The first month
There is a phrase helicopter pilots use when too much information about wind direction, height, stability, rotor speed, and where exactly the winchman is dangling, comes streaming into the cockpit.
The pilots are not going to admit to themselves or anyone else that the aircraft might fall out of the sky while they’re dealing with all this other stuff. They merely say they are “task saturated”.
That’s what the first few weeks of being an MP have been like.
As a candidate you can only think of the finish line. Even after campaigning for a year and half, you dare not plan anything for the day after the election, except maybe to make sure you have a shirt ironed.
Heading into the last stretch in July, amid the intensity of day and night campaigning, I realised that win or lose, I was having the time of my life.
Coming home to stand for Labour and reconnecting to places and people I used to know three decades ago as a journalist on the Free Press was one of the best decisions I ever made.
Travelling the length of the islands, getting a window into people’s lives – the good bits and the bad – was an incredible journey. It didn’t matter that it was the dullest June in 98 years, every corner driven, every doorstep exchange and encounter on the way to the finish line enhanced the experience.
I’m sure this is felt by every winning candidate, but gaining the support of the majority of voters is a humbling moment.
I’m incredibly grateful for the trust people have placed in me, but the sense of responsibility it brings, – to represent, to deliver, to be accountable – is a weight you feel immediately. That’s particularly true as I know many people put aside their voting habits and their party loyalties to vote for change and a connection to a new government.
That the campaign was free from rancour is a tribute to all the candidates who took part and to the voters. Angus MacNeil, who gave public service to the islands as MP for 19 years, bowed out with charm and dignity. Susan Thomson, who continues to represent her community as a councillor, was the epitome of a campaigning candidate, sticking to the policy, polite with people and a straight dealer.
At the count in Stornoway Sports Centre, most people did not watch the results come in on television. Most eyes were on the flight radar app tracking the plane which, slowly but surely, flew to Benbecula to pick up the ballot boxes and flew back again to the count. It was a reminder, if needed, of the transport stretch and the challenges the islands face to remain connected to each other.
It was a long night, and a short speech, but great to step out of the soulless games hall into the new dawn.
That morning, after a shower and an ironed shirt, I flew to Glasgow to meet the other 36, count them, Scottish Labour MPs. I was warmly greeted at the venue by old friends in the Scottish press pack. Many of my new colleagues, the politicians, I did not recognise.
So there, on a low photo-shoot podium on the banks of the Clyde, I suppose I slipped off my old journalistic identity and crossed over to becoming a professional politician.
The platform on which we jostled for position was wide but not deep, which I felt was a metaphor for what happened the previous day. Labour did tremendously well across Scotland, and across the whole UK, but my sense is that we now have to prove ourselves to voters and that feeling was shared by colleagues as we chatted.
Euphoric, or was it exhausted, I returned home to see my family. My mother, when asked if she was proud of her son, replied, as mothers diplomatically do: “I’m proud of all my children.” She paused for effect, before adding: “And my grandchildren too.”
No one can make it on their own and the personal support of family and friends, and the goodwill of party activists and volunteers is worth so much that you know it cannot be repaid.
The scale of the Labour victory only became apparent when the 411 Labour MPs assembled in Church House, close to Parliament, to be greeted by the now Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. Unburdened of the risks of campaign, he was relaxed, spoke with ease instead of the caution he adopted on the long road to power. Every time I’ve heard him speak since, he has grown in stature and confidence.
The Scottish MPs were invited to Downing Street to meet the Prime Minister. Walking up the famous street is quite overwhelming. I’ve been through the black door many times as a political journalist, but this felt quite different.
That has been true of much of the first few weeks, the same but different all the time. The drama of the Commons, the splendour of the Westminster Palace, crumbling as it is, the dashes of colour and the hidden crannies are not new to me but I have stepped through the looking glass.
Previously, I was watching the game, now I am on the pitch.
There is an incredible sense of optimism on the crammed government benches, the sense of purpose of Ministers, many of whom have been on a long march through years of opposition, and the feeling that this government really will make a difference to people’s lives. It is exciting, and it’s going to be quite a ride.
There are boring bits, of course. Being onboarded to any large institution is a major task but having to balance the mundane aspects of computer tech and bureaucracy with the arcane and often unwritten traditions of the Commons is a lot to take on. The first rule I broke was to sit at the Tory end of the Members’ tearoom, which is more spacious and has more tables. Stuff that, I thought, they’re down to 121 MPs, they don’t need all that room to themselves.
There are, as I write, a long list of to-dos and an even longer list of unanswered e-mails and correspondence. I’m sure those same helicopter pilots have a phrase for asking people to bear with them as they sort themselves out. I just say please be patient with me.
One of the first tasks is to find an office in the constituency and hire staff to help me deal with voters’ needs. I’m sifting through the administration guidance and, if the rules allow, I will look to hire parliamentary case workers in Uist and Lewis to make sure that the whole of Na h-Eileanan an Iar is served by its new MP.
Born to Run
As a kid growing up listening to Bruce Springsteen, one song that always stuck with me was “Born to Run” but at that point I wasn’t interested in running unless a football was involved! The song is not actually about running but about escaping and leaving your troubles behind, even if it is only for a little while. The benefits of pulling on a pair of trainers and going for a run are not just physical but also great for your mental health too.
Fast forward, what seems like a lifetime, in a good year I run an average of 2000 miles and class myself as a “Runner”. Physically, with that kind of mileage, you end up with a body built in comparison to the gable end of a £5 note!
