Thursday, 26 May 2022

Health and Wellbeing in the community

As we come out of Covid and the increase in cost of living is a worry for us all, we felt it important to promote the activities in the strath that are beneficial to the Health and Wellbeing of all members of our community.  This is not just about physical activity but also about our mental health too.  We are very lucky to have two fantastic community assets in The Wildside Centre, run by Stratherrick & Foyers Community Trust, and the Hub, run by Boleskine Community Care, who have regular activities that are aimed at improving both our mental and physical wellbeing.

Weekly activities at the Wildside Centre

Monday: Soup to Go.

Soup to Go started last spring to provide wholesome, hot meals to vulnerable members of the community during the second Covid lockdown, and has since grown to become a regular and valuable community service.  A warm & friendly welcome and an inexpensive meal is guaranteed, so come along and join your friends and neighbours, old & new, for a meal, a blether, fun and laughter plus a sing along with our musicians.  If you prefer, you can have a takeaway, or have it delivered.  Please order your soup before 6pm on Sundays by calling Lyn Woods – 01456 486786, or Pam Simpson – 01456 486364.

Tuesday: Meg’s Mindful Movement

Mindfulness and simple movement to help stretch the body and relax the mind.  There are many benefits to mindfulness; it helps reduce stress, anxiety and depression, which in turn can help reduce high blood pressure and sleep problems.

For more information contact Meg Somerville via Facebook.

Wednesday: Pilates

Pilates is a full-body exercise method that will help you do everything better. It strengthens and stabilizes your core body, which is your foundation, so that you can move efficiently while improving your posture, flexibility, and mobility. If you’re looking for functional movement—the kind that helps you move better on a day-to-day basis with everyday tasks—Pilates can train you in that too. So why not give it a go and come along to class. Not only will you get a workout but you’ll have fun doing it.

We meet every Wednesday at 10am.  For more information contact Sue Fisher; susettefisher@btinternet.com or 07824 387162

Wildside Wednesday. 

The Wildside Centre is open all day on a Wednesday to use as your workspace.  Get out of the house – use the free WiFi - and enjoy the location of this great facility. WiFi also available in our outdoor spaces if the weather is good. You can also meet other members of the community here and swap ideas and learn from each other!

If you’d like to use the facility email admin@sfctrust.org.uk to let us know if you are coming along.

Thursday: Toddler group.

Wildside Baby and Toddler group is an informal group where parents/grandparents/carers or expectant mums can come along, let the kids play with some soft play equipment and other toys, and enjoy being out of the house and benefit from adult conversation.  They are a great support network for new or expectant mums and a great place to meet young families who live in the area.

We meet every Thursday morning between 9:30 and 11:30.  Everyone is welcome, most weeks there is tea, coffee and if someone magically finds time sometimes there is home baking!

Alongside these weekly activities, there are regular crafting sessions, where you can learn a new skill and meet like-minded individuals.  Throughout the year there are also community events, such as the crafters and crofters markets, the summer gala and winter wonderland to get involved in.

Boleskine Community Care

Boleskine Community Care is a local charity that successfully delivers a range of home care services, which includes befriending and other social activities, in the Stratherrick & Foyers community.  One of the key aims of BCC is to reduce social isolation and to support those most vulnerable within the community.

Vital to achieving this are the variety of regular community social gatherings organised by dedicated BCC volunteers, details of which are listed below:

Hub Walks

A range of local walks are on offer, with something suitable for all ages and abilities. A chance to get out in the fresh air for some exercise and a chat. Takes place from the Hub Lower Foyers at 2pm second Tuesday of every month. Refreshments afterward.

Coffee Morning

Social coffee morning hosted at the Hub on the second Wednesday of each month, from 10-12am.

Movin’Aboot

Come along and exercise to music while sitting down. Great for flexibility, cardiovascular health and fun! The session is run at The BCC Hub on alternating Tuesdays at 1pm. All welcome.

Art Class

First Monday of every month 2pm – 4pm

Run by Susan Faller for all age groups and skills level. Come along and see the projects you could undertake, you may surprise yourself.

