Biggest community land purchase in Scottish history

[Gerrard Winstanley]

Sent this at 3.30pm to diggers
Yahoo wouldn't distribute this message on the diggers list!
Tony


Residents celebrate South Uist buy-out   
http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/75620.html
    
DAVID ROSS, Highland Correspondent, Glasgow Herald
November 30 2006   
    
The biggest community land purchase in Scottish history will be
completed today when 2700 islanders on South Uist, Eriskay and 
Benbecula
take control of the 92,000-acre South Uist Estate.

Beacons will be lit on the islands tonight as the residents celebrate
their historic buy-out for £4.5m. They had a final boost yesterday 
when
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) approved £150,000 of funding to 
support
the purchase.

The board of Highlands and Islands Enterprise agreed to give £2m 
earlier
this month, after a £2m contribution was approved by the Big Lottery
Fund's growing community assets fund.

The islanders' worldwide appeal has already raised £50,000, which 
still
leaves a shortfall of £20,000. But it is expected Western Isles 
Council
will make a significant contribution next month, and the purchase can
proceed as the community has bank borrowing facilities to bridge any 
gap
in the meantime.

SNH will work with the community on the estate to manage designated
sites of international importance to the natural heritage. The 
machairs
of South Uist are an outstanding asset and support a range of habitats
and species unique to the area.

David Maclennan, SNH Western Isles area manager, said: "The purchase 
of
South Uist is an exciting opportunity for the community and for SNH."



South Uist community buy out goes ahead
http://www.stv.tv/news/newArticle1704399

Hebridian islanders are celebrating a momentous turning point in their
history as Scotland's largest community buyout goes ahead. The South
Uist estate will now belong to those who live and work in it, as the
locals secured the £4.5 million to buy it.

The Big Lottery Fund has awarded them £2 million, with Highlands and
Islands Enterprise matching that amount earlier this month.




etc...
http://news.google.com/news?ncl=1111597031



-- 
Eurotopia 2006: Guide to EuroEcovillages and Intentional Communities
Price £12.00 inside/£15.00 outside UK (inc. P&P)
UK Pounds Cheque/PO to 'Ecovillage Network UK' (see address below)

Our specialist contact point for the UK EcoVillage movement.
Register free on the UK PeopleFinder - http://www.peoplefinder.org.uk

ECOVILLAGE NETWORK UK (that's us!) - http://www.evnuk.org.uk
Populating the rhetoric of rural sustainability
Volunteers: Tony, Pam, and Joyce
10-12 Picton Street, Montpelier, BRISTOL, BS6 5QA.
tel: 0117 373 0346 - email: office at evnuk.org.uk

EVN-UK MAILING LIST: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ecovillageuk
Subscribe (approx. 1 post/2wks.): ecovillageuk-subscribe at yahoogroups.
com

CHAPTER 7 - http://www.tlio.org.uk/chapter7/
The UK's Sustainable Rural Planning Campaign & planning office of 'The
Land Is Ours'
'The Land' magazine - 16-20pp. bi-yearly details from
The Potato Store, Flaxdrayton Farm, South Petherton, Somerset, TA13
email: chapter7 at tlio.org.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1460 249204

ECOVILLAGE GUIDE BOOKS - available (postage included) from
http://www.eco-logicbooks.com
Mulberry House, 19 Maple Grove, Bath, BA2 3AF - 01225 484472
UK > 'Diggers and Dreamers' - Annual directory of UK Communities - £6.
00
EUROPE > 'Eurotopia' - You can buy this from us (see above)!
COTTARS AND SQUATTERS > Reccommended: UK land rights history - £10.00

RADICAL ROUTES - http://www.radicalroutes.org.uk
c/o Cornerstone Resource Centre, 16 Sholebroke Avenue, LEEDS, LS7 3HB
A network of co-ops: mainly of housing co-ops - 0845 330 4510 - 0113 
262
9365

PERMACULTURE MAGAZINE - http://www.permaculture.co.uk/
Quarterly colour mag. for enquiring minds and original thinkers 
everywhere.
Hyden House Ltd, The Sustainability Centre, East Meon, Hampshire GU32
1HR, England.
info at permaculture.co.uk
Tel. 01730 823311

GREEN BUILDING MAGAZINE
http://www.buildingforafuture.co.uk
PO Box 32, Llandysul, Carmarthenshire, Wales, SA44 5ZA
01559 370798

DIGGERS AND DREAMERS - Searchable community database
http://www.diggersanddreamers.org.uk
Diggers & Dreamers, a UK guide to communal living for more than 10 
years
c/o Edge of Time Ltd, BCM Edge, London, WC1N 3XX, UK
info at diggersanddreamers.org.uk
Tel. 07000 780536

WWOOF - http://www.wwoof.org/wuk0.html
Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms
Join WWOOF, do some work, stay for free. Membership includes directory
PO Box 2675, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1RB
fran at wwoof.org

PERMACULTURE ASSOCIATION UK - http://www.permaculture.org.uk
Supports individuals, projects and groups working with permaculture in
Britain
Third Floor Studios, 6 Carr Mills, 322 Meanwood Road, Leeds, West
Yorkshire, LS7 2HY
office at permaculture.org.uk
Tel/Fax: 07041 390170 and 0113 262 1718

GROUNDSWELL - http://www.groundswell.org.uk
Promoting and developing self-help initiatives with the homeless

U.K. COHOUSING NETWORK - http://www.cohousing.co.uk/
Sharing expertise and experience amongst the U.K. cohousing groups.

FOREST SCHOOL CAMPS - http://www.fsc.org.uk/about.htm
Camps for kids to get back to nature with the minimum of authority.

GLOBAL ECOVILLAGE NETWORK, EUROPEAN OFFICES - http://www.gen-europe.
org/
Rosa-Luxemburgstr. 89, D-14806 Belzig, Germany - info at gen-europe.org -
0049 33841 44766
Ecovillage Office, Findhorn, The Park, Forres, Moray, Scotland IV36 
0TZ
- ecovillage at findhorn.org - +44 (0)1309 690154
Minutes of meetings
http://www.gen-europe.org/archives/meetings/council/index.html
European email list - post <euevforum at lists.gen-europe.org> - contact
webmaster at gen-europe.org

Download free & easy to use PGP encryption at http://www.pgpi.com