It is not all about weight control and earning “snack points” after coming back from a run, it’s knowing you can demolish a large bag of crisps without feeling guilty, because you have earned it!
There are mental benefits that non-runners aren’t fully aware of. When you drive past a runner in typical Uist weather – where it’s windy, pouring down with rain and you think to yourself “Why on earth are they out running in this weather? They must be mad!” – there is a reason. In actual fact it is the very opposite, they go out no matter the weather to release the stress and anxieties of the day. Sometimes a solo run is used as a means of escape or they meet with fellow runners for a run and a chat.
A run may be as short as a mile or as long as a marathon but every run starts with a small step. I didn’t take up running until my late 30s, when I signed up for the Edinburgh Marathon to raise money for charity. At that time I could barely run a few hundred metres without stopping for a rest, I thought to myself “How on earth am I going to be able to run 26.2 miles?” The more I ran, the longer I could go without stopping. It wasn’t all about “how fast can I go!”, as they say, “it is a marathon, not a sprint!”
As a first marathon goes, it was pretty memorable. I had never seen a guy run wearing a mankini before and I hope I never do again! Spotting a sign saying “Run like you stole something!”, made me laugh! Late in the race I couldn’t get over the amount of runners pulling up clutching various parts of their legs with cramp, you would think a sniper was picking them off one by one. I thought “please miss me out”….nope, the sniper got me! The feeling of being unbeatable coming up to the finish line and then being overtaken by Bananaman, wasn’t too disheartening, he is a superhero after all!! The pain of the marathon soon wears off. Okay walking down stairs can be a challenge for a few days, but it is worth it and a marathon is now my favourite distance.
Whether you complete a marathon in under 3 hours or over 6 hours, doesn’t matter, you are still a Marathoner and only 0.05% of the worlds population have managed it! It is amazing what you can achieve by just getting out there. It doesn’t matter how slow you think you are, you will always be faster than the person sitting at home on the sofa!
Yes, the thought of starting running for the first time is a bit daunting.You may feel a bit out of your comfort zone, but that is the thing I love about running, you can leave that comfort zone behind and really challenge yourself. I have done some races and runs that have really hurt, both physically and mentally they have pushed me to near breaking point, but that somehow is part of the enjoyment – to see how far you can push yourself. You are stronger than you think! During a race, if it doesn’t hurt, you aren’t trying hard enough!
Some of the best ideas come when you are out on a solo run, when you even treat yourself to a little bit of day dreaming – this was when the idea of the 3 Islands marathon was born (currently the only Marathon in the Outer Hebrides)!
To celebrate the relaxing of Covid restrictions, I wanted to run a marathon with other local runners. I had the idea of creating our own race and making it more accessible by breaking it up into shorter distances and having relay teams.
Runners had their names drawn at random to create teams, giving those who may not usually have the chance of winning a prize a good opportunity to do so. It is also a good way of mixing with new people. The race in its first year had 30 runners; this year’s event is full at 150 entries, of which 100 are local.
The island running scene is thriving at the moment with new groups like Stay Active, also new races such as the Stepping Stones 10k and the 3 Beaches Half Marathon, along with older ones making a comeback like the Daliburgh 10k. Whatever your speed and distance there is something for everyone in Uist. Enjoy every step….even when the going gets tough!
But, it is not all about racing, we started the local 3k / 5k Unofficial Parkrun over 5 years ago, where people meet up and go for an easy run round Liniclate beach and machair; it has become more of a social gathering than a run!
The big thing is taking that leap of faith: put your comfort zone in the bin, pull on your trainers and join the running revolution! As The Boss would sing “tramps like us, baby, we were Born to Run!”.
See you on the road some time soon!
Thriving rural communities? The Scottish Government need to think again…..
It’s almost 8 months since I took up the post of Chief Executive at the Scottish Crofting Federation and it’s certainly been eventful!
Let’s talk positives first…..
I was delighted to join the SCF to continue its work supporting and representing crofters and crofting. At the time of writing, we have completed our first set of roadshows of the year and are about to start our second and my ambition is that we will be out and about to each crofting area at least a couple of times a year. Face to face get togethers are such an important way to meet members and find out what’s on everyone’s minds, how policies are impacting in their area, what the key concerns are, how we can help and I enjoy these very much. We have many plans for the future focused on improving the support we provide to crofters and the results of our recent membership survey will inform how we develop services and activities and we are very grateful to all who participated in this.
A key function over and above member support is our political activity and I arrived in my role at a crucial time for crofting with many legislative bills going through Parliament that will impact on crofters and crofting for years to come, including the Agriculture & Rural Communities Bill, Land Reform Bill, Good Food Nation Plan, National Biodiversity Strategy and the much awaited Crofting Bill itself.
The Scottish Government talks a lot about wanting to have thriving rural communities and a just transition for all as we move towards net zero but I have to say that what I have seen so far seems to often fly in the face of this aspiration. It very much feels like they are doing all in their power to add more and more burdens to those communities by implementing policies that seem to be guided more by what works for large scale agriculture or urban settings and little real consideration of how they impact small scale agriculture and remote, rural communities, many of which are situated within crofting areas.
