Acharacle Community Company is a small, not-for-profit organisation originally formed in 2001 to save the local Post Office from closure. It is a constituted body and a charity made up of members (currently over 110 in number) and a board of directors. It is free to join and members and directors can be anybody over the age of 18 who are resident in the Acharacle area.
Since 2001, the company has initiated various projects including the Re-use Project, IT training, Local Produce and Craft Markets and have organised events such as dances, whist/bingo nights and family woodland days at the Sgoil na Coille.
The Company owns property in Acharacle, including a bungalow 'Druim Garbh' which has been renovated by the Communities Housing Trust and is now rented to a local family. Next to this, the Company owns the wooden building is currently leased out to Cafe Tioram and Sunart Networks ( a local telecom company).
Regular woodland events (before Covid-19) have been organised over the past few years by the Company at the Sgoil na Coille (wood school) in the Salen woodlands with help from Highland Council Rangers and Forestry and Land Scotland. However, the lease for use of this building and compost loo ran out in 2019 and now Forestry and Land Scotland have asked the public to come forward to save the buildings from demolition as they are not required to maintain them. A group of local people has formed and is looking into securing the future of the buildings and woodland. Access to the area is currently prohibited as felling is ongoing.
One of the main activities the Company started in 2007 was the Re-use Project. Run by volunteers since 2011, it recycled anything from furniture to bric-a-brac. The project is now much reduced, but still much in demand and is based at the Community Centre.
In December 2012, the Community Company began a 5 year lease to run the Community Centre (formerly the Highland Council day care centre) on MacNaughton Crescent. Using funding from the Highland Council and the NHS, it has managed this asset very successfully for the last nine years. The Company has since bought the centre from the Highland Council and a Project Worker was employed to develop the centre to its full potential. It is now well used by many community groups and small businesses, who rent an office space or treatment room. See the centre page for more information about our available rooms, opening times and details about how to book a space.
The Company is striving to become more independent and less reliant on grant income and to this end is always looking out for new projects that may provide a steady income. New ideas are being formed as this is written, so watch this space....
We are a charity and a company limited by guarantee and have a document called 'Memorandum & Articles' which is our governing document. you can read the details here: oscr_approved_constitution_2019__1_.doc
The directors of the Community Company currently are:
David John Cameron (Chair) Fiona Cameron (Treasurer) Tracy Cameron Graham Finegold Gillian King Helen MacGillivray Karen MacMillan
Acharacle Community Company is a company limited by guarantee, having no share capital, registered in Scotland. Registered Company in Scotland Number: SC217376. Registered Charity in Scotland Number: SC033393. Registered Office: Acharacle Community Centre, Morrison Place, Acharacle, PH36 4JJ