Coigach Community Development Company Annual Stakeholders Report 2023

ANNUAL REPORT 2022 - 2023

‘Boat’ by Tim Hamlet

Prepared for the Annual General Meeting 13th November 2023

WELCOME! Our vision: CCDC’s aim is for Coigach to be a thriving, resilient and inclusive community in which to live, work and grow.

Our priorities have been: • Provision of housing • Provision of workshop space • Improvements to community piers/harbours and; • Development of tourism services

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Our affiliations

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CONTENTS Forward Our mission Strategy Achievements Grants Plans Trustees Operational Team Why become a member

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Foreword from our chair

Company No: SC374107 Charity Number: SCO47971 Registered Office: Coigach Community Hall, Achiltibuie, Ullapool IV26 2YG Coigachcommunity.com Follow us on X: @coigachcdc Like us on Facebook: Coigach Community Development Company

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Welcome to CCDC’s Annual Report for 2022/23. Thank you for taking the time read to read and explore our work over the past year. It's been another fantastic year of progress for the community, with a number of exciting developments, most notably the purchase of site to enable our long held ambition o develop affordable housing for the village.

None of these great achievements are possible without the hard work, dedication and enthusiasm of CCDC’s staff team and board of voluntary Directors, who o above and beyond to masking everything you’ll read about in this report a reality. On behalf of the community, my heartfelt thanks to them all.

I hope you enjoy the read.

Richard Williams, Chair CCDC

Strategy • Over the past 12 months, CCDC has followed the following strategic work areas: • Housing • Infrastructure • Land & Food • Arts & Culture • Charitable Giving • Managing our Assets • Governance, Operations & Staff Artwork by Julia Campbell

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Achievements

Housing

• Purchase of the Old Hydroponicum site • £285,000 Scottish Land Fund success • £124,500 CCDC’s own resources • Negotiation with vendor to ensure successful sale • Successful tender process leading to the appointment of a design team, Catoe Brown

We have also agreed a strategic approach to identify new sites and varied opportunities informed by research into wider processes and legislation which will assist in enabling strategy and delivery.

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Achievements We are starting to investigate options to "Evergreen" the turbine income, by using some of the post triodos income

Infrastructure

Our digital infrastructure announcement this year has been an overhaul of the Coigach Community website www.coigachcommunity.com We have also made the shift over to Google Workspace so that the company now has more secure data sharing systems.

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Achievements

Land & Food

The pilot growing project is proving to be such a success.

At the first open day in June we had about 40 attendees, of all ages. There is a real feeling of community goodwill from this project, with volunteers putting in many hours of time to plant, weed and water. We've been really successful with food production and have been able to donate surplus veg.

I had a lovely message from a resident to say thank you: the cost of living crisis has meant that they're struggling to afford much fresh produce at the moment and the veg we were giving away had been much appreciated.

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Achievements • Talamh Beò, commissioned by CCDC and written by the amazing collaborating team of Mary Ann Kennedy, Nick Turner, Finlay Wells and Donald Maclean, won the Original Work of the Year Award at the Scots Trad Awards

Arts & Culture

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• Finale of the Creative Scotland funded arts' project: The Coigach and Assynt Collection in November.

Community members took part in a singing workshop which was recorded and used on the soon to be launched album Six Hundred and Thirty-Five Days.

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Grants

As a result of the income generated by our wind turbine and profit share on the hydroelectric scheme we have five funds available to people living in Coigach and from organisations operating in our community.

Coigach Baby Hello Gift £250 given to each new-born Coigach baby to help parents defray costs, or to invest for their future, to welcome them to our community.

CCDC Supporting Children and Young People Fund This Fund is open to support children from birth to the time that they, as young people, exit secondary education. The Fund is for individuals to enable them to access activities or obtain equipment that supports their development.

CCDC Education and Training Bursaries Fund The Fund is open for applications from anyone aged 16+ from Coigach who wish to develop their skills and who are undertaking courses delivered by accredited organisations and recognised training providers.

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In the year to 31st March 2023 there were no distributions from this fund In the year to 31st March 2023 the Charity distributed £2,635 from this fund to 16 individuals.

In the year to 31st March 2023 the Charity awarded £4,746 from this fund to 11 individuals.

CCDC Small Grant (up to £5,000) Fund for Organisations This fund is for organisations that wish to apply for funding for a project/s which meets one or more of CCDC’s charitable objects and which will benefit the community of Coigach.

In the year to 31st March 2023 the Charity awarded £15,100 from this fund.

CCDC Wellbeing Fund This Fund is open to support individuals (aged 16+) living in Coigach to participate (including to perform) in a range of arts, cultural and natural heritage, leisure and recreational, and scientific events, non-certificated/informal lifelong learning courses and activities.

