Arts of Lochaber

ARTS of LOCHABER A new feature with Ilona Munro Lawson

Hello. A huge thanks to Iain for giving the arts in Lochaber a platform.

Arts? It’s a challenging word at times. Some people see it as a highbrow luxury, others as an essential part of being human. I came to Lochaber in 1998. It was a surprise to me as I had always been a city girl: Perth, Aberdeen, Novosibirsk (!) and finally six years in London. That said, there was always a deep connection to Kinlochleven, as my grampa, Dougie Lawson and his family lived there. Summer holidays and wild New Years were annual highlights.

How does a city girl, who studied Russian and Theatre end up in Kinlochleven?

Well, there was a small matter of a taste of life with Eden Court when their incredible outreach arts education programme started in 1996. I didn’t get a full-time job with them until 1999, but I did get a job as a performer with Highland Mysteryworld, in Ballachulish – remember that tourist attraction? I had family and I had work, but what kept me here? It certainly wasn’t the wages. And while the scenery is world class, the weather isn’t. It was community.

People here often talk about the “old days” and when they do, they invariably mention ceilidhs, bands, drama competitions and house parties with singing and dancing. The Highlands prides itself on hospitality and entertaining banter. Perhaps they are the best diversions from rain and midgees. Listening to a Highland voice telling a long joke is a unique pleasure.

We know that arts, culture, creative industries – call it what you will, are crucial yet are often called to justify their existence.

At the time of writing, we are emerging from lockdown, having been sustained by the arts and by community: food banks, neighbourly kindness, costumed visits of good cheer not to mention our voracious appetite for books, radio, music, television and film plus

an astonishing engagement with online “live” theatre and dance classes. So let’s celebrate our creative communities: the school bands, the sole trading artists, the drama club leaders, the musicians, the photographers, the show organisers, the crafters and let’s whoop for everyone who volunteers and goes unpaid to make things happen.

However you define community and however you define the arts, culture and love are at the heart of every thriving village, city and country. As we look from Lockdown in Lochaber to the future, “thriving” seems a great ambition for all.

In common with most other services Lochaber CAB had to close its doors to face to face advice fro the fi rst time in our 39 year history from 19th March due to the Coronavirus Crisis. Lochaber CAB advisers have continued to work from home and to off er a full range of CAB services. All of the services supplied by CAB are Free, Independent, Confi dential and Impartial.

Lochaber CAB off ers a general advice service covering a wide range of topics including, Welfare Benefi ts, Money and Debt, Housing Employment, Relationship and Consumer Rights. We off er case work and representation services accredited to the Scottish National Standard for Information and Advice providers covering Welfare Benefi ts, Money and Debt and Housing.

Specialist projects include a Benefi ts Advice and Income Maximisation service in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support for people aff ected by cancer, The Patients Advice and Support Service to support people to off er feedback and raise complaints about NHS services. We also work in partnership with Lochaber Housing Association to advise referred tenants to maximise their income and minimise rent arrears. The full range of local advice services can be found on www.lochabercab.org.uk

During the pandemic Lochaber CAB has extended availability of their telephone and email advice services which can be contacted between 10am and 4pm Mon to Friday on 01397 705311 (voicemail available) or email adviser@lochabercab.casonline.org. uk as well as through a contact from on our website at www.lochabercab.org.uk

The CAB network in Scotland have made available up to date information relating to Coronavirus which is updated in line with Scottish Government Guidance and can be viewed on www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/health/coronaviruswhat-it-means-for-you-s/

General information on a wide range of topics can be viewed on the Citizens Advice public facing advice website www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/

If you want” Help to claim” Universal Credit the CAB service can help you to make your claim and assist you to navigate through the system until you receive payments. The Help to Claim service can be contacted either through your local CAB offi ce on 01397 705311 or on 0800023258.

