MICT is committed to
supporting those in housing need across our islands, and this includes our plans
for further affordable housing at Ulva Ferry. We are excited to be planning 4 houses, which
will be offered for long-term rent to those in housing need. As previously, the houses will be very energy
efficient to ensure low heating bills for tenants.
Plans are still at an early
stage, as we carry out site investigation works on two plots of land at Ulva
Ferry in community ownership, but we hope to start building next year. Community-led housing development projects are
never easy and there are added costs of building so rurally, such as installing
private water supplies.
We have launched a fundraising
appeal to help move the project forward.
While we will be applying for grant and loan funding to cover the
majority of project costs, we would be grateful for any donations, which will
be directly spent on build costs.
Donations to the housing project can be made online or by sending cheques payable to ‘Mull and Iona Community Trust’ to An Roth, Craignure, Isle of Mull, PA65 6AY.
For more details about the housing project, or if you are interested in renting one of the planned houses, please contact Helen MacDonald on 01680 812 900 or email hmacdonald@mict.co.uk.
This really is going to be one heck of a project. The progress we have made in the last few months has been really encouraging. For a start, we now have permission from Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) to start work, plus they are very supportive of what we are doing and are willing to help wherever they can.
With great thanks to an island resident who just happens to
have been a walled garden designer in the past, we now have a design layout for
the garden, this has come with a full planting list as well. This design has
been discussed at length within the steering group and we have agreed that
something very close to this will be the basis for the renovated garden. With
his expert knowledge, we now know that we need to follow the original layout of
the garden, so we will be looking to rediscover the original paths and border
boundaries.
Progress has also been made on the wall. A survey has now
been carried out, and the report is good news. It’s not perfect by a long way,
but it is safe. Unfortunately, the repair bill for the section that has fallen
will not be small, but there are ways to mitigate this.
We are now very close to the clearing the ground stage of
the project. However, before we can make a start there are a number of trees in
and around the garden that need to be removed. Once these are clear, then we
will be looking for helpers to come in and clear the ground and find out what
there is in the garden that is worth keeping.
If you would like to get involved, either with the steering
group, or with the digging and clearing, please let me know, we’d love to see
you.
The ReThink MESS project has been running from April last year and will run until April 2020. We received grant funding from the Scottish Governments Climate Challenge Fund.
Our Community fridge is going well with 283kg being redistributed or composted since the start of 2019. This would otherwise have gone to landfill, producing methane as it breaks down. This is a great success, and we hope to be saving even more as the 2019 season springs into action.
We have also just sent out leaflets and fridge magnets to all the self-catering properties on Mull and Iona to encourage people at the end of their stay to put any sealed, unopened food that is within its use-by date in the fridge before they get on the ferry. This should increase donations from the public.
After the success of the “Recycling on the go” stations at the Highland games, Bunessan and Salen Shows in 2018. We are awaiting delivery of our Recycling on the go permanent stations, that will be placed around the island. These will be in strategic places around the island.
Our business composting is taking off with the delivery of composters nearly complete. These are for high volume food waste producers out with the Tobermory area who will not be able to use the Big Hanna composter that is coming to Tobermory late April
As part of our carbon education, we are running workshops and events focussed on food waste reduction and low carbon food choices over the course of the project.
We held a Real Junk Food dinner at the start of February at Ballygown Restaurant with 16 attendees. Not only did this highlight that so much good food is wasted, but we also raised £160 that has been donated to MacMillan Cancer Support. We have to thank Jeanette Cutlack for hosting a great evening. Not only agreeing to host it but the added stress of not knowing what she would be getting for ingredients until the evening before!
We’ve had few upcycling events too, with two furniture events, one in Craignure with Jennifer Jack showing attendees how to make chalk paint and then using this on furniture. The other was held by Mull Makers in Fionnaphort over 2 days.
We also held a Bicycle Repair workshop at Bedoun Agri in March which was well attended despite the weather! Thankfully the polytunnel kept us dry.
In early 2019 we held a hot composting workshop which was very well attended with 18 attendees some with composters and others looking at getting one. We had a phone in with some experts at Hotbins UK who were able to give great advice to top up what our resident experts were able to impart.
As spring is in the air, we will be concentrating on the food waste collection service around the Tobermory area. We have had the budget released and are in the process of buying our polytunnel and Big Hanna composter. We are interviewing for staff to run the collections and composting and are signing people up to the trial, keep an eye on the MESS Facebook page for regular updates.
If you wish to get involved or have any comments on any of our outcomes, them please give Ewan Baxter a call or drop him an Email at EBaxter@MICT.co.uk.