For many crofters, the potential impacts of the new Agriculture and Rural Communities Bill are causing a lot of uncertainty. Much is still unknown about what changes to the payments programme will mean in terms of placing more and increasingly complex admin requirements on crofters. What we do know now is that in order to receive basic payments, a whole farm plan will be required from 2025 and some conditions, such as carbon audits, may need to be paid for and require consultants to conduct them which may not be available in sufficient numbers in all areas to keep up with demand. Fears being expressed at our roadshows is that many crofters, particularly those working at the smaller scale, may decide it’s no longer viable to remain in the system. The wider negative social and economic impacts of this on local communities is also a concern. If folk stop keeping livestock, for instance, there are not only the environmental impacts of reduced land management but also the knock on effects to other local businesses, employment and ultimately, potentially population retention. All of this would have the opposite effects on some of the desired outcomes of the Government’s key objectives.
Recently our focus turned to responding to the Good Food Nation Plan consultation. I think it’s fair to say that we had high hopes for this plan, it could be a great opportunity for small scale producers to play an active role in strengthening food security within our country, but alas, we have been left sorely disappointed with what is currently in the plan. We feel it lacks ambition, pays little attention to the needs of local food systems such as support for abattoirs and shows an ignorance in relation to prime Scottish produce such as beef and lamb. A missed opportunity if nothing changes.
A final example of increasing burdens on rural communities came recently when the implementation of new building regulations which effectively mean that the installation of solid fuel burners, such as wood burners, is now banned in any new build or conversion. The Scottish Government’s attempt at reassurance was to tell us that they might be allowed as an alternative emergency back up where there is a high risk of power cuts, but how and who determines that will fall to the local councils so feels like a bit of a lottery.
This new policy, whilst perhaps making sense in urban settings, is a further display that no consideration was given to the situation in rural parts of the Highlands and Islands where many rely on solid fuels such as wood and peat to provide reliable, cheap sources of heat and it isn’t so many years since the Government was promoting wood as a carbon neutral fuel source! A point which we have very publicly made and will continue to do so.
So, what can we do about it?
Behind the scenes at SCF HQ, we are very busy lobbying politicians on behalf of crofters about the impact of these policies and in particular at the moment, changes we would like to see in the Agriculture & Rural Communities Bill. This work has seen us meeting with many MSPs on a one to one basis and we will continue to do this as the Bill progresses through the next stage, presenting the case for a truly good deal for crofters in the new support system. The views and concerns that have been shared at our local meetings so far have been relayed to MSPs during these conversations and are a powerful way of impressing upon them the potential realities of what they are considering.
We have seen some success so far and in the stage 1 debate on the Agriculture and Rural Communities Bill held on Wednesday 27th March, SCF’s asks for better support for smaller businesses and for the redistribution of direct payments from larger towards smaller producers (also known as ‘frontloading’) featured prominently.
There is still much to do, however, and our over-riding message to the government is that if they want to talk about thriving rural communities and a just transition for all, then they must start listening much more to those of us who live and work in remote rural communities, who are already looking after the land in a sympathetic way, who keep their communities alive and populated, who display true resilience every day and then let’s make it a truly just transition for them.
Chair of Transportation & Infrastructure
There has been much talk about the new PSO service between Benbecula and Stornoway. While I
recognise the concerns of my constituents, I feel duty bound to remind the community of the very
dire choices we have faced; a choice between this service, or no service.
Whilst this route is governed by a Public Service Obligation (PSO) it is not a statutory service and
does not come with a ring-fenced funding allocation.
Officers of the Comhairle were tasked this year amidst severe budget cuts to find savings and it
was with some relief that we agreed the £450k per annum that enabled us to tender for the new
contract.
Airtask, operating as Hebridean Air Services, submitted a suitable bid and were duly awarded the
contract. It should be noted that theirs was the only compliant bid we received.
This contract is for four years and is in line with the available budget. Although the aircraft to be
used is smaller than what was previously used on the route, the service timetable has increased
from two rotations (return flights) on Tuesdays and Thursdays to two rotations on Mondays,
Tuesdays, and Fridays.
Hebridean Air Services currently operate PSO services for Argyll and Bute Council and Shetland
Islands Council. The Airtask group also have significant experience of operating from Stornoway
for contract work with QinetiQ and Marine Scotland.
Although not part of the PSO contract, there is also the potential to offer direct flights between
Stornoway and Barra during the summer months to test demand.
As the community will know, the vast majority of passengers who travel this route are making the
journey for medical purposes. We have long called for the Health Board to recognise this fact and
contribute to the cost of what is for the most part, a medical service, yet we still have no financial
contribution from our colleagues in health, other than the purchase of tickets.
Following a recent meeting with the Cabinet Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, Jim Fairlie MSP (Minister for
Agriculture and Connectivity) has written to CnES to advise that the Scottish Government are
exploring how they can facilitate closer and more cohesive working across public bodies in relation to transport for medical purposes They recognise the fact that transport and health need
to sit at the same tables to ensure the best possible outcome when it comes to patient travel.
Working with HITRANS (The Regional Transport Partnership for the Highlands and Islands) we
reached out to the partner NHS Boards to identify how we could collectively address some of the
challenges patients encounter to access health services in our region.
At the end of March we hosted a joint meeting with the regions NHS Boards to identify how we
can collectively address some of the challenges patients encounter. Chairs or representatives
from every relevant Heath Board were there, but the Western Isles Board was unable to send any
representative at all. If we are to find a way forward, then the Health Board needs to come to the
table.
