24 February 2023 Issue 2516 © ULLAPOOL NEWS
COULD A LOCHBROOM STAFF POOL WORK FOR YOU?
Do you want to work but can’t commit to a fixed schedule? The Lochbroom and Ullapool Community Trust (LUCT) is re-launching a pilot trial of a scheme that invites locals to work at local businesses – hospitality, retail, others – through the peak season by working shifts as and when needed. This year the Trust is starting early to get people signed up – and trained if possible. It micro-tested whether this could work last year. No agency, simply a WhatsApp group to say who needs staff and who might be available. Pay and conditions to be agreed directly with the business on a freelance or zero hours contract basis.
LUCT has attracted funding for training because there is a lot of interest in other areas about the idea and whether it could work elsewhere too. Working with UHI West Highlands College, the plan is to be able to offer training in health and safety, food hygiene, personal alcohol licence and first aid in the coming couple of months for a limited number of people. From the experience last year:
WORKER BENEFITS included extra cash, flexibility to work when it suits (around caring responsibilities, studies, other jobs), option to work for different businesses, picking up transferable skills, meeting new people – local and visitors – and feeling engaged in village life. BUSINESS BENEFITS included finding short-term and leave cover for staff, supporting long-term staff at busy periods, opportunity to spread the word about good working environments. Can we create a trained pool of staff in the community who live here already and who can get paid to work locally?
*****
SEED SWAP 2023 NEWS!
This years Seed Swap will mark our 10th Anniversary. From small beginnings – a few hours one Saturday afternoon in a room at the Macphail Centre – to this year three or more weeks seed swapping opportunities for everyone at Ullapool Library (6th to 17th March), and then at Elphin Tea Rooms (4th to 5th April). We have a huge amount of donated seeds this year – thanks to the ongoing generosity of several independent seed suppliers (more details closer to 6th March). We hope you have lots of your own locally gathered seeds to exchange too! – Ullapool Seed Savers
*****
WARM SPACES
The Parish Hub is offering a FREE safe, warm and welcoming space for people to come and stay warm every Monday, Thursday and Friday 10-2PM. Soup and a roll or homebaking, Hot & Soft Drinks will be available during that time. Come along bring a book or take a book, puzzles, read the paper, some board games, or just chat with friends. Free Wi-Fi and places to charge your phones. All are welcome!! For further information please contact Rev. Heidi Hercus, – Coordinator -hhercus@churchofscotland.org.uk
The Parish Hub Project has been awarded a grant to help people with their soaring electricity bills. Through no fault of our own many of us are struggling to make ends meet in a way perhaps we haven’t before. We all need a little help sometimes, if we can help you in some way please do get in touch via call or pop in to the Warming Space to have a chat. If you or someone you know is in genuine need, please contact us. No one in our community need go cold or hungry.
For assistance, please phone Ruth Clark 612790, Pam Eddington 613736, Heidi Hercus 612360, Yvonne Boa 612789
*****
UCT has a series of workshops and events planned as part of the Highland Community Waste Partnership (HCWP). The HCWP is a partnership of 8 organisations across the Highlands working together to reduce waste. One area the project is focusing on is reuse and repair. So we are launching a social Make & Mend session on Wednesday afternoons in the New Broom starting on the 1st March. Come along with your latest creative project or bring that jumper you’ve been meaning to fix for months! We also have two upcycling workshops planned: Picture frames on the 4th March, and Stools & Boxes on the 15th March. Working with wood, both workshops will introduce you to a variety of techniques to transform something tired or unwanted into a piece to cherish. You’re welcome to bring along your own piece to work on, or there will be a selection of items to choose from and take home. No need to have any previous experience! Thanks to funding from the Partnership, these events are being offered free of charge, but you do need to book a place at the workshops. Please also see the HCWP poster on page 38 in this week’s Ullapool News for more information.
To reserve your place on one of the workshops, please email Catriona (catriona@ullapoolcommunity.org). Also get in touch with Catriona if you have any questions or suggestions of other workshops or events you would like to see.
