ARGYLL & BUTE MP BRENDAN O’HARA CHAMPIONS ULVA COMMUNITY BUY-OUT

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At a reception in Westminster last week to celebrate the recent successful community buy-out of the Isle of Ulva, Argyll & Bute MP Brendan O’Hara praised the Scottish Government and the communities of Mull and Ulva for the work they’ve done to bring Ulva into community ownership and warmly welcomed the islanders’ vision of building a sustainable future for Ulva.

The reception hosted by the Argyll & Bute MP was extremely well attended, with many people from Ulva, Mull & Iona traveling overnight to London, to join representatives of the Australian High Commission, the Scottish Government, the Scottish land Fund, the Macquarie Group, who supported the purchase as well as several Members of Parliament.
The North West Mull Community Woodland Company successfully purchased the Isle of Ulva and the community have been busy working behind the scenes to progress their plans in this significant step in Scotland’s land reform and empowerment journey.

In a very personal and sometimes emotional address to the meeting, Rebecca Munro, a long-time resident of Ulva, told of what buying the island meant for her and her family;

“The whole process has been truly life changing for us, and I can never express how grateful I am to everyone involved in making this happen. Land reform legislation offers communities the opportunity to turn around decades of economic and social decline. The impact of self-determination on a community should not be understated. The very existence of the Scottish Land Fund sends a message that there is confidence in what we are trying to achieve. “

Colin Morrison , Chair of North West Chair Mull Community Woodland added,

‘We all enjoyed the opportunity to bring the story of Ulva into the heart of Westminster. Those present were genuinely interested in the Right to Buy process and seemed impressed with our ambitious plans for housing, sustainable development, regeneration and environmental protection. The Ulva team would like to thank Brendan for arranging the event’

Brendan commented,

“I was absolutely delighted to host this reception in Westminster and I would like to offer my warmest congratulations to the NWMWC for seeing the sale through to its conclusion with the support of the Scottish Government and the Macquarie Group whose donation took the fundraising of the community over the line. I full support their ambitious plans to regenerate the local economy and ultimately repopulate the island again.”