Fèis Tir A’ Mhurain Committee Member, South Uist
A MESSAGE OF POSITIVITY AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF GAELIC
Gàidhlig is my language. It means home to me; it is a major part of my identity and my culture.
Speaking the language has always given me such pride, it is something I am and always will be
immensely proud of. Gàidhlig means a lot to me because it is something that my parents passed
onto me. I am lucky to have gained such a high level of fluency from my Granny through all the
years that I have spent with her listening to her talk, as well as hearing the language out in the
community so often.
It means such a great amount to me as it is not only the language of me and my family, but of my
ancestors before me, which leaves me with a very strong connection to the island, the people and
to the language itself. Gàidhlig is such a major part of our history and is something that is majorly
important to us as a community and as islanders.
Gàidhlig has always been an interest of mine between learning all the different phrases and
discovering old Gàidhlig words and their meanings. To me Gàidhlig is powerful. Personally, I find it
easier at times to express things in the Gàidhlig than I do in English. I find that poems, plays,
stories and songs are always extremely moving and capturing when portrayed through the
medium of Gàidhlig.
Gàidhlig has already given me so many incredible opportunities, from making films for Film G to
attending Fèis Tir A’ Mhurain. Through my entire primary years, the Fèis gave me the chance to
speak Gàidhlig more and use it through the arts, and has led me to be able to join the committee
and give other children that same opportunity that I had as a young child. One thing that I am sure
of is that it will bring many more amazing opportunities in all the years to come. Gàidhlig has
always been one of my passions and is what I am wanting to go to university for, as I would like
my career to be in Gàidhlig.
I would like to see Gàidhlig not only continue in Uist but to grow. In my opinion, to see the
language grow and in order to keep it alive we have to accept changes in the way we speak it and
we need to keep a strong Gàidhlig presence in the community.
Just like many other languages, the vocabulary and the grammar are being created. I think that it’s
important we move on with the times while also holding onto the importance of some of the
words and phrases passed through many generations.
I think we should aim to have more opportunities to use Gàidhlig in our employment and in
situations out of our homes.
I would personally like to see more and more young people using Gaelic, and using it as their daily
language with their friends as well as their families. I would like to see an increase in Gàidhlig on
social media and more opportunities to use the language in modern settings.
I think that it is important for the education sector to allow for more immersive learning in order to
ensure the richness of the language found in Uist is kept for many generations to come. We need
to ensure that we keep the language getting stronger and keeping it alive for many more years.
I think that we need to encourage more and more people to learn the language and I would like to
see more opportunities for support to be given to learners.
It is important to me that this island continues to use the language and that we stay away from the
mindset that Gàidhlig is dying, because when that mindset is accepted then that is when we will
lose the fluency and natural spoken language.
Our right to food
I love food – who doesn’t? It’s a joy to sit down to your favourite meal – better still, to enjoy a lovely meal with family or friends, with all the chat and banter that goes with it.
Food is more than just nourishment, it is what binds us. It’s part of our culture, feeds the soul and keeps us healthy and well. Food is critical to our everyday lives. It should be a basic right for everyone to access good nutritious and more importantly, affordable food. Not a privilege, a right!
In Scotland, we have the high-level ambition of becoming a Good Food Nation by 2025. But what does this mean? Enshrined into law is the Scottish Government’s commitment to making Scotland a nation where people from every walk of life can take pride and pleasure in, and benefit from, the food they produce, buy, cook, serve, and eat each day. The Government has essentially adopted a human rights approach to tackling poverty and food insecurity, founded on the principles of dignity and respect, to ensure people have access to affordable, locally produced and nutritious food.
What’s not to like about this? Yet, for the Right to Food to be realised, food must be adequate, available and accessible to all.
Sadly, it is widely recognised that too many people in Scotland cannot afford the food that they need to keep them healthy and well. Furthermore, the Scottish diet has stayed fixed for years, making little progress towards meeting the Government’s dietary goals, with people living in the most deprived areas still more likely to experience diet related ill health.
We also know that in rural, remote and island communities, living costs are substantially higher, partly because of the greater distance to services and large shopping centres offering lower prices. In order to address the gap between the challenges we face and our shared vision of a Good Food Nation, we need to fully understand what the Right to Food looks like in our island setting and begin to ask how Government policies are helping to progressively realise our ambition.
In October last year, Tagsa Uibhist wanted to do just that when we started our journey to find out conclusively how affordable and accessible basic fruit and vegetable items were on the Western Isles. We recruited 24 Community Researchers from Berneray to Barra, representing eight Outer Hebridean Islands, setting them on the Anneka Rice style challenge of surveying all our local shops over a six-week period. Our Right to Food survey was a community endeavour to explore, compare and make sense of how the availability and price of foods differ, both across the islands and against mainland prices and supplies.
The research confirmed our concerns that an ‘island premium’ exists for people living in Uist and Barra, who need to pay close to 30% more for their basic fruit and veg items as compared to mainland prices. The 17 basic items on the researchers’ shopping lists delivered an average basket cost of £26.64 in Uist and Barra, compared with just £20.80 for a Tesco online shop. Furthermore, our community researchers found less than half of the items they were looking for on a list which constituted just the basic fruit and vegetable items required for a healthy diet – just the basics!
The research findings showed that people living in Uist and Barra are disproportionately more disadvantaged in terms of affording and gaining access to basic fruit and vegetable items. Our findings were also in stark contrast to other rural mainland communities and evidenced worrying trends on the dietary inequalities for island communities – communities which rely heavily on long food supply chains and are challenged by ferry problems, the rising cost of fuel, agricultural inputs, food and living costs.
