RCA - What's it all about?
The Raasay Community Association is a community owned and managed company created with the aim of establishing a community centre and providing facilities for the inhabitants of Raasay. Minutes of Board meetings are available in a file in Raasay Stores and on this site.
The community has been trying for many years to provide suitable facilities. As long ago as 1969 ‘Raasay Social Services’ was formed, with a remit to promote
"a common effort to further health, to advance education, to provide a meeting place and facilities for physical and mental training and recreation, and social and intellectual development………"
The Raasay Community Association is the successor organisation to Raasay Social Services and the subsequent Raasay Village Hall Association. Fundraising has been ongoing for almost the whole of this time and a number of plans and proposals were put forward without success.
Finally on the 27th February 2007 with over £1m of funding in place we signed a contract for the construction of the hall but it has taken two years to completion.
Funding for the hall was found from numerous sources including: Big Lottery Fund (£200,000); Highland Council (from 2 different budgets) (£130,000); Highland 2007 (£20,000), Highlands & Islands Enterprise (Skye & Wester Ross) (£247,000); BBC Children in Need £35,000; European Regional Development Fund £180,000; the Robertson Trust £15,000; Communities Scotland (from 2 different budgets) (£90,000); Highlands & Islands Community Energy Company (£28,760); the Gannochy Trust (£20,000); the Hugh Fraser Foundation (£10,000); Lloyds TSB (£6,500). The RCA has also contributed over £22,000.
The main contractor for building the hall was K2S(Scotland) a company of Polish builders based in Fort William. In August 2008, with the hall nearly complete, but after substantial delays their contract was terminated. In January 2009 new contractors have been brought in to complete the work.
Local builder Ron Kroonstuiver created the dry stone wall that will face the entrance road to the hall.
The rock pile goes down day by day.
The heat pump goes in.
Raasay Community Association
A charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in Scotland. Company no. SC 269183. A recognised Scottish charity, no. SC036239
