Rural Community Gateway

By Barbara MacDonald

What is Cothrom?

Cothrom Ltd is an established community owned and managed organisation that operates in southernmost part of the Western Isles of Scotland. Based in Ormiclate in the Middle District of South Uist, it is a Company Limited by Guarantee and is recognised as a Charity by the Inland Revenue.  The purpose of the organisation is "to provide community based learning and training opportunities supported by quality childcare, which enables inclusion and encourages full participation in the full economic and cultural life of the communities it serves".  Its ethos is to support the most disadvantaged individuals and groups, facilitating a closing of the opportunity gap

From its administrative centre in Ormiclate a range of training, business and community development activities are delivered to the community of Uist and Barra. Cothrom draws its clients predominantly but not exclusively from Benbecula, South Uist, Eriskay and Barra.

Cothrom is a Learn Direct branded centre and linked to a network of branded centres across the Highlands and Islands.

Cothrom Re-store is a furniture recycling social enterprise based in Bornish, South Uist.  The organisation maximises the re-use and recycling of redundant furniture, which is then sold on at a low cost.  This project offers practical work experience to learners.

Why did you decide that you needed the new learning centre?

There was a need for a new centre as a result of the inadequacies of the previous premises and gaps in service provision, which constituted a serious barrier to the development of an effective training service.

Prior to the new build project, Cothrom operated from two bases in South Uist, one in Benbecula and one in Barra.  Premises were unable to cope with the increase in staff and student numbers that had taken place over the years and the main centre at that time, the School House in Stoneybridge, was unable to provide a suitable environment both technologically and for the disabled user. It was in poor structural condition, too small, difficult to access for non-car users and was beset by persistent problems of rodent infestation.

The construction of the new centre planned to bring together students and members of staff, presently housed in three separate locations, into a much improved working and learning environment. It aimed to allow access to the necessary technology and phone connections, both of which are essential for the effectiveness of the organisation as both a business and learning centre, and which are seriously inadequate at present. The new building was planned to provide a trebling of capacity and allow Cothrom to develop existing and new programmes, (particularly business training and distance learning provision) and, as a result, enhance its "sustainability".

The new build also seeks to fill long-standing gaps in service provision in the Southern Isles with the establishment of a nursery, skills workshop and a "one stop shop".  The one stop shop was designed to offer representatives of Jobcentre Plus, Careers Scotland, Citizens Advice Bureau and the Local Authority the chance to bring their services to the community.

Childcare in the Western Isles presents a barrier to any parent who wishes to return to learning or employment.  The decision was taken to house a full-time Gaelic medium nursery within the building.  This would allow parents to learn in the same building as their child or children.

How did you go about getting funding and where did you get the funding from?

The funding was a major challenge in the project. Based on the feasibility study we knew the amount of funding that was required and over a year sent applications to the list of funders below.  We bought the land from the Crofters Commission with funding from the Scottish Land Fund.  A major issue was to ensure that all the timescales ran correctly and also that all the funding was committed ahead of the last application, which was European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

We started with the Big Lottery Fund, as their process is so rigorous. Once their accountants had passed the paperwork, we knew that the fine detail was in order.  We also accessed some smaller trusts because they tend to pay out, rather than the bigger Western Isles Enterprise (WIE), Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (CNES) and ERDF who ask the organisation to pay an invoice and then claim which is an issue in terms of maintaining the cash flow.

Funder Amount

• Scottish Land Fund £28,757
• Cothrom £15,000
• Big Lottery Fund £200,000
• Future Builders £175,000
• Robertson Trust £50,000
• Western Isles Enterprise £95,000
• Comhairle nan Eilean Siar £100,000
• ERDF £417,077
  Total 1,080,834

What was the biggest challenge you faced?

Managing the life of the build. The actual project took approximately12 months and during that time we had to maintain the business of Cothrom, pay wages and manage the cash flow to be able to pay the contractors' invoices.

Where did you go for help and advice?

The construction contract was won by Uist Builders Construction and the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Architects project managed the process. Highlands and Islands Enterprise and funders were a good source of information.

What facilities and services are on offer in the new learning centre?

The Training Centre was custom built and designed to comply with BS 8300-200 "the design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people" code of practice.

As a community enterprise it was of key importance that the future running costs were kept to a minimum.  The design incorporates low maintenance finishes throughout, high levels of insulation, draft sealing, maximum use of natural daylight and renewable energy solutions.  A 30 kw ground heat pump meets 100 percent of the heat and hot water demand for the building.  Heat is extracted from eight holes bored 100 metres into the rock.  At this depth the temperature of the rock is constant and low-grade energy can be continually extracted.  The heat pump transfers this energy into heat, which can be used in the building.  The use of underfloor heating in all areas limits the need for high water temperatures and so maximises efficiency of the heat pump.

Two 6 kw wind turbines provide a portion of the electrical load for the building.  When there is insufficient demand within the building the surplus power is fed into the national grid.

There is a Board Room that seats 40 people comfortably and can be hired by outside agencies for meetings, seminars, training events and AGMs. Training rooms and skills workshop are also available for hire.
We have state of the art training equipment with access to broadband to every computer.

Skills workshop provides space for a life skills programme, sewing and upholstery classes. Community classes, run in the evening and during the day. New SVQs are available in Management, Hospitality and Customer Service.
We also have the first Gaelic medium nursery in the Western Isles – reflecting the culture and heritage of the area

What's been happening since the centre opened?

The centre opened on 17th September 2007 and the nursery on 24th September 2007.  We held two Open Days for the community on 22nd and 24th September with 133 people attending.

Five new members of staff have started taking the number employed by Cothrom to 18, in full and part time posts.

A wide range of training both formal and informal available, from SVQs to Art classes. Since we opened the doors there has been a big increase in the number of students. There is now space to run a life skills programme, and a new Management SVQ has been developed with ten students enrolled.

Training for small businesses is developing especially in the areas of computing, podcasting, and blogging. Technology is available to provide learners with access to online learning materials. And we have been developing links with UHI to provide further and higher education courses.

Whats the best thing about the centre so far?

We have successfully made the transfer to the new building and although the surroundings are now more comfortable and spacious than previously, the learners still have access to the same individualised service that allows them to access bespoke training courses at an appropriate level.

It is wonderful to come to work in a light, airy, well-designed building where there is space for Cothrom to develop its service to the community.

If you could give people approaching a similar project one piece do advice, what would it be?

Keep staff and Directors involved at every stage of development, they must own the project and be signed up to its success.

Never be afraid to ask questions, it’s the only way to find a path through all the bureaucracy.

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