July 2010
Torridon Celebrates Successful Bid for New Hall Facilities
Local people of Torridon have worked hard since 2004 to bring plans for
their new Hall Extension to fruition. Now they are celebrating as successful
grant applications have given the go-ahead for the new project.
Formerly, Torridon Village Hall provided limited accommodation for
meetings and club activities. With accommodation always being
oversubscribed, local people and visitors identified a great need for new
facilities. An analysis was carried out in order to examine precise
requirements, and potential for further development. Applications were
made for grants to turn these plans into reality. They included health and
fitness rooms, full conference facilities with modern audio-visual aids,
exhibition space, multi-purpose rooms and a reception and information area,
bringing an additional 300 metres of floor space, as well as additional
land purchased from the National Trust for car parking. Employment
opportunities are also anticipated.
A high priority was to promote at the design and building stages good
ecological practice with particular reference to sourcing of materials
from sustainable sources, and minimal energy consumption.
The original design concept is the work of local resident and committee
member Adrian Slocombe. The architect is Douglas Stuart. Quantity
surveying was provided by MacLeod and Aitken. The Torridon Hall Extension
Committee members and local community are very appreciative of grants
agreed by The Big Lottery (£512,268), Rural Priorities Assessment
Committee, RPAC, (£433,692) and the Highlands and Islands Enterprise, HIE,
(£72,900). Building work on this project will start next month.
August 2009
Glyn Meredith has received a letter offering funding from 'Awards for All'. The Arts and Culture Group applied for just over £8000 (95%) to complete the audio system in the hall (as quoted in the extension project) and to provide two tripods with theatre lights (portable ones). This will be installed in September by the company Audio Light Systems whom Trevor Cross works for. They actually came out to the hall over two years ago before they put in their quotation. They updated this for inflation and include the lighting on it.
April 2009
Many thanks to Kirsty Mackenzie and her team for organising a Silent Auction at Torridon Hall on 24 April to fundraise for the Torridon Hall Extension.
A total of £738.48 was made, from which £476 was raised from bids. The remainder came from refreshments and a raffle.
Well done, everyone.
February 2009
The Torridon Hall Extension committee have been working very hard to finalise plans and to prepare the Big Lottery grant application which will be submitted next month. There have been some tough and complex decisions to be made.
Glyn Meredith, committee secretary, reports that The Torridon Hall Extension Fund has received a generous grant from the Scottish Community Foundation to buy extra land from the National Trust for car parking next to the building. This is excellent news.
3rd December 2008
The superb tableau now displayed in Torridon Community Hall reveals the
hidden talents of more than one hundred people who each stitched a local
scene for a project started by Torridon Primary School over ten years ago.
The individual squares began as an art project at the Primary school and was
soon extended to anyone with an interest in the area.
Many local landmarks and themes have been lovingly stitched into the squares
and even local characters (past and present) are preserved in a variety of
needlework and inventive craft styles.
The tableau is made up of four panels and has been hung on the end wall of
the Community Hall where it will be admired for many years to come.
Many thanks to all who completed squares or assembled, framed and hung the
finished tableau.
Glyn Meredith
26th October 2008
First Responder Training
Back row (L to R): Iona, Claire, Anne, Penny, Elaine, Marianne, Alan, Simon.
Front row (L to R): Marianne, Pamela, Maggie, Liz, Kirsty, Joan, Wilma.
Torridon Hall was the venue of the much-anticipated training of First Responders this week, and it is hoped that additional training will be followed soon. As we know, the Scottish Highlands has large rural areas. The Scottish Ambulance Service performs extremely well in reaching set peformance standards to most 999 calls. But in our community - where lengthy distances to incidents exist - it is not always possible to achieve arrival within a critical time period. This is where a volunteer First Responder can help not only the Scottish Ambulance Service but directly benefit the local community. The First Responder will supplement the essential work of the Scottish Ambulance Service.
The training of volunteers in defibrillation and other life-saving techniques means that there are a number of life-saving interventions available that were only previously performed by ambulance staff. These include easy to operate 'automatic external defibrillators' (AEDs) and lightweight oxygen delivery systems. If you wish to participate in assisting this scheme, please contact the Scottish Ambulance Service.
We are appreciative of the hard work, knowledge and inspiration of the trainers, Alan and Vicki. Thanks are also due to Liz Pritchard who has worked tirelessly to initiate this scheme.
24th September 2008
Here are the completed plans for the new Torridon Hall...
GROUND FLOOR:
FIRST FLOOR:
2nd September 2008
At one of the monthly meetings, members of the Torridon Hall Extension Committee consider the architects' plans for the new Hall. Challenges include the positioning of fire escapes, storage and toilets...
