Evanton wood group sets scene for 10th anniversary celebration of community ownership with programme of events to feature story, song and craft work
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AN ACCLAIMED Easter Ross woodland well-used by those living around it is set to mark its 10th anniversary of community ownership with a series of lively events over the summer and beyond.
The music events celebrating Evanton Community Wood take place at the octagonal shelter and log cabin which have been built there.
Storytelling events take place throughout the woodland.
The summer concert programme follows on from the success of last year’s inaugural event which featured mainly local musicians. This year, with support of a Novar wind farm grant, there are five concerts featuring professional and up-and-coming musicians, most with a local connection.
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The wood was fortunate to have The Fyrish String Quartet – with founder member/violinist Emma Donald of Dingwall – launch the season with a lunch-time concert of classical and Scottish traditional music at the cabin in May.
The North Atlantic Project, featuring two local musicians – one originally from Alaska – visits on July 3. The Fèis Rois Ceilidh Trail returns with a fresh line-up on July 23.
Moteh Parrott, whose music has been compared to “a Highland wilderness with all the sweeping colour and spirit which that encompasses”, plays alongside two local musicians on Sunday, August 21. And to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the purchase of the wood, there is a special afternoon of music and storytelling on Sunday, September 11 featuring Siannie Moodie, Lizzie MacDougall and the Blackrock Ceilidh.
The community wood is also pleased to be part of Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022, with support from Museums Galleries Scotland. Bob Pegg launches the programme in the wood with Midsummer Stories on June 25. Trish Matthews leads a session on July 9 to discover the lives of environmental champions from around the world. Sitakumari of Heartstone brings stories connected to the badger and dancer characters in The Heartstone Odyssey books on July 30.
Lizzie MacDougall presents traditional local and Scottish tales on September 11. Two further events will happen at Halloween and towards the end of year.
In addition to the public events, the programme includes a memory cushion project with the Friday Futures group for people living with dementia and two three-day storytelling and story-making projects with pupils of Kiltearn Primary School.
The concerts start at 3.30pm, apart from the first which is at 12.30pm. The storytelling events are from 3pm to 4.30pm. All events are free but donations will enable further such programmes. Disabled parking is available; others are asked to park in the village, preferably in the car park.
Further information on the woodland can be found at www.evantonwood.com