CCDC Energy Grant This Fund was introduced in June 2022 as a response to the energy cost crisis that appeared at that time. The grant aimed to cover ⅔ of the increase in the OFGEM price cap. It was targeted at households who live permanently in Coigach and for whom the increase in power costs was unaffordable.

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In the year to 31st March 2023 the Charity awarded £2,465 from this fund to 9 individuals.

In the year to 31st March 2023 the Charity awarded £3,878 from this fund to an average of 8 families per month The fund is currently supporting 14 households.

Grants CCDC Education and Training Bursaries Fund We have increased the amount that young people living away from home for training or education can access. This is now £1500 per year every year they are away and in training.

For those living at home while undertaking training or education, there is a grant of up to £500 every year.

CCDC Small Grant (up to £5,000) Fund for Organisations We have removed the three year restriction and increased the amount available to £6000 for all constituted community organisations.

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Improvements for 2024

NEW ENERGY REDUCTION GRANT

From now on, residents of Coigach can receive up to £3000 of funding to help reduce their energy usage If a householder has a project with Home Energy Scotland to improve the energy efficiency of their home and there is an element to be paid by the householder, the householder may apply to CCDC for a Grant for up to half of the householder element, up to a maximum of £3,000.

www.homeenergyscotland.org

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Achievements

Assets

This year, we took a proactive approach to the former Smokehouse. Significant milestone achievements were: • Securing a competitive tender price for demolition • A market valuation • Planning Permission in Principle for two dwellings and; • An EOI process leading to a successful sale above market rate to the general benefit of CCDC and the community.

Coigach Community CIC donated £180,500 to Coigach Community Development Company after repaying £38,000 of the outstanding Loan 14

The turbine blades underwent repairs and maintenance this year and the C.I.C. one of CCDC’s subsidiary companies investigated options to increase renewable energy production.

Unfortunately, none of the options were viable at the moment.

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Achievements This year we have undertaken an extensive governance and HR review with support from SCVO and SKS. This has led to improved governance, implementation of a new working group structure and appointment of a Chief Executive to lead on strategic development and operational management.

Governance, Operations and Staff

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We expect these changes to allow CCDC to grow over the next few years and invest in bigger projects with greater impact for the people of Coigach.

https://twitter.com/RuralHousingSco/status/16290548 01622319105/photo/1

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The staff team kept up to date with current policy at the Rural Housing conference, the Community Land Scotland conference, the Local Development Officers conference and on a learning journey with the Sutherland Community Partnership Homes and Infrastructure committee to see housing/community building projects in Lochcarron, Shieldaig and Gairloch.

We also participate in North West 2045, which brings together disadvantaged communities sharing similar challenges to Coigach coordinates regional level consultation, research, and strategy development. We took the lead on childcare meeting with Highland Council and other groups to try to improve provision.

What’s ongoing?

Former Schoolhouse; Improve insulation to meet incoming energy efficiency regulations; Work with Home Energy Scotland to ensure our grant scheme can appropriately support individuals to improve home insulation and reduce power usage; Investigate green and shared local transport options; Review our Grant Giving policies to ensure they continue to be relevant and meet the needs of the whole community; Continue to develop Governance structure and processes Review management plan for all CCDC owned or managed assets, and implement Develop and implement a communications plan 17

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Plans 2023 - 2024 Over the next year, we will complete the groundwork to build around ten affordable homes on the Old Hydroponicum site.

This will including checking that we plan to build the right mix of 1, 2 ,3 or 4 bedroomed homes.

We also want to know what other facilities should be on this site. Office space? A play park? Poly Tunnels?

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It’s been 13 years since we asked the community what our priorities should be. We plan to check back in this year and see if we are on the right track, or if things need updated. This might include creating a ‘place plan’ if this feels right for Coigach.

We will use the results to create a strategic investment plan so that we know that we are investing the income from our tubine in the best possible way to achieve the most impact for the people of Coigach.

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Plans - beyond 2024 Develop a second Housing site on the peninsula Start delivery of green & shared local transport plans Set up an Electrical Distribution Co to sell electricity direct Develop a strategy to keep generating power (and £s) from 2037 Continue to support groups and individuals in the community through our grant scheme What else? Incorporate and develop ideas based on the feedback and consultation work undertaken in 2023

Artwork by Julia Campbell

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Plans - 2027 onwards Ongoing management and maintenance of projects Consider further housing development as needed Continue to support groups and individuals in the community through our grant scheme Deliver community infrastructure projects Set up a Common Good fund Deliver on the strategy to keep generating power at the end of the turbine’s existing planning permission (2037) Landscape 2 by Tim Hamlet

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Our Trustees

Richard Williams

Iain Scott

Sheila Green

Rich has been a member of CCDC for many years and is an advocate for community partnership projects. His major contributions have been the groundwork for the Coigach & Assynt Living Landscape Partnership Scheme and more recently through the John Muir Trust as their partnerships lead for the North West Highlands. Rich lives in Achvraie with his young family.