Music and Song

Every 2nd and 4th Thursday 2pm-3pm

Run by Julie Harvey

Singing for Health and Wellbeing is all about feeling good, enjoying making music with others, learning warm ups for movement, breathing and the voice which you can also use every day not just for singing. We learn new songs by ear and enjoy singing favourites too. We sing songs from all different styles and places - in unison and in harmony.

Singing is an enjoyable way of improving breathing and breath control whilst you are singing but also in everyday life.  Better breathing can reduce breathlessness, help manage respiratory conditions and have a positive effect on sleep, mood, memory/concentration and thinking skills, physical movement, fatigue and pain. Singing can be energising or relaxing and provide a lot of enjoyment.

It is open to anyone of any age. No singing or music experience is needed to come. 

Cinema Club

Every 1st and 3rd Thursday from 2pm (alternating weeks with music)

Come along and watch your favourite films

We also offer footcare appointments and holistic therapy on a monthly basis.  Please contact the Hub on 01456 486247 to book your appointment, or to find out more information on any of the above.

As well as the organised activities listed above, we are also lucky to have a number of local businesses where you can learn a new skill, such as Yoga, singing or music tuition, or that offer opportunities for social interaction.  Details of some of these businesses can be found on the Business Directory on the community website - www.stratherrickcommunity.org.uk/directory/ 

If you need financial help or support, The Knockie Trust offers hardship grants for those suffering fuel poverty or require food vouchers.  More information on how to apply can be found here - www.sfctrust.org.uk/the-knockie-trust/

Other useful links:

Highland Council Welfare Support - www.highland.gov.uk/info/335/community_advice/405/welfare_support

Breathing Space Scotland – www.breathingspace.scot

Mind – www.mind.org.uk

2025

February (12 stories)

22 February 📣 ** TODAY ** 📣 - Forest School Meeting

Interested in the future of the Forest School building? From 2pm   Come and speak to us about your thoughts for the Forest School and wider opportunities fo...

21 February Congratulations to Whitebridge Hotel

Whitebridge Hotel are finalists in the National Hotels of the Year - Scotland awards!   The ceremony takes place in Glasgow on the 26th February at The Cr...

19 February 📣 Youth Club returns this Thursday 📣

Youth club is for anyone in P7 to S6 ✅ After a bit of a break, we are delighted to say that Youth Club is back!! ⭐ Important info ⭐ Date - Thursday 20th Februa...

19 February Communications 2025!

We are making a some improvements in the way we share important information with the community in 2025. The SFCT Board and communications team have made the dec...

13 February Mailing List Update

We hope you received your copy of the February newsletter and enjoyed reading through it. The team are busy updating our mailing list and we understand that there may ...

12 February Next Sat 22nd February

Next Sat 22nd February   Inverfarigaig Forest School, Farigaig Forestry Carpark IV2 6XR - From 2pm   Come and speak to us about your thoughts fo...

11 February ⚠️ Update regarding the upcoming works taking place at The Wildside Centre ⚠️

We can now confirm that the scheduled works on upgrading the toilet facilities in the Wildside Centre is starting this Thursday – 13th February.   The Wi...

11 February 🙌 JOIN OUR TEAM 🙌

We are currently recruiting a part-time (30 hours per week) Community Action Plan Project Officer to join our small team, based in the Wildside Centre in Whitebridge, on ...

8 February 📢 THE DAY IS FINALLY HERE 📢

Later today the Pathways Group are hosting their Community Engagement event at the Wildside Centre from 13.30pm.   For the past year, the Pathways Group has be...

6 February Errogie Church Statement

As you will be aware, an announcement was made by the Trust in mid December 2024 that we were unfortunately unable to host three events that were due to take place at Err...

6 February Wildside Wednesday Success!

🙌THANK YOU 🙌 We want to say a big thank you to those of you who popped along to our first Wildside Wednesday event yesterday! It was great to see you all 😃  ...

5 February !! WILDSIDE WEDNESDAY - TODAY !!

Join us TODAY at the Wildside Centre, between 9.30am – 12.30pm where the first Wildside Wednesday of 2025 will take place.  You can shop local, with local p...

