Creating resilient and sustainable islands

Funding allocated to local island projects.

People living in Scotland’s island-based communities will benefit from new funding for projects designed to support employment, community resilience and health and wellbeing.

Through the £2 million Island Communities Fund, 29 successful community groups and businesses across 23 islands have been awarded grants of up to £150,000 each. Projects focus on developing sustainable economic activities on islands with the majority of projects having a net zero theme, while also supporting the delivery of the Scottish Government’s National Islands Plan (2019).

Projects include the installation of a range of spinning mills to allow full processing of fleece into yarn on Foula, which will use electricity from Foula’s off grid renewable network, as well as a project to expand a community garden on Lewis to improve mental health opportunities and reduce social isolation.

Islands Secretary Mairi Gougeon said:

“With just a few weeks until the eyes of the world are on Scotland for COP26, it’s great to see more projects designed to address the growing climate crisis. There is so much potential across our islands and we received many innovative and creative applications. It’s clear to me that our island communities are going to play an important role in helping us meet our ambitious climate change targets and I am excited about that. 

“The projects that have been awarded funding will contribute to our ambition to make Scotland greener and fairer. They will help us achieve a just transition to net zero and climate resilient living on our islands. I’m looking forward to seeing work get underway to help people, businesses and communities on our islands thrive.”

Inspiring Scotland CEO Celia Tennant said:

“Inspiring Scotland is delighted to be the delivery partner for the Scottish Government’s Island Communities Fund which supports the aims and outcomes of the National Islands Plan. The successful funded organisations will make a vital contribution to the economic, environmental and social wellbeing of our island communities and we are looking forward to working alongside them to deliver their projects.”

Background

The Fund is managed by Inspiring Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government. It is backed by £2 million of Scottish Government funding, which comes from the £9.5 million committed to the Islands Programme for 2021/22.

Projects should be completed by 31 March 2022.

Island Communities Fund

The National Plan for Scotland's Islands

Allocations by local authority

Argyll and Bute - £319,044.34

 

Organisation

Project name

Islands for delivery

Amount allocated

1

The Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust

Gigha's Active Travel Hub

Gigha

£75,600.00

2

Islay Development Initiative

From Small Seeds - Cornabus Tree Nursery

Islay

£86,000.00

3

North West Mull Community Woodland Company

Ulva Housing Refurbishment Project

Ulva

£72,859.04

4

Islay & Jura Community Enterprises Limited

Islay leisure’s resilience and sustainability

Islay & Jura

£84,585.30

Na h-Eileanan Siar – £475,853.32

 

Organisation

Project name

Islands for delivery

Amount allocated

5

Clan Macquarrie Community Centre

The Hebridean Community Garden

Lewis

£48,361.40

6

Leverhulme Community Hub

Leverhulme Community Hub -Towards Net Zero Carbon

Harris

£36,330.00

7

Point and Sandwick Coastal Community Path SCIO

Shuilishader to Flesherin link track and Path

Lewis

£80,920.00

8

Garadh a Bhagh a Tuath (SCIO)

Rays of Hope

Barra and Vatersay

£14,520.00

9

Keose Glebe Estate

The 80/90/100 Project.

Lewis

£80,000.00

10

MacLeans Bakery (Benbecula) Ltd

Bakery Green Transport

Benbecula


(Delivery to Barra, South Uist, North Uist, Grimsay, Berneray, Eriskay, Harris & Lewis) 

£110,000.00

11

North Uist Distillery

Nunton Steadings' Journey Towards Carbon-Neutral Status

Benbecula and North Uist


(Delivery to South Uist, Berneray, Eriskay and Grimsay)

£49,310.17

12

Comunn Eachdraidh Nis

(Ness Historical Society)

A' gluasad gu suidheachadh neodrach a thaobh carboin (Aiming for Carbon Neutrality)

Lewis

£56,411.75

Highland - £230,569.55

 

Organisation

Project name

Islands for delivery

Amount allocated

13

Eigg Trading Limited

An Laimhrig Community Hub

Eigg

£149,785.00

14

Isle of Canna Community Development Trust

Canna Decarbonisation

- Phase 1

Canna

£80,784.55

 North Ayrshire - £130,000

 

Organisation

Project name

Islands for delivery

Amount allocated

15

Community of Arran Seabed Trust - COAST

Our Own Boat

Arran

£63,000.00

16

Millport Town Hall

The Green Economic Recovery of Cumbrae

Cumbrae

£67,000.00

 Orkney - £445,224.05

 

Organisation

Project name

Islands for delivery

Amount allocated

17

Island of Hoy Development Trust

YM Hall Regeneration

Hoy

£99,436.68

18

Eday Community Enterprises Ltd

Eday Shop Community Hub

Eday

£147,234.00

19

The North Ronaldsay Trust

The North Ronaldsay Meat Larder

North Ronaldsay

Shetland (mainland) where abattoir is located

£102,831.41

20

Sanday Community Shop

Cycle Sanday

Sanday

£7,477.48

21

Upper Stove Gardening

Upper Stove Market Garden extension

Orkney (Mainland)

£6,201.48

22

G Ballantyne

Grass harrows

Orkney (Mainland)

£6,000.00

23

Hilary Grant Knitwear & Textiles

Orkney Knit Factory

Orkney (Mainland)

£76,043.00

 Shetland - £399,308.74

 

Organisation

Project name

Islands for delivery

Amount allocated

24

Lerwick Boating Club

Renewable Energy Project

Shetland (Mainland)

£20,842.00

25

Shetland Seafood Auctions Ltd

Electric transport

East Burra, West Burra, Trondra,  Muckle Roe

£75,328.00

26

Kergord Hatchery Bookshop

Bookshop net zero

Shetland (Mainland)

£39,810.11

27

Ocean Kinetics Ltd

Vessel Energy Storage Solution

Shetland (Mainland)

Across all Shetland islands

£91,197.75

28

Foula Wool

The Foula Wool Spinning Mill

Foula

£98,200.71

29

Scalloway Meat Company Limited

SMC - First Steps to Net Zero

Shetland (Mainland)

Across all Shetland islands

£73,930.17

Contact

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