-- More organisations are invited to apply for the next allocation from the £1million fund --
The successful first year of The Ardbeg All Islay Fund has seen £200K shared between environmental and community projects on the island.
The fund was set up in 2022 with a £1million donation by the distillery, following the record-breaking sale of Ardbeg Islay single malt Scotch whisky’s Cask No.3 to a private collector for £16million. Partnering with South Islay Development (SID), a local development organisation, the fund invited sustainability projects and organisations such as sports and cultural groups to apply for support. A total of £200,000 has been allocated per year, for the next five years.
In 2023, the first year, 28 organisations that applied for support were granted funding. Three of these organisations were:
Islay Karate Club – used their £4,444 funding to buy new suits and sparring equipment and to bring Black Belts over from Glasgow to offer training and grading to Islay club members.
Islay Book Festival – used their funding to make the 2023 festival more inclusive and affordable, with a diverse programme featuring special guests, live performances and free events.
Bowmore Lunch Club – were able to provide transport and volunteers for a summer of social activities, including bingo, sing-songs, birthday celebrations and visits to other seniors groups.
Now, The Ardbeg All Islay Fund is inviting similar groups and organisations to apply for the next allocation of £200K. Applications will be open between January and March 2024. Each application will be considered by a panel made up of two SID directors, five members of the local community and a representative from The Glenmorangie Company (owners of Ardbeg Distillery), with funding awarded from spring 2024 onwards.
The Ardbeg All Islay Fund is committed to supporting local groups and projects based on Islay, whose activities meet some of the following criteria: supporting active lives; building community resilience; enhancing the environment.
Caspar MacRae, CEO of the Glenmorangie Company, said: “We’re delighted to see so many members of the Islay community enjoying the benefits of The Ardbeg All Islay Fund in its first year. It’s great that it’s already making a real difference to life on the island.”
Pat McGrann, SID Chair, said: “There is no shortage of creativity, imagination and community spirit on Islay, so it’s wonderful to see people embracing the opportunities presented by The Ardbeg All Islay Fund. I hope other groups and organisations will feel inspired to get their applications in for 2024 and see how together with the help of the fund they can help our community to flourish even more.”
Charlène Busalli, Chair of Islay Book Festival, commented: “The aim of the Islay Book Festival is to be as inclusive as we can, by keeping our events affordable and catering for every age group and all reading tastes. In 2023, thanks to this funding, we were able to widen our programme and make the event as accessible as possible to as many people as possible. If any of my fellow Islanders are seeking support for their community initiative, I heartily recommend applying to The Ardbeg All Islay Fund!”
What’s happening in the South Islay Development Office?
At last the staff are back in the office from Monday to Friday after an absence of 2 years and they are available for chats and questions.
Three members of staff are there to welcome you:
Alyson MacGillivray – Development Manager
Rosie MacLellan – Port Ellen Playing Fields Project Manager
Rose Reis – Admin & Finance Officer
Things have certainly not stood still and whilst SID wait for the outcome of the planning hearing for the permission to build the new Playing Fields Pavilion there have been many other developments.
Securing funding is the crux for any development organisation and it takes many hours of application filling, nail biting waits and sometimes rejection!
The staff have, however, managed to successfully secure the revenue funding for the above posts for the next 2 years from a variety of sources, complementing the whole community, and allowing SID to work alongside local users and groups.
This funding will, of course, run concurrently with the capital funding which has already been procured for the Playing Fields community building. SID are grateful to the Investing in Communities extension funding from Scottish Government, the David & Avril MacDonald Fund, Foundation Scotland, Elixir Distillers Ltd and the National Lottery – Community Led Fund. This revenue funding will allow a diverse range of smaller campaigns and projects to continue in the south of Islay and will secure the capacity and growth of the charity.
Loads of things are happening in the community and can now keep progressing with confidence that funding for staffing continues. This includes pulling together community feedback, building the additional outdoor activities and equipment in to the Playing Fields plan, working with volunteers to care and maintain the Playing Fields and Community Garden, events planning in the shape of Port Ellen Sports Day, the wonderfully popular Play and Stay sessions and Community Garden afternoon teas. The aim is to continue to work with other local groups to hold events like the Port Ellen Lunch Club, indoor bowling and soft play sessions in the Ramsay Hall.
