Kerrera’s double delight over old school funding

A small island with big plans to turn its old school into a community hub has been awarded more than £100,000.

The biggest chunk is £85,584 from the lottery, which will help pay for a planned programme of events over three years on Kerrera, including arts and crafts workshops, a playgroup, music group, book club and cooking classes.

The money from the National Lottery Community Fund will also keep paying wages for a part-time co-ordinator to deliver the activities bringing the island together and will buy a marquee to go outside the school as a temporary venue while the building is being renovated.

Hot on the heels of the lottery news was another award for £16,000 from a national research programme, which chose the old school project as a way of showcasing to others how community asset schemes can cut down on big expense.

The William Grant Foundation was impressed at how Isle of Kerrera Development Trust (IKDT) was working to keep project costs as low as possible, helped by using skills close to home.

Working with Douglas

Westwater of Community Enterprise, IKDT will use the funding for a new technical project manager.

IKDT project co-ordinator Aideen Shields said: ‘This is all amazing news especially at a time like this when people really need something to celebrate.

‘With a growing population and 18 children, most of whom are under nine years of age, our island development trust has been working hard for many years to improve facilities.

‘We are overjoyed with this funding and the investment in our community.

‘It will make a big difference to island life and it is very much appreciated.’

And project supervisor Jane Churchill added: ‘This is great news.

‘It’s a double whammy for Kerrera.

‘We’ve got lots of work ahead but it’s going to be life-changing for people here.’

More bids are going in with final costs of building works still to be finalised.

It was only last year islanders finally became the proud owners of the primary school that had sat empty for two decades.

A successful bid to the Scottish Land Fund secured £119,167 so the dilapidated building could be bought from Argyll and Bute Council,

‘This is amazing news especially at at time when people really need somthing to celebrate’