Author: Dixon-Spain

Great article in @theGuardian by eminent environmental commentator @GeorgeMonbiot on why he’d vote for Independence

Here’s the comment I have just posted in the comments section:

Thanks George you have articulated why I’ll be voting for Independence. Communities across Scotland are already using the first Land Reform act to access the right to buy when estates and land come up for sale. Its an arduous process, but for many one which brings manifold benefits – look at Sleat, Northwest Mull, Kilfinan and even our community in Glendaruel. Once communities in Scotland had no chance of owning anything, surrounded as they were by the huge landowners you describe, now at least they have a chance. Independence is seen at a non-partisan level as the opportunity to drive forward the type of reforms Andy Wightman talks about, the sort of reforms which will never be fully available to us under the Union.

The article is here

The picture is a panorama of Stronafian Forest which the Colintraive and Glendaruel Development Trust bought in February 2013.

#CommunityWoodlands: Great CWA board meeting in Perth discussing funding, de minimis & the conference

Coming up with strategies to deal with perennial issues like core funding, delivering more benefits to members and ensuring a really engaging and interesting annual conference in late August was a great deal more fun than it sounds. Lively discussions on State Aid, de minimis and Land Reform. A great selection of Borders Biscuits. Couldn’t have been a more convivial meeting in Perth!

The photo was taken on Skye during a field trip to Sleat Forest with Chris Marsh at the 2013 CWA conference – great day.

@KilmodanPS Tearoom on Thursday, 22nd May, 10am-12 noon with Local Crafts and cupcakes!

ad Great poster from pupil from Kilmodan PS advertising the event on 22nd May. All proceeds will support the school’s end of terms trip to Xscape!

The Books have arrived: The copies of the Conservation Plan for Dunans arrived yesterday!

copiesofthebook

We are all delighted with them, and Monday will see the first copies sent out to all the Lairds and Ladies who have ordered them from ScottishLaird.com.

This first print run is nearly all sold, so if you wish to ensure you receive a copy quickly, please order now.

 

Community Broadband in Colintraive & Glendaruel takes a step closer with decision to move to Phase 2

On Thursday night a meeting of over 50 residents of Colintraive and Glendaruel agreed to take the next step towards improving the parlous broadband provision in ColGlen. With Community Broadband Scotland’s help (ably represented by Campbell Cameron on the night) those present tasked the Development Trust to take the community into the feasibility phase of the process which began with a scoping study carried out over the last three months.

The Scoping study, available here, shows what we already knew – very few people achieve more than a .5MB connection on the present service. There is an appetite for a better level of connectivity and a frustration with the present service.

The meeting discussed what is happening at a national level, how we are placed in that, and when BT might get around to upgrading our service themselves. Once the feasibility study is in place the community can then make an informed decision as to whether we should move forward with our own project or await BT’s own provision sometime in 2016.

 

 

Before & After: a pasture full of rashes & a pasture full of *cut* rushes

WARNING: If you have never used or wanted to use a lawn mower, strimmer, brush-cutter or scythe, then this post is probably not for you!

I know, I know, this really is a man and machine-type thing – you know when we get all excited about the latest, greatest gadget – but in this case its the repaired mechanical scythe which we really missed last year when it went out of commission.

There are areas of the grounds at Dunans which have consistently resisted taming, and only by using of our trusty BCS 620 Powerscythe can we ever hope to reduce the rash quota and reinstate grasses, wildflowers and other entirely desirable natives. Even inch thick, gnarly bramble succumbs.

The pictures show a before and after of the lawn on the south side of the castle – well, I call it a lawn, but it has been traversed by several heavy machines and is now more like a mire. I am hoping a weekly cut with the scythe will begin to get things back to a sward-like state.

 

Georgia Bear & Co. visit Dunans Bridge with @thatpowanwoman and the results are Magical!

georgia_bear_bridgeTo see more, please visit the Dunans Castle Facebook page.

Over the next fortnight or so expect some absolutely lovely Dunans Rising garments and accessories to launch on the ScottishLaird website, including scarves, rugs and hats. We’re very excited about them, coming as they do, hot on the heels of the launch of the Conservation Plan for Dunans, which is presently available at ScottishLaird.com and via Lulu.

Important community meetings for CGDT: on broadband and renewables

windoposterTwo dates for your diary if you are resident in Colintraive and Glendaruel:

  • There’s a meeting on Local Broadband provision this Thursday, 15th May at 6pm in Colintraive Village Hall
  • There’s a presentation by our wind turbine consultants Locogen Ltd on 28th May at 7pm, in Colintraive Village Hall.

The Development Trust will also be making their monthly report at the Community Council meeting on 19th May at 7.30pm in Colintraive Village Hall.

Hope Cove and a wonderful wedding!

dancing-coupleDelightful to see such a happy couple wed, and for them to be surrounded by such a lovely welcoming bunch of friends and family. Thanks Mike and Ali for inviting us, it was a privilege and a joy!

Left Hope Cove yesterday suffused by a warm fuzzy feeling – and I am not talking about the hangover either!

Bella Bathurst in the Guardian today: Smacks of petulance, not a respect for democracy

Today in the Guardian, Bella Bathurst concludes:

“In all the different Scotlands, one image always recurs: that of a marriage. Just for the sake of it, let’s pretend that there’s this couple, Albion and Caledonia. They’ve been married for a long time – more than 300 years – and it’s been a productive but troubled relationship. Albion is happy with things as they are, but Caledonia wants to leave. Albion flirts with other countries and Caledonia feels bullied. When Caledonia threatens to walk out, Albion reminds her of all the things she’ll lose: the house, furniture, money, security, music, pictures. Which only makes Caledonia more determined to go. Her blood is up, she’s made plans, she’s sure she’ll get by somehow. All of us – English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, whether we have a vote in the referendum or not – get to be counsellors on this. So what chance would you give them?”

I had to read this three times to believe that this national newspaper would characterise the vote in Scotland on Independence like this. Smacks of petulance, not a respect for democracy.

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