Boost Fund Stories: Gallan Head Community Trust, Western Isles
Gallan Head Community Trust
The Boost Fund is delivered by Corra Foundation and is a partnership between STV Children’s Appeal, Comic Relief, and Corra Foundation, and is supported by players of Postcode Lottery. Boost is currently open to applications and provides small grants for community-led organisations across Scotland supporting local people affected by poverty or disadvantage.
The Gallan Head peninsula is the most north-westerly point of the British isles, situated in the Uig council ward on the Isle of Lewis, Western Isles. There are 20 privately owned ex-MOD houses (the ex-MOD camp) and nine dwellings in the interconnected crofting village of Aird, with a population of 40. It is a small community and is accessed by a winding single track road.
In 2014, the Gallan Head Community Trust was formed from residents of both the ex-MOD houses and the residents of Aird village, who took the opportunity to take ownership of land and derelict buildings being sold by the MOD, which had been closed to the public for over 60 years. The community buyout comprises of 40 hectares of land, some semi-derelict buildings and a domestic property. The Trust is comprised of seven local volunteers tasked to develop the land and buildings on behalf of the residents, with the aim of creating social, economic and environmental improvement.
The Community Hub is the focal point of our village and provides a base for all our activities. It serves a cafe, foodbank, venue for all events workshops and meetings such as singing nights, a book club and arts & craft club. Formation of the Community Trust has moved our small community from dormant to active, and enabled all residents to get together and contribute to our village regeneration. We set an annual calendar of social events, activities and workshops which are open to all.
The residents produced a development plan, which is being implemented in stages as finances allow, aimed at revitalising the community by making the land accessible to people of all abilities and restoring and utilising the buildings to create facilities for community use, recreation and business. This will enhance the area, raise the profile of the village, create employment and attract more residents to the area, in order to make this fragile community more sustainable and provide stability into the future.
The headland has been cleared of MOD debris and is now also open to the public as a tourism destination, include getting Dark Skies status and setting up a related night sky monitoring system. We are progressing plans to upgrade two of the buildings, one for multi-purpose community use as an arts workshop/crafts venue and the other for accommodation linked to Dark Skies tourism.
The Trusts annual profit is small and the Boost funding contributed to running costs which help to keep the community hub open for all and retain the momentum in our regeneration plans.
The regeneration plan is encouraging social interaction, providing community cohesion and accomplishing positive long term change. Having the Trust operating has resulted in a community resurgence and has empowered people to take the lead in improving the area. It has brought people together to provide opportunities for social interaction – reducing loneliness and improving quality of life.
Many thanks to Gallan Head Community Trust for sharing their story and plans with us!
Boost is currently open. Find out more!
