We’re delighted to welcome Mark Chambers to our community. Mark will be working with us for at least two years bring forward all the elements in our Business Plan for Stronafian Forest. Mark will be spending the first couple of months getting up to speed on the project, meeting people and settling in. We’ll be announcing a Forest event shortly when everyone will get to greet Mark officially!
Category: Glendaruel
Yesterday (27th February 2013) CGDT was invited by the Forestry Commission to make a presentation on our acquisition of Stronafian Forest at their quarterly “Wood of Our Own Event”.
Colintraive and Glendaruel Development Trust (CGDT) have purchased Stronafian Forest and are now recruiting for a dynamic Community Forest Development Officer.
CGDT are delighted to confirm that they have now purchased Stronafian Forest on the Cowal Peninsula, Argyll. The forest, purchased for £1.55M from the Forestry Commission under the National Forest Land Scheme, will provide the community of Colintraive and Glendaruel with opportunities to create sustainable housing, woodland crofts, renewable energy sources and wonderful amenity spaces.
The Trust has been working since early 2010 on the acquisition of the 600ha+ woodland, developing a thorough-going business plan, as well as working on the funding package which includes £1.3M from a commercial tenant for the rights to the commercial forestry over 99 years. Alongside this tranche of money, raised from the private sector, the trust has also raised over £300,000, both for the balance of the purchase price, but also the legal fees and a two year Community Forest Project Officer post. The trust believe this is the first purchase of its kind to combine private and public sectors in a community woodland acquisition.
Come Work With Us
The Trust are still recruiting for the post which offers an exciting blend of community engagement, project management and business development in a forest context. The Community Forest Project Officer will be tasked with taking forward a community wind turbine, developing 4-6ha woodland crofts and preparing building plots for self-build and affordable homes, as well as making the forest accessible to the local community and its visitors. This is an opportunity to work with one of the West Coast’s most innovative trusts, in an environment of outstanding natural beauty, with a community whose Hogmanays are reputed to be the best in Argyll. To apply download our application form here.
CGDT’s chair, Charles Dixon-Spain said, “We are thrilled with this acquisition which is confirmation of the momentum our community has been building over the last five years. Colintraive and Glendaruel is a community that has been in decline for many years, and the Trust feels this purchase signals the renewing of our community, of bringing people in and services back and of ensuring the future of those services that we have held onto. Thanks to everyone who has helped us get to this stage!”
CGDT wish to thank Forestry Commission Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Argyll and the Islands LEADER, the Scottish Land Fund, the Big Fund, Aitchesse Ltd. and our tenant for all their help, financial support and encouragement over the last three years.
We’re recruiting!
We’re recruiting a Community Forest Project Officer right now. To download the application pack click here.
The deadlines for applications is Wednesday 6th March 2013.
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This week the housing survey is being sent out to everyone in the community. The attached letter will explain all about it, but in the meantime, please fill it in as this is an essential part of providing for our housing needs as a community over the long term.
We’ve had feedback that we need affordable housing to rent and to buy, and there is also an appetite for self-build. The gerat thing is that those who live here want to stay here, and there are many many out there who would also like to live here. In fact, if that describes you, please let us know and we will mail out a survey.
The more input we get the better our projects will become!
Our update on all things Stronafian has now been published here.
Members of the community have been busy of late creating groups to help us get together, both socially and to buy and sell things. The new groups are listed below.
The Chorus are looking for more men to join their ranks! They meet weekly alternating between the Colintraive and Glendaruel Village Halls.
ForArgyll.com, always one to support a community taking initiative, has an article publicising the forthcoming fashion show in the Glen Village Hall supporting Kilmodan School. We particularly like the quote from Kirsty McLuckie,
” … you may see some neighbouring farmers, foresters or shinty players in a whole new light.”
We wouldn’t miss it for the world. Here’s the full story.
Colintraive and Glendaruel Development Trust is recruiting a Project Officer to co-ordinate the “ColGlen Warmer Homes” project.
The initiative aims to –
- Provide advice and assistance to householders in taking steps to insulate their homes and reduce their energy bills
- Provide advice on various energy efficiency measures
- Help householders make informed choices regarding installation of biomass heating systems to further reduce their carbon footprints.
The post holder will have –
- An understanding of home energy efficiency (preferably in hard to heat homes)
- Knowledge of various sector specific advisory and funding agencies
- Project management skills
- Ability to collate and analyse data and calculate C02e values
- Awareness of specific challenges faced by rural communities
The post is offered on an 18 months, self-employed basis and attracts a salary of £22,000 per annum
Applications in writing, with accompanying CV, to:
The Chairman, Colintraive and Glendaruel Development Trust, The Village Hall, Colintraive, Argyll, PA22 3AS or e-mail to cgdt@cgdt.org
Closing date for applications 19 March 2012 with interviews held 23 March in Colintraive.
The successful candidate should be available for an immediate start.