25 August 2008
The !Gubi Family Visit Torridon
The !Gubi Family are an enchanting group of traditional musicians and dancers ranging in age from 18-80 from the San People of The Kalalhari Desert in Namibia.
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The !Gubi Family gave a wonderful workshop of dancing for the children of the Torridon area in the Hall during the afternoon. The children were encouraged to experiment with rhythms and beats, using their hands and feet. International exposure for the music of this race holds the key to the improvement in the lives of their entire community. Tragically, as with many indigenous cultures, the San have faced persecution and oppression, losing their ancestral lands and human-rights in a modern world fuelled by domination and control. Rather than aid, the San need the opportunity to choose their own destinies, to have autonomy and protection, and for people to understand the importance of their special culture.
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In the evening, the Torridon Hall was packed with local people who were delighted throughout the evening by a film about the the group of San musicians shaping a better future for their community, followed by dances and songs. |
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The evening started with 'Nqale', a prayer song, their opening prayer, followed by 'Goma', the bee song. 'Gau Gau' was a healing song. The pace quickened considerably with more songs and dances in which the dancers danced as lions and doves. |
The San are one of the originators of trance dance, and their music is specifically designed to evoke an altered state of consciousness through the rhythms and beats, enabling the musician to enter into trance and perform healing on individuals and the tribe. |
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Here, the !Gubi Family perform '//Xoye (Kili Kili)' - The Song of the Ostrich. The male ostriches are playing alongside each other in the veld. |
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The !Gubi Family Land Trust is setting up a sustainable development plan aiming for the purchasing of land for the community. For more information and to make a donation, see the work of the London-based non-governmental organisation Indigenous People by visiting their website or ringing: 0796 099 1824
16 August 2008
A Ceilidh in the Torridon Hall was held to pay tribute to Donnie and Morag who have recently retired after having run the village shop for many years. Photographs were taken by Michael and Renate on the night.
The Torridon Shop... as a cake
June 2008
Torridon Volunteers Boost Funds for Torridon Hall Extension
12 volunteers from the Torridon community worked as marshals for the Caledonian Challenge on the weekend of 14 June, earning £1,800 that they donated to the Torridon Hall Extension Fund.
The Caledonian Challenge involves a 54-mile walk (or run) over 24 hours on part of the West Highland Way . Teams from all over the country raise funds for the Scottish Community Foundation in order to enter this charity event.
The weather was perfect. 1,300 entrants started out enthusiastically - but along the way, many needed some tender loving care in order to continue. The marshals' jobs were varied over the weekend, ranging from car parking, cheerleading, organising refreshments, litter collecting, and helping exhausted entrants from the boats which ferried them across Loch Lomond throughout the night to collect their medals. The marshals demonstrated dedication, stamina – and a good sense of humour to see them through the weekend, briefly resting overnight at the Crianlarich youth hostel. The Torridon volunteers reported that it was good to be part of such a huge, well organised event, and they have already been asked to participate again next year.
The Torridon Hall Extension Project aims to extend and transform the existing hall into a high quality, sustainable, vibrant and multi purpose centre by 2011. The new Community Centre will provide facilities highlighted by the local community. These include a function room, a fitness room, an audio visual room fully equipped for conferences as well as an exhibition area. Additional facilities will include showers, enhanced kitchen facilities, more storage areas and office space.
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June 2008
Big Lottery Grant Boosts Plans for New Torridon Community Centre
The Big Lottery has provided a welcome boost to Torridon and District Community Association's plans to extend the Community Hall. Its grant of over £34,000 will be used for technical assistance to prepare an application to Investing in Communities later this year.
The Torridon Hall Extension Project aims to extend and transform the existing hall into a high quality, sustainable, vibrant and multi purpose centre. The new Community Centre will provide facilities highlighted by the local community. These include a function room, a fitness room, an audio visual room fully equipped for conferences as well as an exhibition area. Additional facilities will include showers, enhanced kitchen facilities, more storage areas and office space.
The Community Centre will enhance life for local people, providing a place for residents of Diabaig, Wester Alligin, Aligin, Fasaig, Annat, Shieldaig and Kinlochewe to meet, develop, integrate and socialise.
The Torridon Hall Extension Project began in 2004. A feasibility study concluded that not only did the project have widespread local support, but that the multi-use facility will play a pivotal role, enabling the people in the Torridon region to enjoy a high quality of life and generate income to invest in further community activities.
The final building specification is almost completed. Land has been secured for extra car parking. A ground source heat pump has already been installed. This provides heating in the existing hall and will have the capacity to serve the future community centre. The project is on target for completion in 2011.