For advice relating to benefi ts and any grant and exemptions, Council Tax call the Money Talk Team on 08000857145

As advice needs develop and change the CAB Service tries to continually adapt to meet the needs of local communities and the citizens of Scotland and to campaign to change local and national policy to meet the needs of Scotland’s citizens. Up to date News, Publications and Campaigns can be viewed on www.cas.org.uk where you can also fi nd opportunities to volunteer and to work with the service.

Lochaber

We have the largest available stock of memorial headstones in the Highlands

Contact our Lochaber representative, Linnie Quail on 07774 705783 or linnie@johnfraserandson.com Browse our range of memorials on our website at www.johnfraserandson.com

TEXT – 07714146885, TELEPHONE 01397 705311 DURING OPENING HOURS, EMAIL –

adviser@lochabercab.casonline.org.uk

Still Connecting: Home Energy Scotland

Jo Cowan Usually, at this time of year, I’m travelling around the Highlands hosting Get-Together events where older people in local communities meet and have the opportunity to link with a wide range of key people and organisations. You’ll guess that’s pretty much on hold for the foreseeable future!

Instead, we’re letting people know that our usual Get-Together partner organisations are still “open for business”, and they still want to be making links with communities, encouraging people needing their service to get in touch. Here’s a message Home Energy Scotland would like to share with anyone who needs their help:

We’re Home Energy Scotland, the energy advice service funded by the Scottish Government. We provide free, impartial advice to help people stay warm, make the best use of energy and save money.

Many people will see their energy costs rise because of the extra time spent at home and we’re keen to speak to anyone who’s worried about this. If you are struggling to keep up with energy costs and might end up going without, please get in touch with us. We can help anyone at risk of self-disconnection or running out of credit on their meter to make sure they can keep their power on.

WE OffER:

Support for households with prepayment meters, including

access to crisis funding.

Practical help for people who fi nd themselves without heating or hot water.

Clear advice on ways to save energy and reduce fuel costs while saying warm at home

The latest information about extra help from energy suppliers to make sure households don’t get cut off .

Phone 0808 808 2282 to chat to a friendly advisor – all calls are free and confi dential. We are open Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm; and Saturday from 9am to 5pm.

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Liz McLure MSc.,M.Inst.G.A.,MUPCA.,UKCP reg. PSYCHOTHERAPY IN THE LOCHABER AREA o Confidential therapy online Or in private office (subject to COVID-19 restrictions) o Long or short term psychodynamic therapy. o EMDR for trauma focussed work. o Clinical Supervision. To book an Initial Consultation to find out if Psychotherapy is for you please contact me via: Tel: 07952 206 084 Website: www.liz-mclure-psychotherapy.co.uk E-mail: info@liz-mclure-psychotherapy.co.uk

As did many others, the Queen and her husband had birthdays during lockdown. There was much positive reaction to the Queen’s TV broadcast. However, the Duke of Edinburgh, now a venerable 99 years, published a letter at the beginning of April which may have been less noticed. He thanked all key workers, including (to paraphrase) posties, delivery drivers and bin men. I too am grateful to all these, and the fi sh man from Buckie, whose van arrives at the door every Tuesday. Also our neighbours who shopped and delivered a daily paper. Along with TV and modern IT like FaceTime and Zoom, these were a great help to get through the 12 weeks of isolation. Even Lochaber Life went online. And the weather was glorious. Recently when unable to attend church, reading the Bible became more important to me, although more diffi cult. Despite many years reading it, I was surprised to note bins referenced in the modern American version The Message, often quoted here. The Apostle Paul writes: In a well furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets-some containers used

to serve fi ne meals, others to take out the garbage. [The Message] As Winston Churchill said, British and Americans are nations separated by a common language, so we need to translate these words to Scots English. The point being made is that in God’s eyes anyone willing to serve him has a vital part to play. Just as bin men and other key workers are very important, those of us who stayed in the house and garden, worked from home or watched TV for 12 weeks were also vital to the Covid situation. At state banquets the Queen may be the only person nowadays to fi nd a use for crystal goblets and silver platters, but God can also use my garden compost bin for good. May you, too, fi nd encouragement in serving our Creator in creative ways in these diff erent days.

