Organic Sea Harvest’s community donations pass £40,000
Fund operated by Skye salmon farmer and feed supplier has reached ‘significant milestone’
Salmon producer Organic Sea Harvest (OSH), which operates two farms off the northeast coast of Skye, has now awarded more than £40,000 to community groups and organisations on the island through its Bho Mhuir gu Tìr (From Sea to Land) community fund, it announced today.
Partnering with feed supplier Cargill, the fund was launched at the time of OSH’s first harvest in 2021, and forms part of the company’s ongoing commitment to bring social, cultural, and economic benefits to northeast Skye communities.
Two significant donations have helped the fund to cross the £40,000 output mark.
Helping Hands
The community fund has given £5,000 to Helping Hands, Portree. The money will help purchase supplies for the breakfast club at Portree High School; support intergenerational activities involving local schools, care home and care support groups; buy hampers for those who need it most this Christmas.
The fund has also given Radio Skye £9,075.62 to purchase new indoor and outdoor broadcasting equipment, which will also be used to help offer training opportunities to young people on the island.
OSH founding director Alex MacInnes said: “This is a significant milestone for the community fund, and we are delighted to have been able to support many projects, small and large, across the northeast of the Isle of Skye where we are based.
“The community fund will shortly close for applications for 2022, but we would encourage local organisations and groups to keep an eye on our website for news of the fund re-opening in early 2023.”
Sharon Fenlon, who runs Helping Hands in Portree, said: “Helping Hands are delighted to receive funding as this will enable some projects to happen in the coming year such as intergenerational activities to help get us socialising again and encouraging more community involvement with various groups. We are very excited to see what we can achieve, and it wouldn’t have been possible without this injection of funds.”
Transmitter equipment
Radio Skye station manager Suzy Lee said: “We are thrilled to be successful in our funding application to Organic Sea Harvest.
“We have been making a lot of exciting changes at Radio Skye this year with the installation of two new antennas and new software. The funding allows us to buy spare transmitter equipment and some very fancy mini desks that will make a huge difference to our outside broadcasting as well as equipment we can take into schools to teach presenting and broadcasting remotely.
“As a commercial station, all our running costs rely on advertising income which means we need to fundraise for new equipment. Getting this fund means we can make some serious steps into securing the future of the local radio station.”
For more information, and to request an application form for the Bho Mhuir gu Tìr community fund, email communityfund@organicseaharvest.co.uk or visit www.organicseaharvest.co.uk