There is now a strong call by our community researchers for immediate and progressive action by national and regional authorities to address these difficulties in a meaningful way. Action which promotes a truly dignified island food system; one where everyone is food secure, with access to adequate, nutritious and culturally appropriate food and without the need of emergency food aid. A system where the Right to Food is understood as a matter of justice rather than charity; a Good Food Nation in which every community’s health and well-being is paramount and no-one is left behind. Our island communities demand nothing less because, of course, a right to food is a right for all.
Tagsa Uibhist is also attempting to address these challenges by expanding our community garden services at East Camp in Balivanich to grow more staple produce and create a monthly local food market with other local producers. Watch this space: a Payday Food Market is coming soon and we have exciting plans to take our ‘one stop shop’ Neighbourfood service on the road where you can buy a range of great products from local producers and beyond. Plans are afoot to outfit one of our electric vans to include a refillery service too. Yes, you heard it here first!
We are also supporting growers and crofters wanting to establish community poly tunnels and aim to provide outreach support and vegetable starter kits for anyone keen to grow in their communities.
However, our biggest news is that we plan to launch our Biadh Blasta Uibhist project this Autumn; a meals on wheels service with a difference!
Tagsa Uibhist is aiming to deliver 600 wholesome ready-made meals to our most vulnerable elderly people living on their own in our community. It is our ambition to include as much local produce as possible, so that our clients get a nutritious meal with local ingredients and minimal wastage. We are working in collaboration with Tagsa’s Care department, Macleans Bakery and local producers to deliver this service in October.
We also hope to hold a local Food Festival in the Autumn to celebrate local produce and promote the sharing and cooking of food together in community spaces.
Biadh Blasta Uibhist is about local people working together for the community good and we would welcome any thoughts and ideas about this pilot project because if successful, we would like to expand the service across our community.
At Tagsa, we are passionate about keeping our community at the heart of local food development and helping to alleviate the challenges of food insecurity on our gorgeous islands.
Tourism challenges and opportunities
Born and raised in Lewis, I, like many others, grew up taking for granted just how extraordinary the Outer Hebrides are. I enjoyed the space, freedom and sense of community, but, as I cast envious glances at the wider world, I barely stopped to consider just how much my island home had to offer. As I’ve grown older and wiser and work has called me to promote – and often explain – the islands to many coming here for the first time, the full value and uniqueness of the place has become apparent.
The Gaelic language… Lewis & Harris are two separate islands but the same island… Sundays are different… the story of St Kilda… the plane in Barra really does land on the beach… yes, Bonnie Prince Charlie passed through… we own a majority of the islands ourselves… honesty boxes work fine in a community where you don’t have to always lock your door…
The points of reference that sometimes need to be highlighted or confirmed are many and varied, but all serve to confirm that this is a place unlike any other.
However, with a growing appreciation of the beauty, environment and culture of the islands has come a greater awareness of our remoteness and fragility. I’m familiar with the argument that peripherality is relative and are we remote if not at a distance from each other, our homes, and the ties that bind us locally? It is undeniable that in today’s global economy, mass matters and in terms of the centres of population that drive commerce, we are most certainly remote.
How often have we heard there are simply not enough people to sustain a school or justify a health-care service? We must pay more for our goods as the penalty for choosing to live at a distance from the dispatch centres. It’s unfortunate our ferry network is broken but we know there is always a risk on an island that the boat won’t go.
The current economic model of resource allocation and infrastructure planning unfortunately doesn’t work in favour of small island communities and, followed to its logical conclusion, the outcome is almost inevitable depopulation and economic failure.
I mentioned the intrigue the St Kilda story still ignites in those who hear it for the first time. As the UK’s only dual UNESCO World Heritage site, Hiort is recognised not only for its environmental significance but equally for its cultural importance, its history serving as a bellwether for dwindling island communities who could one day find the challenges of peripherality too much. As the 100th anniversary of the evacuation of St Kilda approaches, we are reminded that extinction is not always a spectacular mass event; sometimes it comes as the result of a selecting out of those whose environment becomes simply too harsh.
Our islands are remote, at least in economic terms, and we have significant challenges to overcome to achieve sustainability, but there is hope – for as islanders, we are responsive, resourceful, collaborative and innovative and I believe we finally have a collective appreciation of the value of our islands.
We are leaders in community asset management and renewable energy production, our crofters and fishermen benefit from generations of knowledge in working productively and sustainably, we recognise the dynamic between culture, heritage and tourism in a way others are just beginning to explore and critically, we no longer foster in our young people the notion that the bright leave and the dumb stay – instead teaching them that to learn and explore is essential, but home has everything to offer too.
Looking back to my childhood, I can recall curiosity and mild interest in the annual procession of ‘visitors’, usually only seen in the mid-summer months. The occasional back-packer or cyclist, extended family on a holiday back ‘home’, people with a work purpose or visiting friends. Yes, there were hotels and the occasional guesthouse, a couple of favourite cafes and small local post-office shops, but not much more for the passing traveller. Interpretation of heritage, history and environment was minimal, visitors were welcome but not particularly catered to. Harris Tweed was something to be worn, not crafted, there were no (official) distilleries or seafood menus and the landscape was the preserve of sheep and crofters, not photographers and walkers.
