Each month Island LDO’s Grace MacPhee and Hannah MacAllister give us the news from the volunteer led Colonsay Community Development Company:

There have been lots of exciting things happening in the development office this month. Firstly we have been awarded funding from ‘Celebrate 2014’ the lottery fund set up to celebrate the commonwealth games. We have been busy planning a fun filled day of sports, dancing and delicious food. The events kick off at 1pm at Machrins with an array of sports including relays, haggis-hurling and the hill run. In the evening everyone is invited to attend a commonwealth inspired buffet with a ceilidh to follow afterwards. There will be a Commonwealth attire fancy dress competition with a prize for the best dressed. The best part of it all is the whole day is absolutely FREE!!! Everyone is welcome.

Broadband
The Argyll Isles Broadband group met again in Connel early this month to discuss the next phase of the project. GigaMull are working on an invitation to tender and setting up the legal entity of the group. We are also awaiting clarification from BT about which areas will definitely not be covered in their planned upgrades.

Wind Turbine Project
The CCDC have recently applied for a loan from CARES to enable them to employ a consultant to help them take the turbine project to the next stage. We have two potential sites in mind for the turbine; one at Bonaveh (the dump) which is owned by the estate and the other at Baile Iochdrach on land owned by the CCDC. If the CARES loan is approved CCDC will be able to begin the planning and development stage of the project, bringing the reality of a community owned wind turbine one step closer. We are still looking for volunteers to form a steering group to help bring this project to fruition. Please contact Hannah MacAllister if you would like to be involved.

Land sale
Communication with the vendors is ongoing. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) are coming over next month to talk with CCDC about our various options.

Arts and theatre
The Colonsay Arts and Theatre Committee has recently become a member of ‘The Touring Network’ giving us greater access to theatre and music productions. We have already enjoyed a great concert by Mary Ann Kennedy, Scott MacMillan and Colin Grant which is touring as part of Glasgow 2014 in connection with the Commonwealth Games.
Tonight, Friday August 1 we are screening of ‘The Bridge Rising’ which Mary Ann and her band wrote to soundtrack for.
‘The epic, feel-good story of a modern rebellion. The campaign against the tolls on the Skye Bridge pitted plucky Scottish islanders against the might of the government and the Bank of America, over the building of a privately funded toll bridge which became the only way on or off the island. This film tells an untold, bittersweet story of passion, legal challenge and financial wrangling through the testimony of some of those who took part.’ BBC Alba.
We are very lucky to be welcoming over Drew Millar, one of the main protagonists in the film, a Skye inhabitant and local councillor who will be holding a Q&A session after the film. It’s showing at 8pm on Friday the 1st of August in the Village Hall.

Our office hours are:
Hannah (colonsayldohannah@gmail.com) 10-1pm Mon-Friday
Grace (colonsayldo3@yahoo.co.uk) 2-5pm Mon-Friday
If there is anything you would like to discuss please pop in and see us or give us a phone on 01951200244.