Youngsters Caol School enjoyed a walk and Teddy Bears picnic amongst the trees in Glen Nevis. Photograph: The Write Image

LEVI LIVES

Iain Ferguson

FOOTBALL

It is often said that football is more than a game, but a way of life and for 10-year-old Levi MacLean, that is certainly true.

Levi loves and lives ‘the beautiful game’, playing regularly for two teams, Lochnell in Oban and Knightswood in Glasgow, sometimes even on the same weekend. His ultimate aim is to become a professional footballer with his top team, Rangers.

When not actually playing football, Levi spends a lot of his time training for it, attending sessions in various locations to hone his skills, often travelling up to 700 miles per week.

Luckily his Dad, Colin (Speeder) MacLean owns a local taxi business, loves driving and is 100% committed to supporting him.

In a typical week Levi would travel to the TOFSS ‘The Other Foot Soccer School’ in Inverness to work on his left foot (he is naturally right footed), training in Oban and Glasgow, attend weekly fitness classes slightly closer to home in Claggan, then on the road again to play in weekend matches with each of his teams.

Naturally this busy schedule was restricted during lockdown, but never giving up on his dream Levi has been enthusiastically following a fitness and skills programme from Knightswood, training at Claggan Park be it pouring rain or even the recent 26 degree of heat.

He also wears an electronic vest which records his vital signs, heart, breathing etc. during training to give an accurate guide of his achievement and progress.

High up on Levi’s list is to secure a full-time place in the Rangers Academy, which would mean him moving to Glasgow. However that possibility is also covered, as his big sister Shannon who lives there has already agreed to take him in.

Levi said: ”I love football and would play it all day. If I get the chance I would like it to be my job and I am going train as hard as I can to be the best.”

His parents are also determined to do what ever they can to help achieve his goal. Speeder said: “Leona and I are not forcing him to do this, but will support him all the way for as long as he wants.

“We spend a lot of time in the car, but Levi is learning to sleep and relax during the journeys and we always make a point of arriving early so he has a chance to warm up properly before he starts.”

Rediscover Glencoe… With many of our shops, outdoor activities, café ‘sitooteries’ and beer gardens open now, we’re getting used to venturing out a wee bit more in this ‘new normal’.

The easing of travel restrictions and the welcoming of overnight guests to some self-catering accommodation has also started which has seen an increase of people in the area.

It’s important that visitors, locals and businesses spread kindness and we all maintain the guidelines for Covid-19 containment. Thankfully there are many reminders for us as businesses and communities place signage around the area. It’s a strange new normal for us all. With its social distancing, face coverings, cough rations to welcome locals and visitors back etiquette and increased hand hygiene. safely when they are ready and able to do Though the experience of visiting your so. favourite local shop or activity may have Concern remains for the continuing health changed in-line with the regulations. A and safety of our local communities. In rewarm Highland welcome awaits when sponse to this Discover Glencoe has comyou arrive. piled and published an easily accessible observing the guidelines. Businesses who have opened have been ‘Visitors Charter’ on our website Covid-19 Hopefully, from 15 July locals and visithrough all the required risk assessments, pages. It’s available for everyone to read tors will be able to begin to enjoy the area written new protocols, positioned the and use. more fully again. Visitors will be able to appropriate signage and purchased cupLooking to the future, a provisional date of book a stay at any type of holiday accomboards-full of new cleaning products to 15 July has been set for when all tourism modation. We will all be able to eat out at meet the regulations. businesses may be able to resume operaour favourite restaurant. Other businesses are making their prepations, if it’s safe to do so and with everyone For information and the Visitor Charter: discoverglencoe.scot/covid-19