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Muir of Ord gathering seeks views on Fairburn wind farm cash with survey still open for feedback


By Hector MacKenzie

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Francis Macgruer, Chair of Community Council, Mike Atkinson, Director of Development Trust, Joolz Christie, Muir of Ord Library Assistant and Carol Masheter, Community Fund Manager for SSE. Picture: James Mackenzie.
Francis Macgruer, Chair of Community Council, Mike Atkinson, Director of Development Trust, Joolz Christie, Muir of Ord Library Assistant and Carol Masheter, Community Fund Manager for SSE. Picture: James Mackenzie.

MEMBERS of a Ross-shire community gathered in a village hall at the weekend to discuss the best way of divvying up cash generated by the SSE Fairburn Wind Farm Community Fund.

Locals were invited to drop in to join members of the community council and the Muir of Ord Development Trust and share their ideas, find out more about these organisations and meet with some of the groups that have benefited from the fund to date.

Public consultation inside Muir of Ord village hall. Picture: James Mackenzie.
Public consultation inside Muir of Ord village hall. Picture: James Mackenzie.

Frances MacGruer of Muir of Ord Community Council said later: “We had a really successful day, although we are severely lacking in the young parents age group to take the legacy of our village into the future and to know what they want us to invest the fund in for the future.

“However, the survey is open until the end of February and there are copies in the Hub, to be completed or to take away for completion with a deposit box in the foyer for collection of said surveys. We will know the outcome at the beginning of March.”

Ashley Mackenzie, fundraiser and Martin Godwin, President of the Muir of Ord Football Club. Picture: James Mackenzie.
Ashley Mackenzie, fundraiser and Martin Godwin, President of the Muir of Ord Football Club. Picture: James Mackenzie.
Maureen Macgourlay, Nan Blain and Eleanor Innes. Picture: James Mackenzie.
Maureen Macgourlay, Nan Blain and Eleanor Innes. Picture: James Mackenzie.
Muir of Ord Village Hall will host a drop-in consultation event on Saturday. Picture: James Mackenzie.
Muir of Ord Village Hall will host a drop-in consultation event on Saturday. Picture: James Mackenzie.
. Picture: James Mackenzie.
. Picture: James Mackenzie.

She thanked local groups for coming on the day.

See the survey at https://forms.gle/UuR8WyVP2ThA6nMn8

MEMBERS of a Ross-shire community are this weekend being asked how best to divvy up cash generated by a local wind farm benefit fund.

Community consultation for the SSE Fairburn Wind Farm Community Fund is taking place on Saturday, February 4 at the Muir of Ord Village Hall from 10am to 2pm.

Locals are invited to drop in to join members of the community council and the Muir of Ord Development Trust and share their ideas, find out more about these organisations and meet with some of the groups from Muir of Ord that have benefited from the fund to date.

The community council asks anyone who can't make it along to either fill in the paper copy that may have been posted through your door and drop off in the Muir Hub or fill in the questionnaire electronically with this link: https://forms.gle/UuR8WyVP2ThA6nMn8

The Fairburn Community Fund is expected to invest around £2.7m in local projects over its lifetime and benefits a population of more than 4300 over the three community council areas Contin; Marybank, Scatwell and Strathconon and Muir of Ord.

A total of around £110,000 per year is available for community and charitable projects – with approximately £20,000 per year available to Muir of Ord.

The Muir Hub, a community owned venue, posted: "We now need to decide what we as a community what to do with our allocation of funds over the next 3 to 5 years. Should we continue to focus on the support of the major village facilities or develop new facilities or do we use the money for larger grants to organisations operating to make the village more resilient and to support our community - or perhaps a bit of both?

"Please have your say and join us on Saturday...or fill in the questionnaire. All ideas and suggestions are very welcome."


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