Fun in the sun on Seil
Seil raised more than £2,000 for charities when the island community got together for a celebration in the sun.
A children’s fun day organised on Saturday by parents at Seil Island Hall brought in just over £500 and involved all ages from the community getting hands-on with the first big event since Covid lockdown.
Rachel Tierney, who was one of the organisers along with Annie Anderson and Rhoda Thomson, said about 100 people turned out - and so did the sun.
The focus was on activities for the children with mini Highland games, a Taiko drumming workshop, plantpot painting, a treasure trail, guess the weight of the Rowan Bakery cake, cookie decorating, face painting, egg and spoon challenges and a Messy Church climate-themed chocolate session among other fun and games. There was a bouncy slide was for everyone to have a go. Seil’s fire truck, a tractor, a military tank and a quad bike were also there for youngsters to climb on.
Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA) gave a generous donation to fund the slide and activities so it could all be free.
And there was hard-work in the hall kitchen from volunteers busy serving up refreshments.
‘We had a super day. Thanks to everyone who joined in, baking and making for us, having fun and helping out, setting up and putting away. It was good to get together again, from the littlest in our community to the older stalwarts, families and friends and visitors too. Seil has a strong community sense and looked after each other really well during lockdown. This was a wonderful way to celebrate what we have and being able to head back to a bit of normality now.
‘The money made is going to the hall and we hope it will be used to put on other activities and events. We’re already thinking up ideas. We’d like to put something on during the winter,’ said Rachel.
Also on Saturday, Seil crofter DJ MacDougall picked up his pipes to raise £1,700 for the Easdale branch of Royal British Legion Scotland’s charity work supporting service people and veterans.
He took on the challenge of marching, while playing the pipes, four miles from the Oban side of the Bridge Over The Atlantic to the community hall and Ellenabeich.
DJ, who is the branch’s official piper, was joined by standard bearer Donny Reynolds.
With help of a Justgiving page online and collecting donations on the day, DJ’s total more than filled a gap left by the branch’s usual annual sale cancelled by Covid.
Donations can still be made by visiting www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/djpipesovertheatlantic