But as other industries became less viable, islanders awakened to the opportunities in tourism and over time, confidence grew: a few local artists opened up their studios, a greater choice of places to eat and stay emerged and a general renaissance of Gaelic culture through media and music helped to put the islands on the map. But of course the introduction of Road Equivalent Tariff in 2008 was the game-changer – a reminder to our politicians today of the importance of getting transport policy right in order to stimulate island prosperity.
In my lifetime we have seen the islands transform from a little-known outpost of the UK, suspended in nostalgia by some and slightly disparaged by others, to now being regularly touted as a must-see destination.
To my mind, the most important factor in this transformation has been islanders’ recognition of the Outer Hebrides as a place to be treasured and shared with those who truly appreciate it. Over time attitudes have shifted, businesses have invested and infrastructure has been created. We can be proud that tourism is now the largest element of the private sector here, supporting thousands of jobs and bringing millions into the economy, whilst in the main safeguarding community interests and cultural integrity.
But despite this growth and positivity, the shadow cast by the story of St Kilda looms. The Outer Hebrides, and Uist in particular, are facing acute challenges that will not be overcome quickly or easily; deep economic damage inflicted by the total inadequacy of ferry services risks exacerbating already alarming depopulation.
I would love to end this piece with an answer; a winning recommendation to move things forward in the right direction. In the absence of such insight, I will end by saying that although times are far from easy now and we feel powerless in the face of the ongoing ferry and cost-of-living crises, we must remember how far we have come and all that we have achieved. It is our people and communities that make the islands and our tourism sector what it is and we should be nothing but proud of the effort we have collectively put in over recent decades to build a successful industry that welcomes visitors from across the world and shares with them the beauty and cultural soul of the Outer Hebrides.
Community empowerment and the case for change.
When asked to contribute to this column, I panicked! I’m more comfortable with a microphone in a hall than I am with a keyboard and a blank page. I began by musing upon what drives and shapes me, the main strands are: my Community; my Christian faith and the Gaelic language.
I’ve spent most of my 70+ years in Uist. As I cast my mind back, I reflect on the enormous changes that I have seen. I marvel at the progress that has taken place in our Islands whilst I’m mindful of the challenges Uist faces to continue being an idyllic place to live, work and visit.
At twelve years of age, I left home to attend school in Daliburgh, which seemed like going to the other side of the planet. At 16, along with my peers, I travelled across the sea to continue further education in Fort William and later, onwards to Glasgow. As innocent, penniless teuchters, our teenage years on the mainland felt very far from the comfort of the croft and shores which we knew as home. It was a time where leaving wasn’t optional, but mandatory for education and training.
I returned to Uist in the mid 70’s, as the Glory Years were unfolding with exciting change taking place. Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar was established and ably led by two wise clergymen: Rev MacAulay of Stornoway and Fr Callum MacLellan of Benbecula Parish. They successfully reassured communities on either side of the Sound of Harris that by working together, their ambition of equal opportunity and prosperity could be achieved. This unity overturned centuries of history!
European funding flowed into our Islands bringing causeways, fish-farming, crofting improvements and social projects. Sgoil Lìonacleit was opened, job opportunities became available. Crofting and community life rubbed alongside good day jobs. I had the chance to build a home, raise a family, run a croft and live in a vibrant community. I worked as a teacher and generally, life was good.
The good times did not last and by the 90’s, policies of centralisation crept in, almost by stealth. The first painful realisation was the closure of Daliburgh Hospital, much against the will of the people. Hundreds travelled to Stornoway to protest and were met by only a closed door. Another example of unfulfilled ambition is, that today, little two-way road exists south of Grimsay. More recently we have seen our dental services, mental health services, support for children among other things become depleted or non-existent. Anecdotes from patients travelling across land and sea to hospital are concerning. Yet, we read of great opportunities and services available in Stornoway, I wonder what Mgr Callum and Rev MacAulay would say and do about that!
Our representatives try to fob us off by saying there are not enough funds available. Uist is entitled to services and it’s their duty to change the hearts and minds of those who control policies and resources. Somehow, it doesn’t feel like they’re reaching us at the moment; maybe new strategies are required.
Over time, I’ve been privileged to participate in community initiatives and I’m fully aware of the difference they make. Community work is demanding and hugely rewarding, people of all ages who are involved in a wide range of organisations do a remarkable job. Equally amazing are those who work for the organisations, with little job security and few progression pathways as these posts are generally project funded.
Last week the power of membership came to life in South Uist. Dissatisfied members of Stòras Uibhist presented a challenge to their Executive. Following due process, a group of members were granted an Extraordinary General Meeting – a skilful campaign was undertaken and a motion for a secret vote was prepared. Although the proposed motion was not carried, the campaign without doubt, made an impression locally and nationally – a wake-up call for Stòras Uibhist.
The voices of crofters were not as plentiful at the meeting as I was expecting. Crofter Iseabail MacDonald from Ormiclate powerfully articulated her case and showed the impact of deer on her life. How bizarre that 400+ votes were submitted without people hearing the carefully crafted arguments for and against the motion? Stòras members are great policymakers while sitting by the Rayburn but they need to make their views heard aloud!
Life isn’t easy for the Stòras Board. New ideas are risky, costly and take a long time to develop – sticking with the old feels safer. Often there may be no right or wrong answer to problems, but solutions can be negotiated. Members rightly should challenge constructively, praise as appropriate and in general be supportive to encourage trust across the whole organisation.