January (22 stories)

31 January !! Next Saturday !!

On the 8th Feb The Pathways Group host their Community Engagement Day at the Wildside Centre from 13.30pm.   The group have setup a dedicated Facebook event pa...

30 January Refurbishments to toilets in The Wildside Centre

Following many months of work behind the scenes we are pleased to be able to share with you that work on upgrading the ladies toilets and creating a larger disabled toile...

30 January Fancy a sing song with Monadhliath?

The Monadhliath Choir invites all singers to a charity singing event on the 27.04.2025 at Stratherrick Public Hall. If you would be interested in join...

29 January February Newsletter

We are pleased to share that our Feb newsletter should be making its way through your door next week! 🙌   Please look out for the white envelope addressed to ...

25 January Do you use Instagram?

Did you know that Stratherrick & Foyers Community Trust are on Instagram? If you too have an account, why not give our page a follow. We’re keen to build up ...

24 January Foyers Community Fire Station

🚒 Foyers Community Fire Station 🚒   Foyers Community Fire station has a competent crew of 7 personnel, but we are in real need of new recruits, to keep the s...

23 January Wildside Wednesday is returning!

Join us on the 5th February at the Wildside Centre, between 9.30am – 12.30pm.   Here is your chance to shop local, with local produce from Lyne Mhor Crof...

22 January Loch Ness Luvvies - Traditional Burns Supper

This Friday, 24th Jan the Loch Ness Luvvies are hosting their very own Traditional Burns Supper at Stratherrick Hall, Gorthleck at 7.30pm. Tickets are £20 per he...

22 January Timings have been announced!

As you may have recently seen, The Pathways Group are running a Community Engagement event on the 8th February from 1pm at The Wildside Centre. In our previous post, t...

21 January ** Mobile Library Update **

Mark, our local librarian has kindly sent over a full list of dates when he will be stopping in the area. You can find the full list here: https://www.stratherrickcommuni...

20 January Invitation to tender - Health & Safety Consultant required

We are looking for an experienced Health & Safety professional to carry out a comprehensive survey on Errogie Church to ensure that the building is fully compliant fo...

19 January Send in your dates for the Community Calendar!

Did you know we have an online Community Calendar? If not, you can find it here: https://www.stratherrickcommunity.org.uk/calendar/   We would love to inclu...

18 January What's the next step?

For the past year, the Pathways Group has been working hard to promote the local path network, paths that lead through rich landscapes, historical sites, and biodiversity...

15 January Community Engagement Day - 8th Feb

Over the last month you may have noticed that the Pathways Group are holding a Community Engagement Day on the 8th February. You can find out all about the event by follo...

14 January Mobile Library Update

Below you will find a list of updated Dates/Times where you can visit the Mobile Library at The Wildside Centre.   We will add these dates to the Online Commu...

14 January Indoor Carpet Bowls makes it return as of today!

** TODAY ** Indoor Carpet Bowls makes it return as of today! The group return to their weekly session after the Xmas break. Please note: The group will now ...

10 January Community Engagement Event - 8th Feb

The Pathways Group invites you to a community event that explores the potential development of a pathways based app. This is your opportunity to help shape an app which w...

9 January Deadline for Jan/Feb Newsletter Content!

The deadline to send in any content for the Jan/Feb Newsletter is Friday the 17th of January 2025. Please email marketingofficer@sfctrust.org.uk with your articles inclu...

9 January Send us in your photos from the Winter Festival

A HUGE thank you to those of you who have already uploaded photos to our shared community photo gallery during the festival.   If you have any wintery snaps th...

8 January Reverse Advent Calendar Success!

Santa's little helpers would like to thank everyone who contributed in any way to the overwhelming success of this project. The generosity shown by our community was ...

8 January ** MOBILE LIBRARY VISIT TODAY CANCELLED **

Sadly, due to the current road conditions, Mark who drives the local ‘Mobile Library’ will NOT be stopping at Wildside today. All books will be renewed, and h...

7 January Welcome Back

Hello, we hope you had a relaxing time during the festivities. As it’s now time to get back to work, we thought it would be a good idea to update our online communi...