Author: Strathdearn (Page 16 of 90)

The SCD Board have started the search for a General Manager. This will be an operational leadership role to support and guide all employees and board members of Strathdearn Community Developments (SCD) and White River Trading (WRT). This central role will tie together all SCD / WRT operational and oversight functions, ensuring that future strategy set out by the board is understood and adopted by all staff, working together as a team. The General Manager will work to a clear business plan agreed by the SCD Board and in alignment with the Community Action Plan. There will be a need to report back regularly to the SCD Board with financial updates.

External Structure Review

In 2024 SCD engaged with an external consultant recommended by DTAS https://dtascot.org.uk/ to look at the current structures in place within SCD / WRT and recommend areas where the organisation could be strengthened. This external viewpoint recognised the growth in the last few years, which has increased the complexities, legal and regulatory responsibilities of the business. The consultant recommended the appointment of one operational leadership position with the expertise and skill for ensuring future success whilst minimising organisational risk.

Future Board Role

The General Manager will allow both the SCD and WRT Boards to remain non-executive, responsible for strategy setting and oversight of the progress being made by the organisation in respect of the objectives set. The SCD Board meeting will be where the General Manager will be held to account on operational progress. Out with the board meetings, the Chair of the SCD board will be available to the General Manager as a source of trusted guidance, the SCD Chair will be able to give a second opinion in a safe space with more formal annual appraisals being held as agreed by the SCD Board.

Due to the new structure, SCD and WRT Board meetings should be shorter and less frequent. The directors can then concentrate on future strategy leaving operational matters within the responsibility of the General Manager. Having a General Manager in place may hopefully encourage more Strathdearn residents to take the opportunity to contribute to Strathdearn’s future development by choosing to become a board member.

Success of Operations and Projects

SCD must ensure the success and sustainability of the shop, cafe and hub. Sustainability should be improved in all areas. Community assets already built must be looked after and future projects such as housing and Hazelbank woods must be delivered to satisfactory standards. Having one person with oversight in all these areas, pulling things together, is considered essential if the organisation is to operate as efficiently as possible.

Reductions in hours of key staff

The current Company Secretary, Project and Development Manager and Financial Controller have all shown a wish to reduce their hours and would welcome the recruitment of a General Manager to help this happen. Although the General Manager’s salary may potentially increase current employment costs, the expectation is that most of this new position’s salary would be significantly offset by the reduction in costs currently being incurred due to work being done by key staff members and outsourced resources. The SCD Board are looking for the appointment to deliver an uplift in turnover and progress towards breakeven alongside the delivery of social and environmental goals expected of a social enterprise like SCD.

Independant Recruitment Company

An independent company, Orion https://www.orionjobs.com/ is being used for the start of the recruitment process, and they will put forward suitable candidates for interview. Only at that point will anyone currently involved with SCD and WRT get involved to take the process to the point of hiring. Any interested parties should contact https://www.orionjobs.com/job/general-manager/ for more information on the role.

Further Questions

If you have further questions please contact us by email info@strathdearn.org and your query will be forwarded to the relevant person.

Pedlar’s book – “A Journey Through Tomatin and Strathdearn” is finally available on Strathdearn Community Website. Sorry for the delay – we promised it would be ready weeks ago – but it triggered a cascade of changes and other additions which took a while to work through . The result is a much expanded and improved History Section which we hope you’ll agree was worth the wait.

(If you can’t wait any longer to read Pedlar’s book, you’ll find it here.)

“History” now has its own heading in the menu rather than being a sub-section of “About Strathdearn. It is divided into three areas: Ancient History, Recent History, and Archaeology. Work is ongoing, some pages are marked “work-in-progress,” but the menu is now settled enough to allow easy navigation.

Please don’t be put off by the word “history”. You’ll find stuff in here that will educate you, yes, but also amuse, intrigue, and surprise you … and most of all help you understand and appreciate this lovely corner of the world that we are so lucky to live in.

Ancient History

Strathdearn and its people through the ages. Sections include:

• Strathdearn – Ancient to Modern Times Hunter gatherers to modern Highlanders – the last 10,000 years.
• Invereen Stone A carved Pictish stone, unearthed near Moy, 1200 – 1500 years old.
• The Rout of Moy How five loyal Jacobites saw off 1500 Hanoverian troops.
• A hand-written record of historic landholdings in the Parish of Moy Land ownership and church ministers in Moy since the 14th century.
• The Steep Brae of the Corpses and the Grave of the Soldiers About a cairn erected to the memory of 2 unknown soldiers, executed in the bloody aftermath of the Battle of Culloden.
• Cattle rustling in the Streens near Moy (1760) A cattle rustling incident is settled with honour on both sides.
• Witches, Thieves, and Archers Historic Strathdearn characters, including sportsmen and witches; pipers and hunters; thieves and archers.
• Clan Davidson connections to Dalarossie A Clan Davidson historian is surprised at the number of connections he has found.
• Place Names of Strathdearn
  An academic paper listing locations and Gaelic derivations. (work in progress)
• Tracing your Ancestors A guide for those seeking family connections in Scotland, with emphasis on Strathdearn.

