Another Successful Season Ends

Here at the Old School, Inverasdale we’ve had a lovely 2019 summer season with another substantial increase in footfall and income against the previous year’s.  We extend thanks to everyone who has helped to make such a success - particularly those who bake, help out in the Tearoom and in the Exhibition Rooms, along with all those individuals and organisations who have contributed in any way.

The jigsaw donated by Gairloch Heritage Museum has proved a big hit with everyone who visits the School Exhibition – both children and adults!

 This rearranged schoolroom area has been a great hit with our younger visitors  as you can see from the photograph of a young visitor working hard at her desk!

The ‘Land Fit for Heroes’ exhibition kindly loaned by Gairloch Heritage Museum has been much enjoyed by visitors who spent time studying the information together with that in the ‘Gairloch Role of Honour’ in our display cabinets and booklets documenting the Poolewe Burial Ground.

WLET has been invited to Round 2 of the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund for match funding towards the proposed new kitchen extension and porch, funding having already been secured through the National Lottery Community Fund and the Prince’s Countryside Fund.  We will hear the outcome of the RCGF application in January 2020, at the earliest.

Thank you to:
    • Steelite for the wonderful teapots, cups and plates
    • All those who recently donated crockery
    • to Julie (Cornerstone) for the donation of a wrapping paper display stand
    • Gairloch Museum
    • Everyone who has helped us in any way this year!

We are already looking forward to planning for the 2020 season!

June 2019 Update

The summer season at the Old School, Inverasdale has had a tremendous start.  In May we welcomed three times as many people to the Old Schoolhouse Tearoom and exhibitions as against the same period last year!

“A Land Fit for Heroes” has proved interesting, enjoyable and moving for so many of our visitors.  One visitor said “We came and had excellent tea and cake at the School last week, and spent some time enjoying your exhibitions. I think you've done a grand job of displaying the Museum posters in the context of your own stories.”

The ‘School Exhibition’ continues to attract interest, not just from those who have connections.  A visitor who spent quite some time in the school exhibition recently, particularly admired the gallery of photographs and the story told by these and the School Registers.

If you’re visiting the area come along and have tea, coffee and home-baking on a Wednesday or Friday afternoon from 2.00 pm until 4.30 pm, enjoy our exhibitions and browse the local arts and crafts on display.

April 2019 Update

Our volunteers have been busy getting ready for the summer season, our first under community ownership! We are open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 2.00 pm until 4.00 pm from 1st May until the end of October.

Come along and enjoy our Tearoom:

“A really wonderful place at which you can have a lovely afternoon tea experience with nice china and superb cakes - a real celebration of Scottish baking.” (Facebook comment)

Browse local arts and crafts as well as artisan produce made within a mile of the Old School.

This year you can see updated free exhibitions centered around the ‘History of Inverasdale School’, the Wester Loch Ewe area, and Gairloch Heritage Museum have kindly loaned ‘A Land Fit for Heroes’.

We look forward to welcoming you!

Old Schoolhouse Tearoom

If you are in the Poolewe area, come and visit us at the Old Schoolhouse Tearoom, open Wednesdays and Fridays 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm. 

We have delicious home baking, including a gluten-free choice. There are displays of local arts, crafts and produce and 2 free exhibitions.

One exhibition room shows the history of Inverasdale School through photographs and artefacts. There is a small dedicated area where young children can draw, colour and play. The other room shows Wester Loch Ewe in the Past. The exhibitions are updated for each summer season.

If you come to see us and enjoy your visit, please leave a comment in our Guest Book, or our Facebook Page.

Good News - Big Lottery Support!

On 12th December 2018 the Big Lottery Community Led Medium Fund awarded WLET a grant of £116,465. The award gives £50,000 of capital toward the building renovation – for our first ever kitchen, toilet refurbishment and upgrading of access to the building. The rest is revenue spending which will allow us to employ a project development manager part time for 2.5 years as well as employing an admin support assistant for 10 hours a week for 3 years!

Wester Loch Ewe Trust is enormously grateful to the Big Lottery for this grant and to the National Lottery players who made it possible!

Celebration of Community Ownership 8th December

On Saturday evening we held a very enjoyable gathering in Inverasdale School in celebration of community ownership! A significant milestone!

 Thank you to all who came along to join us during that evening.

 We toasted the school, thanked all who have been so supportive since we began working in 2012 to stage the weekend of Celebration of the School in the Community in June 2013, and enjoyed ourselves!