SLCVO Weekly Round-Up | 1st–5th September 2025

It’s been a busy and inspiring week across Skye and Lochalsh

• Michelle Seviour started in her new role with SLCVO as our Third Sector Support Officer, you can contact her by email michelle.seviour@slcvo.org.uk

• We worked with 8 groups supporting enquires from funding searches to constitutional guidance, training access and volunteer promotion.

• Our Befrienders Manager Matt Davis met potential new volunteers for our Befrienders Service

• Jo Ford, SLCVO's Chief Officer was on the road to Elgol with local Development Trusts

📍 Monday: Jo Ford attended the Skye and Raasay Area Committee Meeting to share updates on our community work. You can watch our presentation here https://youtu.be/sTZYtrBUdW8?feature=shared&t=2592

📍 Tuesday: We facilitated the Skye and Raasay Development Trust Network Meeting at Elgol Village Hall, bringing together several local development trusts to discuss community priorities.

We were hosted by Skye’s newest trust, Elgol and Strathaird Development Trust which has:

• Transformed the former primary school into a visitor centre and creative hub

• Begun exploring plans for much-needed new housing 

We also heard inspiring updates from:

• Broadford & Strath Community Company, whose Skye Camping Base is pioneering sustainable tourism, with surplus funds reinvested into health and wellbeing projects.

• Dunvegan Community Trust, shared their work on the Gaeltec building and a new Tool Library initiative.

• Edinbane Community Company, discussed the challenges and recent progress in their community housing project.

• Uig Community Trust outlined aspirations to develop the harbour area for local families and community use.

To reduce our carbon footprint, we travelled to Elgol using the Dunvegan Community Bus—a great opportunity for informal conversations and shared enthusiasm on the journey home.

📍 Wednesday: SLCVO’s Chief Officer joined the first unpaid carers meeting in Skye and Lochalsh, led by NHS Highland’s District Manager for the area. It was a valuable knowledge-sharing session, exploring:

• Existing support services

• Opportunities for co-design and collaboration between the third sector and public sector teams

If you're caring for someone—whether helping with shopping or providing more intensive support—please visit https://www.mobiliseonline.co.uk/ for guidance and resources.

📍 Thursday: Michelle and Jo met with Scottish Community Development Centre to plan their review of our collaborative work over the past two years particularly around the co-design and co-production framework of the Skye and Lochalsh Health, Wellbeing, Welfare and Social Care Collaboration.  Learn more about the HWWS Collaboration here https://www.slcvo.org.uk/hwws-collaboration

 Friday: SLCVO launched the Skye and Raasay Future (SARF)  Programme information hub which is on the SLCVO website https://www.slcvo.org.uk/sarf . and our weekly update blog.

We’re proud of what’s been achieved this week — and excited to see what next week brings as we continue supporting communities across Skye and Lochalsh.