OUR PATRONS

The community of Assynt are now the owners and custodians of the 44,400 acre Glencanisp and Drumrunie estates, thanks to the amazing help of many groups and individuals working to help us raise the £2.9 million needed for the community to purchase the land in June 2005. We are hugely indebted to all those who helped, through their time or their money, through contributions large and small. The costs of managing and running the estates will continue. All donations to the Assynt Foundation will help towards running costs of the estates, and help towards the foundation achieving their goals for the future of Assynt.

THE BIG LOTTERY FUND


The Assynt Foundation received £1.6 million from the Big Lottery Fund, through the Scottish Land Fund, which was over half of the total purchase sum for the estates.
The Big Lottery Fund have also agreed to provide a grant that will total £57,500, under 'Investing in Communities', through Growing Community Assets. This is in order to fund the continuation of the post of development manager.
The Big Lottery Fund’s Growing Community Assets has also approved a grant of up to £784,997 towards the Glencanisp Lodge redevelopment project.
The Big Lottery Fund have also awarded a grant of £8,900 under the Awards for All programme, to purchase kayaks, a safety boat and equipment for them.

The Tubney Charitable Trust provided a last minute fast-tracked grant of £550,000 to the Assynt Foundation, towards the original purchase of the estates.

HIE COMMUNITY LAND UNIT

The Community Land Unit of Highlands and Islands Enterprise provided £605,000 towards the initial land purchase, and are providing a grant totalling £24,000 towards funding the post of development manager.

Through the Community Land Unit, HIE have also approved a grant of up to £250,000 towards the Glencanisp Lodge redevelopment project.

SCOTTISH NATURAL HERITAGE

Scottish Natural Heritage provided a grant of £100,000 towards the original purchase of the estates.

JOHN MUIR TRUST

The John Muir Trust gave the Assynt Foundation a grant of £50,000 towards the original purchase of the estates, and are giving the Foundation a further management grant of £15,000 per year, for the first five years of ownership, raised through their Suilven Appeal.

LEADER+

LEADER+ was a European Community Initiative for assisting rural communities in improving the quality of life and economic prosperity in their local area. Its aim was to encourage and support rural actors to think about the longer term potential of their area. It sought to encourage the implementation of integrated, high-quality, original strategies for sustainable development designed to encourage experimenting with new ways of:

  • Enhancing the natural and cultural heritage
  • Reinforcing the economic environment, in order to contribute to job creation
  • Improving the organisation abilities of their community
Leader+ provided a grant of £6300 for 45% of the salary for the initial 1 year placement of the Project Officer position.

Community Energy Scotland (formerly the Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company) have approved a grant of up to £100,000 towards energy-related parts of the Glencanisp Lodge redevelopment project.
The Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company also previously provided a grant towards the costs of investigating renewable energy options on the estate.

The European Regional Development Fund has approved a grant of up to £231,220 towards the Glencanisp Lodge redevelopment project.

Scottish Power Green Energy Trust has approved a grant of £6,382 towards the conversion to a woodchip heating system as part of the Glencanisp Lodge redevelopment project.
See the recent press release for the Green Energy Trust grant here.