From left: Mowi community engagement officer Jayne MacKay, Lochaber Food Bank volunteer Alex Mcconnachie, and Mowi human resources advisor Emma Robertson, who nominated the food bank. The food bank experiences its heaviest demand in December but also receives its lowest level of donations. Staff at Mowi's office in Fort William have now started a "reverse advent calendar" which entails bringing in an item of food for the bank every working day in the run-up to Christmas.

Mowi delivers an early Christmas present to local groups

Organisations nominated by fish farmer’s employees will receive up to £1,000 each

Editorial team
Published

Fourteen community organisations in the Highlands and Islands are to receive donations of up to £1,000 each from Mowi after being nominated by the salmon farmer’s staff.

The company’s community support committee allocated the money after inviting employees to nominate a local organisation that could benefit from cash at Christmas. Staff came forward with many ideas that covered most of the regions where the Mowi does business.

Groups helped

  • North Lochs Café, Community Hall, Lewis (nominated by Don MacLeod)
  • The Community Foodbank, Skye & Lochalsh (John Gillies)
  • The Community Foodbank, Lochaber (Emma Robertson)
  • Highlands & Islands Blood Bikes (Kate Tsang)
  • Glenelg Village Hall, Loch Hourn (Alex Harvey)
  • Cothrom, South Uist (Roddy Steele)
  • The Uist & Barra Foodbank (Roddy Steele)
  • Care Lochaber (Scott Nolan)
  • Tagsa Uibhist, Uist Golden Years (Roddy Steele)
  • The Ceilidh House and Heritage Center in Corran (Mario Dias)
  • Balmacara Community Trust (Gavin Martin)
  • Acharacle Primary School Support Group, Ardnamurchan (Ken MacDonald)
  • Cobhair Bharraigh, Barra (James Wilson)
  • Castle Bay Children’s Centre, Barra (James Wilson)

Jayne MacKay, Mowi’s community engagement officer, said: “Our staff really value the opportunity to support community volunteers that do so much to improve the quality of life where we all live and work. While our community support programme accepts applications year-round, it’s nice to be able to surprise groups with a little extra help during the festive season.”

Food banks

Each donation will be delivered before Christmas by the employee who made the nomination.

Organisations that will benefit include food banks, a community café, and a primary school support group.

Balmacara resident and Mowi employee Gavin Martin, who successfully nominated the Balmacara Community Trust for one of the grants, said: “This donation puts us that bit closer to our goal of restoring our village hall to its former glory and once again be used as a welcoming, safe space for our community and the visitors to our area."

Loch Erisort farm manager David Macmillan, left, presents a donation for the Creagan Cafe to operator Angela Macdonald and Iain Macdonald, treasurer of the North Lochs Community Association (NLCA). The recently-opened cafe, situated in the community hall, doubles as a warm place for anyone struggling with heating and feeding themselves over the winter, and was nominated by Mowi area manager Don MacLeod, who was unable to attend the presentation.
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