COULD A LOCHBROOM STAFF POOL WORK FOR YOU?
Do you want to work but can’t commit to a fixed schedule? The Lochbroom and Ullapool Community Trust (LUCT) is re-launching a pilot trial of a scheme that invites locals to work at local businesses – hospitality, retail, others – through the peak season by working shifts as and when needed. This year the Trust is starting early to get people signed up – and trained if possible. It micro-tested whether this could work last year. No agency, simply a WhatsApp group to say who needs staff and who might be available. Pay and conditions to be agreed directly with the business on a freelance or zero hours contract basis.
LUCT has attracted funding for training because there is a lot of interest in other areas about the idea and whether it could work elsewhere too. Working with UHI West Highlands College, the plan is to be able to offer training in health and safety, food hygiene, personal alcohol licence and first aid in the coming couple of months for a limited number of people. From the experience last year:
WORKER BENEFITS included extra cash, flexibility to work when it suits (around caring responsibilities, studies, other jobs), option to work for different businesses, picking up transferable skills, meeting new people – local and visitors – and feeling engaged in village life. BUSINESS BENEFITS included finding short-term and leave cover for staff, supporting long-term staff at busy periods, opportunity to spread the word about good working environments. Can we create a trained pool of staff in the community who live here already and who can get paid to work locally?
*****
SEED SWAP 2023 NEWS!
This years Seed Swap will mark our 10th Anniversary. From small beginnings – a few hours one Saturday afternoon in a room at the Macphail Centre – to this year three or more weeks seed swapping opportunities for everyone at Ullapool Library (6th to 17th March), and then at Elphin Tea Rooms (4th to 5th April). We have a huge amount of donated seeds this year – thanks to the ongoing generosity of several independent seed suppliers (more details closer to 6th March). We hope you have lots of your own locally gathered seeds to exchange too! – Ullapool Seed Savers
*****
WARM SPACES
The Parish Hub is offering a FREE safe, warm and welcoming space for people to come and stay warm every Monday, Thursday and Friday 10-2PM. Soup and a roll or homebaking, Hot & Soft Drinks will be available during that time. Come along bring a book or take a book, puzzles, read the paper, some board games, or just chat with friends. Free Wi-Fi and places to charge your phones. All are welcome!! For further information please contact Rev. Heidi Hercus, – Coordinator -hhercus@churchofscotland.org.uk
The Parish Hub Project has been awarded a grant to help people with their soaring electricity bills. Through no fault of our own many of us are struggling to make ends meet in a way perhaps we haven’t before. We all need a little help sometimes, if we can help you in some way please do get in touch via call or pop in to the Warming Space to have a chat. If you or someone you know is in genuine need, please contact us. No one in our community need go cold or hungry.
For assistance, please phone Ruth Clark 612790, Pam Eddington 613736, Heidi Hercus 612360, Yvonne Boa 612789
*****
UCT has a series of workshops and events planned as part of the Highland Community Waste Partnership (HCWP). The HCWP is a partnership of 8 organisations across the Highlands working together to reduce waste. One area the project is focusing on is reuse and repair. So we are launching a social Make & Mend session on Wednesday afternoons in the New Broom starting on the 1st March. Come along with your latest creative project or bring that jumper you’ve been meaning to fix for months! We also have two upcycling workshops planned: Picture frames on the 4th March, and Stools & Boxes on the 15th March. Working with wood, both workshops will introduce you to a variety of techniques to transform something tired or unwanted into a piece to cherish. You’re welcome to bring along your own piece to work on, or there will be a selection of items to choose from and take home. No need to have any previous experience! Thanks to funding from the Partnership, these events are being offered free of charge, but you do need to book a place at the workshops. Please also see the HCWP poster on page 38 in this week’s Ullapool News for more information.
To reserve your place on one of the workshops, please email Catriona (catriona@ullapoolcommunity.org). Also get in touch with Catriona if you have any questions or suggestions of other workshops or events you would like to see.