SID is also building resilience in the community - providing training opportunities for volunteers, continuing the development of the South Islay Community Action Plan and, of course, managing the community owned Filling Station.
Obtaining the revenue funding is a huge success for the community and runs in parallel with the larger capital projects:
All of these projects are working closely together to ensure they complement the needs and aspirations of the community and groups who use and will use the facilities.
So that’s about it! Not that much going on. All the directors of SID are right behind all the projects in South Islay and it is a great testament to the hard work of the SID staff that the funding for these projects has been secured for the south of Islay.
South Islay Development is excited to announce that it has successfully secured a £746, 233 grant from the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital fund. This means that alongside a £250,000 grant received from The Glenmorangie Company's Kildalton Fund, and funding received from Investing in Communities, over £1 million has now been raised towards its £1.4 million project to revitalise Port Ellen Playing Fields in South Islay.
The project plans to breathe new life into this much-loved community space by replacing the old Pavilion building with a new Pavilion encompassing a café, multi-use community function rooms, business and community storage spaces, as well as office space for local organisations and SID. New parking and an access road are part of the plan, as is the relocation of the playpark from the current site closer to the new Pavilion, and the expansion of the existing motorhome site.
The new Pavilion will provide a much-needed community facility for the South of Islay, and indeed the island as a whole. Port Ellen has lost a number of its community facilities in recent times and the new building will provide a thriving facility for all ages, groups and clubs to come together in a welcoming and pleasant environment.
SID believes that the Community Hub will play a pivotal role in providing long-term community recovery from the recent pandemic, connecting the people that require support to a range of facilities and services which promote individual and community wellbeing.
Following extensive community consultation an application was submitted for planning permission in August 2021, and SID hopes that construction work will begin onsite in the first quarter of 2022. In the meantime, SID continues to work alongside their design team, to finalise the overall building design. Work is also ongoing to secure the necessary funding required to fully finance the project.
SID hopes that construction work will begin onsite in May/June 2022.
The Islay Resilience Group (IRG) continues to thrive and evolve.
Started by a group of like-minded people, the Islay response to Coronavirus has been nothing less than extraordinary and a partnership of local charities and organisations continues to drive the IRG forward. Unprecedented times necessitate unprecedented action. Without exception everyone on Islay continues to come together to make sure that everybody is cared for, looked after and most importantly not alone. The Group is an island-wide collaboration with many island bodies setting aside their own priorities to come together with the aim of supporting and protecting those in need – both physically and emotionally.
Guided by a local coordinator, depending in which area you live, assistance has been and is available for those who may need food provisions, medical deliveries, fuel or a friendly voice (on the phone or at a safe distance.) Looking across the world it is evident that the sense of community spirit is strong and when the tide turns the worst thing will be if we have learned nothing from this virus.
Donations have continued to pour in via the Go Fund Me page; donations from international visitors, local businesses and individually from all ages within the community – some donating ‘piggy bank’ money or hard-earned pocket money! Other donations and funding have also been given or applied for giving a boost to the bank account. The marvellous band of 148 island-wide volunteers are visible with their lanyards and shopping bags, clutching lists from their neighbours and friends, making sure that nobody feels alone. All monies are being channelled to an island wide fund named the Islay COVID-19 Fund.
The Islay COVID-19 Fund has been set up and applications to the Fund can be made to a panel of representatives made up from Islay bodies – Islay Resilience Group, Islay Community Council, Emergency Planning Group, Islay and Jura Community Enterprises, Dunlossit and Islay Community Trust, Islay Development Initiative and South Islay Development. This funding has been established as part of an investment package to provide financial support targeted through community organisations working in partnership within the community and public services, to coordinate efforts in response to the Islay Covid-19 pandemic.
Due to the nature of this pandemic and the ever-changing situation, the Islay Covid-19 Fund will be administered centrally through SID. Applications are welcomed from groups or organisations with a registered address on Islay. Projects should provide clear benefit to the wider community of Islay.
In the first instance please request an application form from the Local Development Officer at SID by email: Southislaydevelopment@gmail.com
Grants from £250 to £2,000 can be applied for and the panel will assess the applications quickly and in a timely manner.