Iain is a Chartered Management Accountant, with an MBA and is a Chartered Director. Iain worked for the three largest construction companies in Scotland and has been responsible for up to 7,500 staff in his career.

Since 2004, Iain primarily works with small companies to raise funds and grow. Iain has a home in Achiltibuie and has been a director of CCDC for 10 years.

Sheila was brought up on the family croft in Achnahaird, and worked in Edinburgh as a business studies teacher and in London as head of a school business studies department.

Sheila and her husband David later owned and ran a successful hotel business in Strathpeffer before returning to Coigach with their young family. Finally retiring from teaching at Ullapool High School in 2016, Sheila has been a trustee since 2019.

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Our Trustees

Alison Urquart

Julie Edwards

Ben Walton

Alison is a qualified building services engineer.

She has worked with community organisations developing social enterprise initiatives and for CCDC as development officer for the former Achiltibuie Smokehouse building. She completed a housing options' appraisal for CCDC, and worked as Powerdown Officer for Lochbroom, promoting and developing community renewable energy schemes.

On Wednesdays Julie runs the local library, other days she is the administrator for the Community Hall, and is a director of Achiltibuie Garden which grows and supplies fresh produce. Julie’s own business includes catering for events and functions. Julie is also a member of Coigach Community Council and undertakes local fundraising for several national charities.

Ben is CCDC Vice chair. He was raised in Coigach and was for many years a self-employed fisherman creel fishing in local waters for shellfish and was a key member of the pier users group. He now runs his own contracting and haulage company. Ben was one of the first directors of CCDC in 2010. In his “spare” time, Ben keeps highland cattle on his croft, has built his own family home and is a member of 31 the local retained firefighter team.

Our Trustees

Iain Angus Macleod Iain grew up locally in the village of Altandhu and currently works on a prawn creel fishing boat out of the local harbour. He is one of our newest trustees and is a member of CCDC’s Grants committee. He became a trustee so that he can help with projects within the local community for its benefit.

Dan Walton Dan lives in Coigach with his young family and is one of CCDC’s newest Directors. He currently sits on the Programmes working group.

Robin Irvine Robin’s works for Summer Isles Enterprises as Land and Community Manager and manages all aspects of work to do with the land, livestock and community on the Isle of Tanera Mor. On the mainland he has the use of a croft where he and his wife raise their own livestock. Robin is an enthusiastic member of the Coigach Coastal Rowing team. His grandfather, Robert Irvine ran the set up the Hydroponocum and ran the Summer Isles Hotel. Robin has a PhD in Social Anthropology, specialising in human, animal and 32 landscape relationships.

Operational team

Laura Hamlet Chief Executive

Ann Marie Firth-Bernard Development Officer

Julia Campbell Development Officer

Seoras Burnett Housing Development

Laura joined CCDC this year. She lives in Achiltibuie with her family and has 9 years of community leadership experience in the Highlands with the North West Highlands Geopark, Wester Ross Biosphere and the Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust.

Ann Marie has been working with CCDC since 2019 and has managed several arts’ projects, a new heritage trail, and is currently working on a pilot community growing project. She has a degree in English and is a musician and visual artist.

Julia has been with CCDC since the beginning and has been the driving force behind many of the projects over the past decade. Embedded in the community, Julia has an arts degree and brings creativity and life to community engagement.

Formerly working as a London architect, Seori moved to the Highlands over 15 years ago with his wife and 3 young children. Joining CCDC in 2022 in a consultancy role Seori wants to contribute to the sustainable future for the North West Highlands in general and particularly using his architectural experience for community housing.

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Subsidiary Companies CCDC has two subsidiary companies: Coigach Community CIC is a Community Interest Company that owns and operates our wind turbine.

Annually, the company gift aids its profits to CCDC. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Coigach Community Development Company which donates profits available for distribution to the charity.

Iain Scott and Alison Urquhart are both Directors of the C.I.C, alongside Iain Muir, Stephen Husband, Fraser MacKenzie, and Ann MacLeod CCDC Trading Ltd holds the community share in Ben Mor Hydro, which entitles it to 12.5% of that company’s profits. Annually, it also gift aids its profits to CCDC.The company is a wholly owned subsidiary which donates profits available for distribution to the charity.

Iain Scott, Iain Muir and Stephen Husband are Directors of CCDC Trading Ltd. You can find out more about all our directors on our website.

Why become a member?

Many communities in Scotland have set up development companies similar to ours. They are recognised by regional councils and funders as legitimate organisations to carry out projects on behalf of communities.

When making funding decisions, funders will often ask how many members the organisation has to check that it’s truly representative of the community.

That’s why it’s vital that we have as many residents signed up as possible.

Signing up should be as easy as possible, and members are then given the opportunity to vote for who will run the organisation.

So if you share our vision, please join us.

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