Projects

Current Projects

Highland Community Waste Partnership : a 3yr project to raise awareness, reduce food waste and single use plastic and promote the circular economy through reuse and repair. A collaborative project working with local groups, businesses and individuals as well as our 7 Highland wide partners.

Sustrans Active travel

Mountain biking in Lael

Community Benefit Fund: funding local initiatives, building a stronger and more cohesive community.

Comhla: working together with An talla Solais and other key organisations in the community to promote good mental health and wellbeing through art and creativity

The New Broom: a long term project for LUCT promoting the circular economy, providing employment and volunteering and reducing the community’s contribution to landfill. we sell refill cleaning products and upcycle and rehome just about anything.

Lochbroom Staff Pool : helping connect employers with vacant shifts to prospective employees through a private WhatsApp group. Interested contact LUCT

Community Pantry : making sure good food does not go to waste and helping the local community meet the challenges of an increased cost of living

Past projects

  • 2022/23 LUCT was involved in several initiatives, with community meetings arranged to discuss the staffing crises in hospitality and retail out of this the Lochbroom Staff Pool evolved and the Affordable Housing group widened its scope to include community regeneration.

  • 2023 Membership voted to change the name of UCT to LUCT being more inclusive and representative.

  • 2021 Community Needs Survey completed.

  • 2020/21 UCT established and facilitated a cross community working group, promoting collaborative working and positive planning to face the challenges of the pandemic. UCT secured and distributed £65,358 of Scottish Government funding to local groups.

  • 2019 Community Pantry established Rev Heidi being instrumental in getting this off the ground.

  • 2019 £30K of3D funding for 15 local groups, part of Scottish Government’s Participatory budgeting initiative.

  • 2019 first round of funding from the Community Benefit Fund delivered.

  • 2019 Let’s Go Electric taster day: an opportunity to test drive electric vehicles, find out about purchase options and e-charging points. A networking event to share ideas and strategies.

  • 2018/19 Community consultations into the potential purchase of community woodland at Lael. This project was not pursued, Lochbroom Community Renewables ( LCR) deciding to pursue their purchase of the Hydro site combined with a woodland crofting scheme.

  • 2015 UCT opened began renting 28 Argyle St. Then with Scottish Land Fund assistance purchasing it to house the Trust office and New Broom community Hub & Shop.

  • 2015/6 Leal Hydro Power Project commenced by UCT. who then created LCR - Broom Power to establish and operate the scheme. LCR raised £900,000 through a community share scheme to fund the hydro which commenced production in 2017.

  • 2012 Lochbroom Woodfuels founded. A wholly owned subsidiary of UCT it operated until 2020 providing local employment and training, processing and selling wood fuel products.

  • 2012 Community Growth Plan developed following a community priorities survey.

  • 2009-11  “Powerdown” reducing community carbon emissions -  supported by DTAS & Community Energy Scotland

  • 2009 Ullapool Community Trust (UCT) incorporated 11th Sept. 2009