Community council tenacity over Benderloch village centre finally rewarded

A lively and well attended community council meeting took place at North Connel village Hall, sustained with cakes and coffee.
As usual there was a widely varied list of topics to discuss and report on. Read the rest of this post »

March 10, 2010   Posted in: Benderloch, Bonawe, Community, Community Council, Etive, North Connel, argyll and bute council  No Comments

Energy Awareness Event comes to Benderloch

ALIenergy and Lochnell primary school are coming together to host an Energy Awareness Event.

Lochnell primary pupils throughout the school are actively involved producing displays and games for  the event at the Victory Hall, Benderloch on Friday 19th March, as well as being on hand to help teach others about energy,

Read the rest of this post »

March 10, 2010   Posted in: Benderloch, Children, Environment, Event, Renewable Energy, Schools, food and drink, sustainability  No Comments

Local Development Plan – Ardchattan needs YOU !

What are YOUR personal priorities for the place you live in ?

Argyll and Bute are starting a long period of consultation with us all to find out what we want and need in our local communities. The LDP website is here
If we want them to prioritise the money in the right places for us HERE, we need to tell them what WE want.
If each of us do not get involved, and have our say, then when other villages and parishes get the things we want, or we have things imposed upon us that we do not want, we will have not a leg to stand on.

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March 10, 2010   Posted in: Barcaldine, Benderloch, Bonawe, Community, Community Council, Creran, Elderly, Environment, North Connel, Renewable Energy, Roads, argyll and bute council, sustainability, transport  No Comments

Laurel and Hardy ? In Benderloch ?

Yes – its true, honest —> Look, See  –>

Laurel & Hardy
by Tom McGrath
Tuesday 23rd March, Victory Hall, Benderloch.

Mull Theatre presents this affectionate look at the lives of the most successful comedy team in history. Read the rest of this post »

March 6, 2010   Posted in: Arts and Crafts, Benderloch, Event, Village Halls  No Comments

Sustainability : Waste less

If we can all do something to reduce the waste we produce, we will be making a small step towards a more sustainable community.
It means there is less energy used to make replacements, and less pollution of the environment to get rid of the waste. Read the rest of this post »

March 6, 2010   Posted in: Community, Environment, Renewable Energy, Transition, food and drink, sustainability, transport  No Comments

Digital Drop In

TV viewers in Oban and Mid Argyll will have the opportunity to get tips on making the switch to digital television during a series of drop in sessions later this month, hosted by Digital UK.

Your chance to meet some people who can explain all about how the new, fast approaching change from analogue signal to digital is all about on 10 March:  Corran Halls, Esplanade, Oban at 12noon-6pm

Read the rest of this post »

March 6, 2010   Posted in: Community  No Comments

Community Council meeting – Tues 9th March

The next Ardchattan Community Council meeting is next Tuesday at North
Connel village hall. The meeting starts at 7.30 pm

you are welcome !

Do you have any issues, concerns, problems and niggles about whats happening in Ardchattan — Barcaldine, Benderloch, North Connel, Bonawe and all points between.

For last meetings minutes visit the Ardchattan Community Council website

March 5, 2010   Posted in: Barcaldine, Benderloch, Bonawe, Community Council, North Connel, Village Halls  No Comments

Bee-keepers and Gardeners unite

Gardeners are dependant on bees for the success of many plants they grow, but often it can be hard to know how best to attract and shelter the natural populations.

Increasingly people are becoming interested and encouraged to keep a hive of bees themselves, but, Where to Start?

For those who already have bees, it is vital that they provide the best sources for their charges to feed on, to keep them well and to provide good honey.

On Thursday the 11th March there is a joint meeting of the Oban Beekeepers and the local North Connel and District Horticultural Show Garden Club at the Campbell Memorial Hall from 7.30pm

The topics and speakers will be

“Gardening and Bumble Bees” by Anja Lamont

and

“An Introduction to Beekeeping” by Phil Moss.

This is bound to be a popular meeting, so come early to get a good seat.

March 5, 2010   Posted in: Community  No Comments

Scottish Opera : a smash hit in Benderloch.

It looks like all the hard work by Arts and Culture in Ardchattan, and the Scottish Opera troup, paid off in spades.
Here is a tribute from a member of the audience last night, those who did not get there missed a wonderful evening.


This was an amazing evening of Opera which filled the hall in so many ways, people, amazing voices and of course the applause.  We had over 100 people turn up for the event some seasoned Opera goers and others like myself who have no previous experience. I was moved to tears by some pieces, laughed my head off at others. The singers were so talented and expressive that the sentiment was conveyed despite not being able to understand most of the languages they sang in. What amazed me most was their incredible voices, so powerful and strong; they more than the hall without a microphone in site.
They are giving Benderloch a big tick as a venue so maybe we will see them again, I hope so and would thoroughly recommend going to see them if you have the chance.

March 5, 2010   Posted in: Community  No Comments

Life can sometimes be hard here, but there are compensations

and our scenery surely has to be one of them.

This stunning image is another from Steve Eccles – showing Ben Cruachan in all its glory. Click on the picture to see more.

If you have a photo you have taken in these months of the most astonishing light and colours, please put it up on one of the freebie galleries and let us know where it is so you can share it with us all.

For those of us who spend too much time driving or working to get to take these images, thank you !

March 2, 2010   Posted in: Community, Etive, Nature, North Connel  No Comments