Over the
past 8 months, we have been continuing to work on Phase 2 of the waterfront
development at Ulva Ferry – to improve the visitor – and local – experience and
services, provide economic benefit to the area and sustain and help develop
business opportunities. We have recently been awarded funding from the Rural
Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF) for the proposed car park improvements, the
3 motor home stances and chemical waste disposal point and Ulva car park
resurfacing works and this should help with congestion and motorhome management
in the summer months.
Over the
winter, we have been working with USCA and the local community, developing
plans to apply to the Natural and Cultural Heritage Fund (NCHF) for development
funding for the shore facilities building at Ulva Ferry. This fund “supports
new opportunities to promote the outstanding scenery, wildlife and culture of
the Highlands and Islands of Scotland in ways which support inclusive and
sustainable economic growth. It has an aim to retain jobs and sustain
populations and services in rural communities.”
Interpretation is a key component of the proposed building at Ulva Ferry, and the project has adopted the name Doras Caolas Ulbha – Sound of Ulva Gateway. The project will work in partnership with a number of local and national organisations to interpret and help protect the outstanding natural and cultural heritage of the Loch na Keal National Scenic area, including Staffa and The Treshnish Islands, as well as providing other visitor facilities, such as toilets, showers and laundrette facilities.
The project will signpost to Ulva, local businesses and places of interest, encourage responsible access and it will use innovative technology to bring some of the area’s unique heritage into the centre – making it accessible to all. The project will include a Ranger position and create and support further jobs in the community. Many thousands of visitors pass through the National Scenic Area in the summer months, it is hoped that the project and visitor management activities will help ensure that the outstanding natural and cultural heritage is sustainable for future generations of residents and visitors.
If you would like to find out more, comment or be involved in Doras Caolas Ulbha, please contact cfleming@mict.co.uk.
After many years in the planning, it’s hard to believe that Nonhebel Park (Tobermory Light Industrial Park) has been open for just over two months now, with the first tenants accepting keys for business units and lock up units on the 1st March. The name Nonhebel Park was chosen to commemorate local businessman Andrew Nonhebel who first approached the trust regarding the lack of storage and small business premises in North Mull. An oak tree has been planted within the grounds of the park by Andrew’s family – ‘great oaks from little acorns grow’.
We had hoped to have held an official opening of the park during March, but any such plans are currently on hold due to the current restrictions in place due to Covid-19. No-one could have predicted the impact of the virus on local businesses and our island communities. Whilst we do have vacant units and facilities at the park that we’d like to fill, our focus has been to regularly communicate with our existing tenants to ensure that they are aware of the assistance and support available to them at this unsettling time.
Enquiries regarding premises or storage can be directed to mgreig@mict.co.uk Tel: 01680 812910.
An Opportunity to Invest in the Sustainable Future of Mull
We are offering the opportunity to directly support a community development which will facilitate economic growth for our community.
Tobermory Light Industrial Park was first conceived when MICT was approached in 2007 by a local businessman who needed more storage for his business. He quickly gathered the details of 12 other individuals and businesses who required more storage or dedicated small business premises.
MICT purchased the 0.8-hectare site near Tobermory in March 2016 and has secured funding for phase 1 development of the site. However, as demand for small business premises has increased, we are already progressing with phase 2 to provide a further four 60m2 business units at a cost of £180,000. We have exhausted grant funding sources for this type of development to progress phase 1. Before finalising loan finance from a commercial lender, we would like to offer individuals and businesses the opportunity to make a long term investment in phase 2, thereby retaining the profit with those living on the island or with strong links to it. Of course, we would also welcome philanthropic donations or offers of interest free loans.
With a minimum long term investment of £1000, you will be supporting a development which will: • help retain young people on the island and reverse the ageing population • increase business networking by clustering – leading to greater economic opportunities • create local employment during the construction phase • create new employment opportunities in a remote rural area • create the opportunity for business start-up or expansion • support the long-term sustainability of indigenous businesses • enable bulk purchasing through provision of secure storage • provide storage and leisure opportunities for community use In return, you will receive a competitive interest rate for the duration of your investment and the knowledge that you are supporting a local social enterprise and charity to progress this development for the benefit of new and expanding Mull-based businesses and our communities.
We are looking for a volunteer assistant ranger for 3 months full time beginning early June. This is a great opportunity to develop skills and experience in nature conservation and rangering. The role involves assisting with varied tasks over a number of island sites, including wildlife survey work, delivery of education projects and public events programme, providing information to visitors, practical maintenance tasks. Accommodation and some travel costs will be covered.
You must show enthusiasm for wildlife and the great outdoors. Some knowledge/experience in the relevant field would be useful but more important is flexibility, good communication skills, an ability to work under your own initiative, and a desire to learn. You will need to be willing and able to work outside or inside in all weathers, including some lone working in rugged coastal terrain. Some weekend/evening hours will be required.
Please contact Emily Wilkins for more information and an application form (no CVs please). ewilkins@nts.org.uk 01681 700659 07717581405
