News update - Friday afternoon Nov 21st Save Our Station – Isles FM Isles FM launched a series of SOS appeal shows today, which continue from 7pm this evening. The Save our Station appeal asks listeners to dig deep to keep your local community radio station on air. The licence fee of £6,000, due for payment by the end of the month, will guarantee that the station will be allowed to broadcast for a further 12 years. Without that licence we simply cannot continue to broadcast. Director Charlie Nicolson said: “This is the first time in its 20 year history that Isles FM has had to seek public assistance to help cover the licence fee. You can donate via our website on isles.fm, where theres a donate now button on every page, allowing you to make a donation by PayPal or by debit or credit card. You can also drop your donation into us at 50 Seaforh Road in Stornoway, or you can help us by organising a fundraising event.” Although the station’s immediate urgent need is to renew the licence, we still need to complete work at the new station building and also renew some important items of equipment at Eitchal. The station continues live appeals throughout the rest of the weekend, and we’re on air and here at the station with special appeal request shows from 7pm to midnight tonight and Saturday night. Barra ferry meeting Barra residents led by Councillor Donald Manford and MSP Alasdair Allan met Transport Minister, Keith Brown MSP at Holyrood yesterday to discuss the issues affecting ferry services to their island. Dr Allan said: One specific issue discussed was the need to ensure that similar concessions apply for vehicles transporting live shellfish between the islands, across the Sounds of Harris and Barra, as already apply on the routes from the Western Isles to the mainland. The Transport Minister was able to confirm that these arrangements will now be made, something which I believe will benefit the shellfish industry throughout the islands.” Barra residents also highlighted concerns they had in common with all the islands, such as the impact when ferries are cancelled because of bad weather. Crofting meeting ‘positive’ A Scottish Minister called his meeting with Comahirle nan Eilean Siar over crofting issues ‘postive’ today, and said that changes would follow if crofters gave their evidence in a forthcoming consultation. Minister for Environment and Climate Change Paul Wheelhouse said: This was a very positive and helpful meeting, covering a number of matters of importance to crofters in the Western Isles. One of the main topics of discussion was the Croft House Grant Scheme (CHGS) and I am happy to confirm the Scottish Government will seek views on the future shape of this important scheme, in a formal 12-week public consultation that will launch in December this year. I am very sympathetic to case made by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, but any decisions I take must be evidence-based. That is why it is so important for people to respond to Government consultation when it opens later this year. Capital grants announced Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has announced grants for five organisations totalling nearly £235,000, in the third-round of its Community Capital Grant Fund. Breasclete Community Association was awarded just under £30,000 for a pathway between the Callanish crossroads and the Callanish Visitor centre. Harris Development Ltd gets £100,000 towards floating pontoons in East Loch Tarbert, at Tarbert and on the Island of Scalpay; providing a marina hub for visiting yachts and local pleasure craft. Grimsay Community Association gets £50,000 for a new Centre for Grimsay, to include a cafe, Post Office, community growing and market area. In Lochboisdale £30,000 goes towards the major regeneration project to transform redundant quayside space and Comann na Mara in Lochmaddy gets £25,000 for a shoreside development to complement the successful pontoons which were installed earlier this year. Auction Mart The Christmas Sale at Lewis and Harris Auction Mart saw all classes of cattle sell very well, and a good sale of prime and store sheep and lambs. Top prizewinner in the cattle section was A Ferguson of North Street Stornoway, who won first prize for heifers and bullocks, and also had the show’s supreme champion. The champion pen of lambs were sold by H Leach of North Bragar, with a pen of Suffolk crosses realising £85. The full sale report is on the Dingwall and Highland Marts website now. Football In what’s been called a ‘huge weekend for island football’ the newly-formed Lewis and Harris Football Club team travel to Alness tomorrow for the final of the North Caley Cup against Golspie Sutherland. Supporters will be travelling with the squad on buses from Ullapool, and the match will be broadcast live on BBC Radio nan Gaidheal. Kick-off is at 1.10pm – and good luck to our boys. Point 80th anniversary And Point Football Club celebrates its 80th anniversary tomorrow evening with a gala dinner at the club’s Garrabost HQ, Ionad Stoodie. Point will be looking back over some historic seasons, including their win of the Highland Amateur Cup twenty years ago, in 1994, as well as looking ahead with a developing team of promising young players ready to repeat the glory days for the Rudhachs.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 16:00:00 +0000
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