Feis Bharraigh taps into CalMac's new Community Fund

Feis Bharraigh's 'Music for All' has been awarded £2000 from west coast ferry operator CalMac's new Community Fund. 

The project is designed to improve the musical skills and abilities of the children living on Barra and Vatersay. 

'Music for all will allow our charity to continue to support our children to understand and learn more about the music and heritage of the islands. Feis Bharraigh pupils perform regularly at social events throughout the year and are a great asset for the islands. This funding will enable us to split students into classes of appropriate ability to enhance their learning,' said Feis Bharraigh's Catriona MacNeil. 

'The life skills the young people will develop will be skills they will use throughout their lives.'

CalMac's Community Fund is open to non-profit organisations involved in activities that will benefit young people aged 26 and under from island or coastal communities the company supports. 

'The response since we started taking applications in March has been amazing. We had no idea the variety and creativity of different projects that are going on to help improve the quality of life for young people on the islands we support,' said CalMac's Director of Community and Stakeholder Engagement, Brian Fulton. 

'We are delighted to make a contribution to making them a success.' 

Each application was judged by a screening panel of young people recruited from across the company's network, in partnership with Young Scot. 

Other success Barra projects were the Barra and Vatersay Junior Sports Club who were awarded £1,000 and Barra Children's Centre in support of their Children of the Sea project who received £2,000.

CalMac will now be taking applications from the Southern Hebrides and Firth of Clyde communities from July 1 details at calmac.co.uk/community-fund. 

ends

Picture shows: Colin Rodgerson 2nd officer on MV Isle of Lewis presents their Community Fund cheque to some young musicians from Barra.