Recent History

It really is quite extraordinary that a small community like ours has such a wealth of recorded memories covering the last century. The quality of the material is due to many gifted locals being able and willing to document their reminiscences in such detail. That so much of it has been retained is largely due to the Strathdearn Newsletter which has published and thus safeguarded it through the years. Sections include:

• Anne Glynne-Percy – An exceptionally knowledgeable and well-educated local historian, Anne wrote a series of essays about our locality, offering a rich and detailed perspective on its history.
• John Perguson (Pedlar) – A well-known local figure who wrote a book about his childhood and working in the distillery, on farms, and on hunting estates. Pedlar documented the homes, businesses, and families of our community in meticulous detail, creating a lasting record of our heritage.
• Oral History Recordings – A collection of audio recordings in which local people recall their upbringing, schooling, work, and family life, painting a vivid picture of everyday life in our area.
• Miscellaneous – Various one-off contributions to our historical record.

Archaeology Map

An interactive map of sites in Strathdearn of historic and archaeological interest. The map was created from data collected by the Strathdearn Natural History group. It preserves and makes available the locations of these sites for future historians. Some of the sites have sparse descriptions.

Archaeology Map

Strathdearn Community Council, Tuesday 11^th March @ 7.30pm in The Strathdearn

Join on your computer, mobile app or room device.
The Teams link is as follows:

Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 932 031 637 707 2 
Passcode: mv9GG9 

(NB: Meeting will be recorded to ensure the minutes are true and accurate)

Agenda

1. Apologies

2. Declarations of interest

3. Minutes of the last meeting (View them here)

4. Matters arising

5. Financial report

6. Law and Order

7. Road Safety

8. Applications to the SCCT 

1. Moy Defibrillator
2. Tomatin Football Club

9. Planning Matters

10. Windfarms

• Progress from SWIAG

11. Update from SCD

12. Correspondence

13. AOCB

• Barbara McAskill standing down from SCC , election of new chair.

Date of next meeting: Tuesday 8th April 2025

Uisge Èireann | River Findhorn – publication & podcast launch

Thursday 13 March 2025, 6:30-8:30pm, Tastes of Tomatin Café

Help us celebrate the launch of Uisge Èireann | River Findhorn: place names, music, song and story from the upper catchment – a publication and accompanying podcast which documents the body of research collated and curated by Human Ecology Researchers in Residence, Raghnaid Sandilands and Mairi McFadyen.

The publication traces the course of the river from where it rises high in the hills of the Monadh Liath and down through Srath Èirinn (Strathdearn) to where the river’s flow is reigned at Na Srianabh (the Bridles), known locally as The Streens – setting out some of the rich social and ecological history to be found in local place names, poetry, story and song.

Held at the Tastes of Tomatin Cafe, this event is FREE for all to attend and features live music from Rachel Campbell and friends, as well as refreshments. Printed copies of the publication will also be available.

Click here for more info or email info@findhornwatershed.com

[Strathdearn Community Council are grateful for the community engagement so far received and have responded with the following clarifications]

Only one formal wind farm application so far has been submitted. The one for Balnespick.

People can submit their own personal views on the Balnespick application to the Energy Consents Unit by the end of March. Other applications will have their own closing date for representations to be submitted when they appear on the Energy Consents Web site.

Personal views on applications for wind farms of more than 50 megawatts (MW) installed capacity (all 6 planned for Strathdearn are over 50MW)  should be made to the

Energy Consents Unit
Scottish Government
5 Atlantic Quay
150 Broomielaw
Glasgow
G2 8LU

By writing or using the email: representations@gov.scot

This tells you more about the process. Energy consents: how to support or object to an application – gov.scot

People may also wish to copy their personal representations to the Highland Council who will be responding as a statutory consultee.

Thank you for reading the report which carries a summary of information on each application.

The letters being sent to every household will explain that the Strathdearn Community Council intend to compile a ‘community response’ under key planning headings for each application to submit to the Energy Consents Unit and to the Highland Council.’

Strathdearn Community Council have prepared a letter which will be posted to all residents in the next week. It explains the next steps following today’s publication of the “Report Summarising the Six Major Wind Farm Developments Proposed for the Strathdearn Area.“

The letter is linked below in response to questions asked on social media:

Strathdearn Community Council is a statutory consultee (in Law) on all planning applications in our community area including wind farm developments. The Community Council’s role is to provide those making the decisions on applications (i.e. The Scottish Government)  with an informed local view on the proposal.  In order to assist our community in considering their views, a report has been completed summarising  the six proposed wind farm developments, along with relevant planning policy and development impact,  in one place. Further consultation and feedback will be gathered in the coming weeks. Please take time to read this report and contribute to this important process. 

CRSS0090 – A9 Dualling: Tomatin to Moy

Notification of installation of major temporary traffic management on the A9 between Tomatin and Moy for A9 Dualling

As part of our ongoing commitment to engage with the local community, we are writing to advise you of plans to implement major traffic management on the A9 trunk road between Tomatin and Moy ahead of commencement of major construction work.