It’s past the middle of Lent, the season to abstain, repent and be more charitable. Uist people are brilliant at coming forward in unity to worship and give support to those who need it. For myself every Lent, I struggle with giving up chocs, Facebook and hot toddies and strive to stay awake to finish my prayers!
What of the Gaelic language? In my role as Chair of Bòrd na Gàidhlig I often hear of Gaelic being described as an economic asset, of its tangible and intangible benefits and of cultural tourism. Sometimes I think “b’eòlach mo sheanair air cultural tourism!”
Gaelic and Uist are hugely important to each other nowadays. Across the world, we are held in high esteem as one of the special places where Gaelic is spoken in daily life. Gaelic needs learners, reluctant speakers and stalwarts. We’re all in it together and I encourage those of you who have lost your confidence in speaking it to give it a go – let it come out! Are families happy with the Gaelic offer in Sgoil Lionacleit and UHI Outer Hebrides? If not, it’s time to speak up! Your children only get one shot at education!
I have been closely involved with developing Cnoc Soilleir – the world-class new facility which is bringing much-needed jobs and ‘buzz’ to the South End. The sheer dedication, determination and leadership demonstrated by Ceòlas has resulted in transformational change. Already, the building is very busy with people gathering for a host of reasons. More is still to come!
Our community has a very high percentage of employment delivered by the third-sector or voluntary groups. Such precarious circumstances make our economy extremely fragile. Running
organisations, securing funding and recruitment is tough, but we manage it.
We are a stoic, resilient and innovative community and will thrive and progress if the necessary infrastructure and resources are directed to us. We must be prepared to speak up strongly and politely – NOW.
Cllr Uisdean Robertson, Uibhist A Tuath, Chair Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and HITRANS
Active Travel in the Western Isles
While the National Cycle Network route No.780 – The Hebridean Way – from Barra to the Butt of Lewis offers visitors a signed route to walk or cycle the length of the Western Isles, the long distances between settlements on the islands often mean that the private car is how most people choose to travel for many everyday journeys.
However, Census data also highlights that 23% of households in the Outer Hebrides do not have a car available at home (for those living in social housing this figure rises to as high as 49% (Census, 2011)) and a third of journeys to work within the Outer Hebrides being three miles or less.
These figures illustrate that there is both a lot of scope for more short everyday journeys to be made on foot or by cycle and that encouraging more people to use active travel more often is key to realising a variety of wider positive outcomes from the Scottish Government’s targets for net zero and a 20% reduction in car traffic, and can also bring benefits to the physical, mental, and social health of our people.
The Comhairle in partnership with HITRANS (Highlands and Islands Regional Transport Partnership) developed a five-year Outer Hebrides Active Travel Strategy in 2021. The Strategy sets out a number of objectives for increasing the number of journeys made by active travel, presenting a vision for high quality places where walking and cycling for everyday journeys to school, work, or shopping are easy, pleasant and safe.
It highlights that there are many small communities, such as Tarbert and Balivanich, where vehicles and through-roads are dominant, which would benefit from placemaking to make it easier and safer to choose to walk, wheel or cycle, with a particular focus on safe routes to schools and community hubs. The vision and objectives for active travel within communities across the Outer Hebrides is summarised as follows:
*Safe routes to school are established in settlements with schools so local children have the opportunity to safely walk or cycle to school.
*A holistic approach is taken in settlements with community hubs to ensure there is appropriate infrastructure to travel safely by foot or bicycle.
*A place-based approach to high quality infrastructure and a review of speed limits makes it easy and safe to choose walking and cycling for everyday journeys within communities.
*Safe active travel routes to access attractions and trip generators within or near settlements.
And between Communities the priorities are:
*Develop a coherent network of routes connecting communities within comfortable walking or cycling distance of each other.
*Improve safety of Hebridean Way cycle route to enhance tourism offer and connect dispersed settlements.
Since the Strategy was published progress has been made in a number of areas. A series of masterplans were initially developed for the main settlements: https://bit.ly/42xCLld. These identified a series of priority projects for improving infrastructure for active travel locally.
The plans have been used to support applications for funding to develop detailed designs and then the construction of various different projects. The Comhairle has recently applied for capital funding for 11 projects to be delivered in 2023/24: these include Lochboisdale Active Travel Links in partnership with Storas Uibhist, Balivanich Safe Route to School and the Barra Herring Walk, with Barra & Vatersay Community Trust. Projects valuing a total of £3.2m were submitted to Transport Scotland’s Active Travel Transformation Fund. The Council expects to find out if applications have been successful this Spring.
Again, working in partnership with HITRANS, the Comhairle has also been able to secure funding for a new post to support the development of Active Travel and Public Transport initiatives across the islands. The post is supported by the Scottish Government’s ‘Smarter Choices Smarter Places’ fund which is administered by Paths for All. It is hoped the new recruit will be in post in April and can begin work to support improvements to public transport information, delivery of the Active Travel Strategy, and promotion of the HItravel Liftshare platform for ride sharing.
It is hoped this work will encourage more people to walk or cycle for everyday functional trips such as going to work or school, or to the shops. This can be for all or part of the journey, for example walking or cycling to a bus stop. As for other forms of transport, having a strategy ensures that the many benefits of increasing physical activity levels, in the form of active travel, are framed, planned, funded, delivered, and measured in a structured way. Active travel is one of the most sustainable ways to build physical activity into our lives, combining exercise with getting from A to B. Walking and cycling as part of our everyday routine can contribute to the recommended levels of physical activity to promote physical and mental health and wellbeing.
