Climate change hub to oversee action
It is with pleasure I submit my article for your interest and thanks to the Advertiser for giving elected members the opportunity to do so.
Firstly may I take this opportunity to thank everyone for their kind wishes offered to me whilst in the Beatson Hospital for six weeks prior to Christmas.
It was deeply humbling to be contacted with all the supportive messages by members of the local community which helped me to get through this period.
I must thank the community councils I was liaising with for their forbearance but with the advent of technology I may not have been at meetings in person but with council and health board meetings being held remotely it allowed me to attend scheduled meetings.
I recently attended the Westlochfyne Community Council meeting, which was held in the newly refurbished Lochgair church hall.
It was some time since attended a meeting in this particular hall as it was out of commission but I have to say what an impressive hall the local community now have in Lochgair and congratulations to all the hard work and efforts by the hall committee to transform the hall for multi purpose events for the village.
We have been made aware that the Menzies carriage company was withdrawing its services which has affected Argyll.
We are now living in a world where online shopping is becoming an essential service particularly for small rural areas.
For me it is particularly disturbing that companies such as Menzies, which have been making a lot of money in our local areas now, see the likes of Argyll as a soft target; withdrawing services which are now an essential part of rural lifestyle.
This may be a cut that large cities can absorb but small fragile rural communities are being hit hard with such actions.
I do believe that our national governments must look at this as an ever-increasing issue, where companies, banks and services simply cut our vital services, often more than not those companies making hundreds of millions of pounds in profits - one must ask the question why penalise rural communities?
I had the occasion to travel to Oban last week and I saw the enormity of the landslide near Ardfern. I must congratulate all who worked tirelessly to get the road open for use and in the photo attached now realise the extent of the slip and the continuing hazards that currently remain.
Last week the communities of Inveraray and Furnace were informed that the Lochgilphead medical practice had given notice to the Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership that it was withdrawing from providing medical and nursing services from those areas.
The ABHSCP now has responsibility to provide a service for this community and will be consulting with the local community whilst planning a new service.
I can be contacted on Dougie. philand@argyll-bute.gov.uk or telephone 07920501382 if you require any assistance and I am more than happy to visit you at home if you request.
A new group has been set up to help Argyll and Bute communities prepare from climate change.
The Argyll and Bute Climate Action Network (ABCAN) is a collaboration between ACT (Argyll and the Isles Coast and Countryside Trust) Argyll and Bute Third Sector Interface and Time for Change Argyll and Bute.
The ABCAN hub will give a voice to community-led climate action, help to coordinate activities and support communities as communities work towards a net zero Argyll and Bute.
Thanks to Scottish Government funding a network of engagement officers, based in each locality in Argyll and Bute are being established to coordinate and build on current climate activities in the area.
The ABCAN Hub aims to deliver carbon literacy training; facilitate climate conversations; provide seed funding for climate mitigation; engage with hard-to-reach groups; identify opportunities for partnership working across the region to ensure that Argyll and Bute has a cohesive approach to tackling climate change in our communities.
ACT Now project manager Jamie Joyce said: “Creating a team and building relationships in communities across Argyll and Bute will support the grassroots and community-led activities to reach net zero in a way that promotes health, social benefits and local prosperity.
“We’re keen to hear from any interested individuals, groups or organisations in Argyll and Bute who want to know more about the hub and how it will contribute to climate action. We are growing and building the network so please contact us, email abcan@act-now.org. uk.”
ABCAN already has seed funding for Argyll climate projects. Up to £1,500 can be applied for by a constituted group or up to £250 if anyone is part of a less official group or club. This funding must be spent by April of this year.
The new Mid Argyll climate engagement officer is Rowan Aitchison, who can be contacted on rowan@act-now.org.uk.