Future looks bright for Canna

A REMOTE island will have access to electricity 24 hours a day for the first time thanks to lottery cash, writes Monica Gibson.

Residents on the Isle of Canna will be able to enjoy the benefits of a stable round-theclock electricity supply, thanks to an award of £951,087 to the Isle of Canna Community Development Trust.

Canna is beyond the reach of the National Grid and the money means the trust can install and run a community- owned renewable energy-based electricity supply replacing the existing complicated power arrangement.

Stewart Connor, project development manager, said: ‘This award is excellent news for the island and its community, and is testimony to many years of hard work by islanders past and present.

‘The ability to generate our electricity from renewable sources, which replaces our reliance on the current diesel engines, will make a huge difference to the lives of people living here.’

Mr Connor added: ‘Our community will also be responsible for the management, maintenance and operational aspects of the new energy system which will bring huge benefits directly back to the island. We will be able to build on our resilience by having the ability to increase our population, adding much-needed community facilities and helping to make the Island of Canna a more sustainable place to live well into the future.’

As part of the initiative, a grant of £ 80,000 was also awarded to Counselling Care: Skye and Lochalsh to enable the expansion of existing and well-used counselling services.

Maureen McGinn, who works with the Big Lottery Fund Scotland, explained: ‘We are awarding over £17 million to 60 inspiring organisations doing all they can to support people across Scotland facing challenging circumstances.

‘I am delighted to see eight community-based projects in the Highlands and Islands sharing in this funding.’

Ian Blackford, MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber welcomed the news.

He said: ‘It is very good news that these organisations have received grants, which will make life- changing differences to everyone involved.

‘I held a surgery on the Isle of Canna recently and heard first-hand about the plans for the power scheme’