In our fortnightly feature, we join a local for a tea break and find out how they spend their time - and their time off. This issue, we welcome Emily McEwan, Gaelic Officer at Hebrides people, whose passion for the language has brought her across the Atlantic. Please introduce yourself and your job? I'm Emily McEwan and I'm the Gaelic Officer at Ionad-tadhail Luchd Innse Gall, the Hebrides People Visitor Centre. My 2-year position was funded by Bòrd na Gàidhlig and includes s

A restored ex-military staff car is heading to Harris next month, with a team of Royal Navy and Royal Marine veterans, as part of a project raising awareness of mental health challenges such as PTSD, isolation and suicide. The 1936 Morris 8, known as ‘Philip’ will travel from Barra, through the Uists and on to Harris, Lewis and Skye, where its driver and passengers will meet local people, veterans, community groups and organisations and encourage conversations about wellbeing

A new single from Harris singer-songwriter Isla Scott is earning praise from fans and musicians alike. Might Stay, by the former Sir E Scott pupil, was released by Wee Studio records, whose owner Keith Morrison described it as “absolute perfection.” Isla, now a student at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, wrote the song while taking an online song-writing course last year. “One evening the prompt was to write ‘a summer coming-of-age song’ which inspired me straight away. M

A new café has opened at the Bays Centre at Lacklee. The Bays Centre Café is offering a daytime menu which includes toasties, soups and sandwiches, hot filled rolls, a Scottish breakfast, baking and more. Operated by Andrew Harvey, the café is open from 10am to 4pm every day except Sundays and Wednesday, when it is closed. These opening hours mean that the Bays Centre committee can continue to host community events, such as the recent Easter Egg Hunt, at other times. The Bays

From The Volunteer Centre (Harris) A team of S3 pupils from Sir E Scott School have secured £3000 for the Western Isles Cancer Care Initiative (WICCI) through The Wood Foundation’s Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI). We, at the Volunteer Centre, have the privilege of facilitating YPI on behalf of The Wood Foundation. Eilidh, Donnie and Daisy gave an emotive presentation which the judges deemed the winner. They described how winning the £3000 would mean WICCI could purcha

An exhibition of new works by Harris artist Joceline Hildrey has been unveiled at Talla na Mara. