement with the Urras on Monday 26th September. Fiona is a recent graduate, having obtained a first class Honours degree in Photography from Napier University, Edinburgh. She will be working on a project which will aim to celebrate and capture the contemporary face of the communities of the estate area, in the run up to the 10th anniversary of Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn. The project will focus on portrait photography and interviews in both Gaelic and/or English and it is hoped this will result in an exhibition and other legacy items, which will be of significant historical value and will encapsulate and give a flavour of the communities of the estate.
Our community survey continues and if you have not yet completed yours please do so and return to one of the collection points around the estate of complete it online. The link can be found on the survey or you can contact the office. We are requesting that surveys are returned by Friday 30th September.
Croft rent notices will be sent out in October and information on the Annual General Meeting will soon be sent out also. Please keep an eye out for this information and for details of our special guest speaker for the event.
