Christmas has come early for Badenoch Shinty Memories Group (BSMG) who are celebrating the news that they have been awarded nearly £3,000 to help them with activities being planned in the community in the New Year.

 

BMSG have been awarded £2,885.00 under the Corra Foundation’s Neighbourhoods and Communities Fund. The money is being spent on the purchase of two new Gazebos, tablesand chairs, and also a wheelchair which can be used where people attending events may have mobility issues.

 

Chairman John MacKenzie MBE has welcomed the latest award to be made to the group to help with its activities.  He said: “This award has come at a significant time for the Group which, like everyone else, has been faced with significant challenges in the past year. The Corra Foundation support will enable us to better facilitate events which we plan to home in the new year as soon as the current pandemic eases and as the weather allows.  We are all looking forward to a situation where we will be able to get back on track and we have plans to have another visit from the Screen Machine early in the New Year and then hopefully as the weather improves, and as our communities get back to some semblance of normality, we can put the new equipment to good use.  The CorraFoundation has certainly made our Christmas somewhat better and we are extremely grateful to them for recognising the impact our work has in the community.”

 

Mr MacKenzie has attached his remarks on the new funding to his annual Christmas and New Year message, detailing the challenges the group has faced and is now managing as best it can.

 

He said: “The main challenges we face arechallenging every community group; Covid-19 and the restrictions in place for social gatherings, when that is what the group is about – bringing people together. We have looked at more activities online, such as establishing regular memories sessions online but are conscious of some of the particularchallenges which cannot be resolved in this way. Sustainability for the future is always a concern for the group.  Regular funding is a huge challenge and currently the resources to continue employing a project officer are still beyond us. We therefore rely 100% on voluntary effort and our own fund-raising.  

We are always looking for additional volunteers and hopefully it will become easier to attract new volunteers when the pandemic’s impact eases.  I’d obviously like to thank the Group Trustees” and our hard–working committee for their efforts throughout the year and finally, I would like us all to remember those we have lost in our community over the last year and wish everyone we engage with throughout the community all the best for the coming few weeks and months. We are here to help and if anyone is feeling lonely or in isolation over the festive period they should get in touch. Hopefully we will all soon be meeting together in circumstances we can all enjoy.”