Greater investment in and promotion of active travel is an effective way to meet climate change targets and contributes to reducing congestion and pollution.
Shifting narratives: what do we see in Uist?
If I look through a window and you look through it – for all the outlook is the same, we will see and remember different things from that view.
This month sees the launch of the Uist Beò website to showcase a dynamic and vibrant Uist, through the eyes of young Uibhistich – entirely an insiders’ view.
Do we really know what’s going on in our own community? Are we seeing different things?
For long the dominant perception has been that we are in terminal decline. If the projected future population trends for the Outer Hebrides prove true in Uist, we will be turning out the lights before 2050.
But even five years ago this did not feel right. Gathering a list of 469 young Uibhistich in their 20s and 30s, we discovered half were returners or new to Uist: not the exodus of young people our community always assumed (“to get on, you have to get off”).
Why were so many in the prime of their working lives making Uist their home? The very first returner we asked gave a simple answer: “my social life here is so much better than in Glasgow!”
The ‘night time’ economy is not just for cities. Regular sessions from Saturday nights at Creagorry to the fortnightly Accordion and Fiddle Club, as well as ceilidhs and fund-raising events, often with our many award-winning musicians. Are you dancing? Tuesday night Carinish, Saturday St. Peter’s, Sunday Stoneybridge, and that’s only for the adults!
Are you interested in art, crafts, archaeology, or sports (athletics, running, football, badminton, squash, golf, swimming indoors and outdoors, paddle-boarding, kickboxing, yoga, etc.)? Ceòlas, now at Cnoc Soilleir, has more than 100 joining their Gàidhlig classes.
Primary school children are spoilt for choice, especially in sports and music, Highland and Irish dancing. They could be at an activity every evening of the week, and at a fraction of the costs in a city, some even free.
So does the window you look through have an old frame, or is it newer? Of course older generations hold memories of much greater numbers, from schools to dances. But how about the last decade? Last year we had only 9 fewer primary school pupils in Uist than 10 years earlier, out of more than 300. In Barra the number of primary pupils last year was 19% higher than in 2010! And this is likely to continue. Cothrom Òg Gàidhlig nursery has 26 children signed up and a waiting list. All pupils entering Daliburgh School for the last two years are in Gàidhlig medium.
Sustaining the number of younger children for a decade is a remarkable success. In Grimsay, only one child started primary school a decade ago; today there are 15 children. No, it’s not what is was 40 years ago, but it is more than 10 years ago. Locheport, with only 3 children recently, now has 13, with 3 more expected soon.
It’s too early to say whether the decline has bottomed out. For historical reasons we have a high proportion of elderly people, so there will be more deaths than births. But for many returning or making Uist their new home, the view through the window is looking exciting and vibrant.
Take all the young businesses. North Uist Distillery, set up by two young returners, now employs 13 people, bringing life back to one of Uist’s most historic buildings. We have award winning young businesses, e.g. Coral Box and Studiovans, who recycle plastic from our shores to create modular units for vans. As the Uist Beò website will show, we have young people and families in crofting, culture and music; beauty, health and wellbeing; photography, art and architecture. We have numerous PhD students, and many who work online, e.g. in the medical sector or web-based design. And the islands have the highest density of community enterprises per head of population in all of Scotland.
In hospitality, the Politician, Croft & Cuan, Kildonan Cafe, the Bistro, Grimsay Cafe, Westford Inn, the Dunes Cabin, Lochmaddy Hotel, the Berneray shop and the Wee Cottage Kitchen have all recently been taken over or set up, often by young people with children, showing confidence in the local economy. Many young people have told us that they see so much opportunity here.
The narratives we tell ourselves as a community are really important. Nobody would say we don’t have our fair share of challenges, what with ferries and housing! Many include jobs also, although the greater challenge is filling the many vacant jobs we have at all times, providing plenty of opportunity for people if they can only find somewhere to live.
Whether we view our glass as half empty or as half full has real impact. Past ‘official’ narratives, of decline, a place to leave, or of a romanticised empty place to retire to, undermine our future. Who wants to be in a place where the lights are going out soon? We don’t need to look far from our islands to see other islands now abandoned.
Whether here or in other island communities, we always first ask people, why are you here, in spite of the many challenges you obviously face? Many of us could join the numerous Hebrideans in Glasgow and elsewhere, but we choose to live here. Why? It isn’t because of ferries, shopping malls, ice rinks or diverse global foods.
More important factors are influencing our life choices, factors that came to the fore during Covid: land, sea and croft; community and family; wellbeing and resilience, freedom and safety; Gàidhlig and vibrant culture; dynamic community groups and activities; small class sizes and dedicated teachers; being valued for who we are, a sense of equality; our strong sense of identity and belonging, of being there for each other; etc. etc.
Many of us have lived elsewhere, including when young people leaving school go to experience life elsewhere. So we can recognise how valuable all those factors are, how at home we can feel here, and how envious people elsewhere are of what we have, and share.
So let us all, from individuals and community groups to agencies and CnES, ditch managing decline, rationalising and centralising, and instead invest in our future, by building on these great foundations, including a more assertive community that no longer kowtows to distant powerholders or outdated narratives.