Relief for Wester Ross village as local public toilet initiative wins lottery support
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A WESTER Ross push to ensure public toilet provision was maintained is celebrating after securing a £2000 boost towards the cause.
National Lottery funding to the Kinlochewe initiative will see more energy and water efficient facilities, as well as noticeboards highlighting the attractions of the surrounding area.
The Community Out West Trust was set up by local volunteers in March this year to run the public toilets after the Highland Council took the decision to permanently close them last autumn.
The toilets provide important facilities for local people on their long journeys for shopping and other services, as well as catering for the needs of the many visitors to the area.
Last year an average of 900 people used the toilets each week during the tourist season and the indications are that numbers are higher this year.
The Kinlochewe community toilets make sure that everyone, especially the elderly,less mobile and those with particular health needs, have access to essential basic services.
The new funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes and is the largest community funder in the UK, will enable the Trust to start its planned up-grading of the facilities so that more energy efficient heating and lighting can be installed, as well as taps that will reduce usage of water. These will be more environmentally friendly as well as reducing running costs in the future. The funds will also allow the
installation of noticeboards that will be used to celebrate the varied attractions of the local area and local businesses.
Karen Twist, a director of Community Out West Trust said: “We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way. Now, thanks to National Lottery players we will be able to press on with our plans to up-grade the facilities. This is important as it will make the toilets more sustainable and will help us to achieve our two goals of making these toilets ‘the best in the west’ and keeping them open all year.
