We are a registered charity in a remote rural community with a group of volunteers who have worked hard since 2015 to bring the old Inverasdale Primary School into community ownership as a Community Centre. Wester Loch Ewe Trust was set up in March 2015 to be the legal body for asset transfer and at the end of November 2018 we achieved ownership of the School.

Wester Loch Ewe Trust is developing the Old School to create a Community Centre serving the series of scattered crofting settlements which stretch for 9 miles along the isolated west coast of Loch Ewe. Our location is very disadvantaged, having no local services and no public transport. The nearest shop is 9 miles away from Cove, the furthest settlement, and it is a 100-mile round trip to the nearest supermarket. The Old School is the only building for this community, where isolation is a common issue facing residents of the settlements along this coast of Loch Ewe.

We aim to sustain community spirit and good health amongst local residents in our remote location. We offer opportunities to make friends, learn new skills and improve wellbeing for all who come here.

WHAT WE DO is run a variety of activities with the aim of reducing isolation, improving wellbeing and offering learning opportunities in our local community. Our activities include a weekly “drop-in” session where local residents can socialize; there are volunteering opportunities in our tearoom; we provide meeting spaces for local community groups and hold functions in honour of specific events (for example, a Remembrance Day lunch). The Old School is also a central resource hub in case of local emergencies, with a defibrillator and many volunteers trained in skills such as first aid.

OUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE are to grow and thrive, supporting local volunteering as a way of bringing people together. We aim to link up with external stakeholders to provide activities at the centre, with everything from arts and crafts groups to advice services and groups offering mobility support services for our older local residents. We would also like to establish a fortnightly lunch club for older people, introduce themed meals in winter, and run other regular social activities. We also wish to become an established delivery point for online supermarket shopping as a service to our local residents.