As you drive past Ardmair over the next few weeks, take a look across to Isle Martin to see if the new pontoon has been installed. After months of writing letters and re-writing application forms, all the funding for the proposed development was finally agreed at the end of December 2006 – all £92,000!! The Board immediately commissioned the project and the pontoon plus access bridge, etc. was built by mid-January! All the planning permissions and various licences have also been granted so we now await the contractor to begin the shore works and moorings before the pontoon itself is delivered and installed before the end of April. See inside this newsletter for photos showing the type of pontoon being used.

The Board are very grateful to the Scottish Land Fund, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, West Ross Alliance, the Crown Commission’s Marine Stewardship Fund, the Hugh Fraser Foundation and Councillor Jean Urquhart for their help with this project; and also to Laura Talbot for her form filling abilities!

This pontoon marks a new and exciting phase for Island Martin – better access means more opportunities for development and a securer future for the Trust and for the island

Interviews are being arranged with prospective candidates for this job – which entails living in the Boa House on the island from the end of May to September, operating the ferry and dealing with the endless list of tasks, both indoor and outdoor. Details of any appointment will be published in the Ullapool News.

We hope this will appeal to anyone who has a connection with the island i.e. those who have lived or worked there or have relatives who have done so, or perhaps anyone who may wish to celebrate an anniversary, a life, a birth or any other special occasion in this unique way. For an application form, please contact Sheila Didcock at the Isle Martin Registered Office, 26 Argyle Street, Ullapool IV26 2UB. We are very grateful of Alex Scott for all his help and advice with this project.

We have recently received a letter from Historic Scotland advising that they were considering listing MacLeod’s house on the island (next to the new school) at category C(S).

HISTORY WALKS/TALKS

Board member Joan Michael has managed to obtain grant funding from Highland 2007 for a series of history walks to be held on the island throughout the summer. These will be led by Joan and Sheila with input from Board Member Derick Boa who went to school on the island. Colour leaflets are being printed and will be available from Ullapool Tourist Information Centre and various shops and outlets around the village. The dates are as follows, subject, of course, to suitable weather conditions: Saturdays May 26, June 9 & 23, July 7, 21 & 28, August 4 & 18 and September 1^st. Details will also be published nearer the time in our local weekly newspaper The Ullapool News, or contact Joan direct on her mobile 07754 835 935 for more information.

This is scheduled for Thursday 17 May and will be held in the Committee Room of Ullapool Village Hall at 7.30pm. Annual accounts will be available and we hope as many members as possible will attend. Tea and coffee will be served after with an opportunity for informal chats with board members.

Ticket prices for the morning are £20 inclusive of boat trip and the trip is weather dependent. If the weather is bad the readings will be held in Ullapool Village Hall and there will be a £10 refund on the cost of the ticket. Turn up at Ullapool Pier by 9.15am for boarding the boat, or to receive word if the venue has changed to the Hall. The Summer Queen will arrive back in Ullapool at 1.30pm.

This popular annual event will be held on Saturday 26 May, weather permitting, of course…! We hope to persuade Kenny MacLeod to man the BBQ again and to welcome all who arrive in the morning with a tasty bacon roll, and Paddy and Julia to conjure up more of their delicious pancakes. Joan and Sheila will be leading groups for History Walks/Talks, other board members will talk about their childhoods spent on the island and there will be things for the kids to do. A great day out for all the family – members and non-members welcome to enjoy the island at this lovely time of year.

LOCHBROOM FIELD CLUB & ASSYNT FIELD CLUB are planning to come over to the island on Saturday 23 June for a Bird and Moth Day with expert Sue Agnew of S.N.H. If you would like to join them contact Sue Hopkinson on 01854 612756.

We took a stall at the annual Christmas Fayre in Ullapool Village Hall on Saturday 2 December selling home baking, preserves and Board Member Paddy Stowell’s home made Christmas Puddings. Paddy also made a lovely Christmas cake which we decided to raffle. Sheila’s chutneys made from apples and rhubarb grown on Isle Martin were very popular and sold out in no time…! We made over £100 for Isle Martin funds at this event. Many thanks to all members who came to support us.

The following photographs show a similar pontoon installed by our contractors, Varis Engineering of Forres. The Trust is very grateful to the marine engineers, Messrs Wallace, Stone of Dingwall and, in particular, to John Porteous who is project managing the development on our behalf. He has kept things moving along and has shown great patience when explaining technical details to those of us who never played with Meccano sets when younger!

Membership renewal will soon be upon us – 1st May is the annual renewal date. Isle Martin, and the Isle Martin Trust, depends upon widespread continuing support. As always, there is plenty of scope for new members.

It is only by demonstrating that there is strong popular interest in Isle Martin, and our objectives for conservation and development, that we will attract the political backing and funding to implement these projects. There are many opportunities through Highland Council, the Scottish Executive and European initiatives but we must show that we have local support. The only effective way is to point to a weighty membership list.

The membership year runs from 1^st May to 30^th April, so we sincerely hope all current members will renew. The rates are the same - just £5.00 for Annual membership and £50 for Life membership; Juniors (Under 16s) are £1.50 and for a Family it is just £12.00.

Any membership queries can be addressed to Paddy Stowell, Treasurer, 4 St. Valery Place, Ullapool IV26 2TD or call her on 01854 612041.

You can now donate all or part of your tax repayment to the Isle Martin Trust by entering charity code number CAD40NG on your Self Assessment tax return at question 19A.3. You should also complete 19A.1 (pr 19A.2) and tick 19A.4.

The Isle Martin Board, which meets in Ullapool on the first Wednesday of every month, now comprises:

Chairman – K.J.B.S. MacLeod

Vice-Chairman – Fraser Mackenzie

Secretary – Sheila Didcock

Treasurer – Paddy Stowell

Plus Members -

Derick Boa

Meryl Carr

Gregor MacDonald

Joan Michael

Julia Ridgman

Jean Urquhart (Highland Councillor)