Trust projects

Appin Community Trust projects

Appin Community Trust donates to many charitable and educational activities in the north Lorn area, and in recent years has been the funding agent for several large projects – the community carpark, the all-weather pitch, the reflooring of the Port Appin hall and the major refurbishment of the Jubilee Bridge.

The trust also runs the 100 Club to raise funds to maintain and improve Appin’s leisure facilities: read more below for how to join and a list of recent winners.

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The 100 Club

The Trust set up the 100 Club in 2010 to help fund the ongoing maintenance of leisure and sporting facilities as well as encouraging new ones. 100 Club funds have been used to support volunteers clearing rhododendrons and scrub on our land around Clach Thoul and to contribute to the grass cutting of the Port Appin playing field. We also expect at some stage to support the maintenance of the all-weather pitch which we gave a significant contribution towards.

How it works

100 Club members pay £4 per month by standing order and the monthly draw has 3 prizes worth £100, £50 and £25 each. We currently have about 80 members so there is room for more!

How to join

Contact Iain McNicol, c/o Port Appin Stores or call 730433 if you'd like to join the 100 Club.

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Compassionate Communities

The Appin Pilot of the Highland-wide Compassionate Communities Project, launched in 2017, with the aim of involving as many people as possible in various schemes to support our more vulnerable elderly, especially those challenged with loneliness, isolation, depression, bereavement and various stages of dimentia.

Manshed/community space

The idea of a 'manshed' was investigated, with input from local residents. Based on community feedback, plans for the area of land on Shuna View/Bealach na Mara have been modified to something more in keeping with the Community Garden, Playpark and Playing Field with space for storage and shelter.

Big Screen

The Compassionate Communities project is progressing the installation of a 'Big Screen' and broadband in Appin Village Hall, in conjunction with Appin Village Hall's Committee.

The 'Big Screen' will enable our community to communicate with other Highland communities as well as gain access to the newly established Highland Health Board YouTube channel.

Weekly Walking Group

The weekly Walking Group meets on Wednesdays at 11am in the Appin Community Car Park. The gentle walks are open to everyone in the community (our oldest walker is 91). It's an opportunity to get a little bit of regular exercise, chat and enjoy some company. The walk is followed by refreshments in local cafes/hostelries.

Just come along if you are interested - anyone can do it (our oldest walker is 91) as we park support vehicles along the routes if possible. See events calendar.

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Clach Thoul walk interpretation board

A bench and interpretation boards have been installed on the west side of the Clach Thoul walk in memory of the late Richard Smidowitz.

The project, funded by a generous donation from Mr Smidowitz's estate, has created a seating area and viewpoint from an area of cleared scrub land looking out over towards Lismore, the Lynn of Lorne and the hills of Moidart and Ardgour. The interpretation boards help visitors and locals identify the hills and points of interest that can be seen from this splendid location.

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Community Book Exchange

The old red telephone box outside Port Appin Stores is now the Port Appin Community Book Exchange.

This tremendously popular and much admired project continues to benefit the local community through donations left in exchange for books. For several years now, Primary 7 school leavers from Strath of Appin Primary School have been given a £10 book token each.

Donations to the Book Exchange have also funded a new bench which has been installed on the path to Jubilee Bridge - near the bird hide - a favourite spot to sit and rest a while. The area beside the Book Exchange has also been brightened up with new gravel and two new planters.

Open to all

The Book Exchange is open to all - residents and visitors alike.

Simply browse inside the Book Exchange, take a book, return a book - the same one or another one of your own that you're finished with.

Alternatively, leave a small donation in the secure box provided if you wish.

Having a clear out?

If you've got a bagful of books to donate to the Book Exchange - leave them with Fiona in Port Appin Stores.

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Jubilee Bridge Renovation

The Community Trust were funding agents for the splendid renovation work carried out on our iconic Jubilee Bridge. The project involved replacing the approach paths to the bridge and repairing deck beams, deck boards and handrails on the bridge. The project was managed by local retired engineer Mike Rayworth and Appin construction firm SE Carmichael.