From Monday 10 March 2025, we will begin work to gradually install traffic management to narrow the running lanes.

A mandatory 40mph temporary speed limit restriction and overtaking restrictions that will be in force through the site area will also come into force on 10 March. These restrictions are expected to be in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week until the new dual carriageway between Tomatin and Moy becomes operational in Spring 2028. Temporary average speed cameras will also be introduced to enforce the reduced speed limit.

Traffic management is a key part of constructing the dualling works safely and will help to ensure the safety of road users and our workforce.

As part of preparing to install the traffic management mentioned above, we will also be implementing the following temporary traffic management to allow us to safely install barriers and implement other changes such as narrowing lanes as follows:

Overnight speed restrictions and traffic signals from Monday 24 February 2025

Commencing on Monday 24 February 2025, overnight Temporary traffic signals and a temporary speed restriction of 30mph will be in place throughout the A9 through the single carriageway section between Tomatin and Moy for approximately two weeks. This is required to enable the final stages of preparatory works which includes tree felling and the construction of site accesses ahead of the implementation of the major traffic management and commencement of major construction works.

To minimise traffic disruption, working hours will be between 1930hrs and 0600hrs and the traffic signals will be in place each night from Sunday night to Saturday morning. Traffic flows will be continually monitored. There will be no works on Saturday nights.

Overnight Temporary traffic signals and convoy working from 10 March

Temporary traffic signals and convoy working will also be in place from 10 March for approximately 10 nights between 1930 and 0600 from Sunday evening to Saturday morning, with no works on Saturday nights. These restrictions are required to enable the installation of temporary barriers to reduce lane width and create working space. An example of these narrowed lanes is shown in the diagram below.

Pedestrian and emergency access will be maintained at all times and public transportation links will remain active along the route, with bus stops remaining in use both northbound and southbound at Tomatin Junction. Road users should note that during the operation of these measures, laybys between Tomatin and Moy will be closed to the public, with specific laybys being available to vehicles carrying large loads.

We recognise that these planned works may temporarily increase noise levels in the immediate surrounding area. To ensure disturbance is kept to a minimum, we will utilise best practice methods of working. For example, we will be using low noise reversing alarms on machinery and briefing staff on the importance of keeping noise levels to a minimum.

All works undertaken are subject to consultation with the Local Authority and the Local Authority Environmental Services before being implemented. As part of this process, we have provided justification to Local Authorities including details of the reasons for working at night, the timing of works and the measures we plan to take to minimise disturbance to neighbouring properties.

Meet the Contractor: Online

As part of our ‘Meet the Contractor’ engagement events, we are inviting those who were unable to attend our in-person event to view the exhibition materials online from 24 to 28 February and 3 to 7 March 2025. There will also be an opportunity to book an appointment to meet with key project staff members, a flyer is enclosed with further information.

For further information regarding traffic management and live traffic up-dates, please refer to the Traffic Scotland website www.trafficscotland.org and for further project updates, the A9 Dualling website at www.a9dualling.scot

If you have any enquiries regarding these works, you can contact the project’s Community Liaison Officer, Duncan Gardner. You can reach Duncan by email at A9T2M@balfourbeatty.com or by telephone on 0800 998 7573.

Yours faithfully

Alan Brisbane

Contract Manager

Attention Moy Residents!!

Moy Woodland Survey:

Please can you click on the below link and let us know if you are in favour of our potential project, we have identified within the Moy Subcommittee.
https://forms.gle/FSyYg7UwepyNwQt28

Please see pictures below.

Responses to be in by Monday 3rd March 2025.
Hard copies will also be available at The Strathdearn for completion.

Many Thanks

MSC

Saturday 17th May 2025

Are you up for the challenge?

Community Fun Run 10K / 5K in aid of The Gamekeepers Welfare Trust.

“All funds raised will support the gamekeepers, stalkers and ghillies, and their dependents past and present”

We are going to be doing the same route as last year.

The 10K run will begin at The Strathdearn, and follow the road up to Balvraid Estate and back to The Strathdearn. This run is open to everyone from the IV13 area and surrounding areas.

We also have a 5K route where participants can run or walk, starting from The Strathdearn to the green tin church and back to The Strathdearn.

Registration begins from 10am at The Strathdearn with the run starting at 11am.

All participants will be provided with a T-shirt and running number. Hot and cold refreshments will be available back at The Strathdearn after you have completed your run/walk.

ENTRY FEE:
Adults £10 and Children £5

Please find below the link that you can share to your friends and family for any sponsors – any donation would be much appreciated.

https://www.justgiving.com/page/strathdearn-community-developments-3?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

Registration form⬇️
https://racebest.com/races/22w94

Please note:
Minimum age is 4. All under age of 10 must be accompanied by an adult during the run.

Any further questions please drop us an email events@strathdearn.org

We look forward to welcoming you to our second community fun run for a great cause.