Delighted youngsters from North Sutherland and West Caithness last week enjoyed a fairytale introduction to the Gaelic language, thanks to a grant from the opening round of SSE’s Strathy North wind farm fund.
The circus-style workshop took place at Farr School in Bettyhill and saw over 20 local children get stuck in to a cultural extravaganza of music, theatre and art led by award-winning Gaelic entertainers Stàt Neo-eisimeileach Sonais – TheIndependent State of Happiness. The performance artists –who are pioneers of Gaelic interactive street theatre – amazed and engaged people of all ages through a host of Gaelic arts activity including music making, story-telling and circus acts.
The special event was organised by Feis Air an Oir – Festival on the Edge – which has worked with young people to develop skills in traditional music and an interest in the Gaelic language over the last decade. The group received a £3,000 grant from SSE’s Strathy North community fund in June this year.
As well as the circus event, the award will allow the group to bring a professional band of traditional musicians and singers to run a series of workshops and community shows in the area, giving the children experience of playing alongside professionals.
Fiona Morrison, SSE Community Investment Manager, said:
“Preservation and promotion of Gaelic language and culture is close to the heart of many people in Highland communities. Programmes like the Feis Air an Oir are a great way to get children and young people engaged with Gaelic in a fun and accessible way, helping to keep the language alive for a new generation. SSE is a responsible developer of renewable energy but also an active community member with a strong Highland legacy - so we are particularly delighted to support this initiative.”
The Strathy North wind farm community fund will deliver over £4.5 million in funding for community projects in Strathy & Armadale, Bettyhill, Strathnaver & Altnaharra and Melvich over the 25-year lifetime of the wind farm. The fund is currently open for applications until 3 November 2014.
For more details, visit: Strathy North - Joint Community Fund