Funding

Over the four and half years, funding was raised from a variety of sources - £66,000 from the Scottish Government's Legacy 2014 Active Places Fund, £10,000 raised by the community, £20,000 from Crown Estates, £50,000 from Sustrans as well as Argyll & Bute Council, Appin Community Council and donations from HM The Queen and Dame Judi Dench.

Connecting Communities

The Jubilee Bridge was built in 1887 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee and connected the Free Church at Kilmoluag with the Episcopal Church at Portnacroish (Holy Cross). Nowadays, the much-loved bridge is regularly used by visitors and local people. The views from the bridge of Castle Stalker and out over Loch Linnhe are spectacular and the marshlands surrounding the bridge are a real draw for bird-watchers.

Cycle Network

The Sustrans cycle track has opened up miles of safe, flat cycling and walking, mainly along the disused Ballachulish railway line. A spur leads across the Jubilee Bridge connecting to the Appin Loop and Lismore (via the passenger/bike ferry).

Gallery

Click any image to enlarge.

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Appin Craft Shop

In 2013, the Trust bought the Craft Shop - site of the original food store.

The premises is now leased to a local business Appin Craft Shop - The Lighthouse which offers unique and high quality crafts & arts from over 120 local and Scottish artists and crafters.

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Community Car Park

Using land donated by the late Brigadier Ian Stewart, the much-needed car park provides parking for Appin Village Hall and the Church of Scotland.

A connecting track to Sustrans National Cycle Track 78 was also built giving easy access from the car park.

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All-weather Sports Pitch

Completed in 2012, the all-weather sports pitch attached to Strath of Appin primary school received significant funding from the Trust.

The sports pitch can now be used for a range of school and community sports all year round and is a vast improvement on the old muddy, waterlogged grass pitch.

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Solar Panels on shop roof

The solar panels were installed on the shop roof at the end of 2012 to help reduce the cost of heat and light to the shop which we had identified as a major challenge to the shop's long term viability. It also offered us an increasing return of over 10% on reserves we had which far exceeds bank interest.

We also replaced the fluorescent lights in the shop with LEDs which increase the light by 30% and have halved our lighting costs. This has also improved our Green credentials along with a policy of charging for plastic bags which we introduced 3 years ago and reduced our useage from 50,000 pa to 5,000.

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Shop car park

Additional land was bought to extend and re-surface the parking area at Port Appin Stores and Craft Shop.

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Donation of land at Clach Thoul

The land, donated to the Community by Andrew Gordon Duff in memory of his mother, flanks the track at the start of the Clach Thoul and Appin Rocks headland walk.

Work since the donation to clear rhododendrons has opened up the stunning views over Loch Linnhe.

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New floor for Port Appin Hall

Port Appin Hall has been the centre of village social life since 1948 - it's used for meetings, country dancing, Appin Art Group, children's activities, Appin Historical Society, SWRI meetings, private parties and much more.

Using a grant from Appin Community Trust, the well-trodden hall was re-floored in 2010.

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Shop van

The shop van, replaced in 2013, was an essential investment for the work of the Cooperative - to collect stock and make food deliveries to elderly/infirm residents throughout the community.

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Build new Port Appin Stores

The new, larger shop with Post Office, built in 2001, enabled the Cooperative to install additional refrigeration and extend the range of fresh produce, frozen foods and groceries.

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Bealach na Mara housing development

The houses were built on land that the late Colin Wallace sold to the community at a heavily discounted rate. The Trust then sold half of the land to Lorn and Mull Housing Association.

As Dr Iain McNicol, Community Trust Chairman recalls "We turned the other half of the land into a playing field and play park. The Trust also paid for the planning permission which enabled the housing association to apply for government funding."

Appin Community Co-operative

Appin Community Trust projects

The 100 Club

Compassionate Communities

Clach Thoul walk interpretation board

Community Book Exchange

Jubilee Bridge Renovation

Appin Craft Shop

Community Car Park

All-weather Sports Pitch

Solar Panels on shop roof

Shop car park

Donation of land at Clach Thoul

New floor for Port Appin Hall

Shop van

Build new Port Appin Stores

Bealach na Mara housing development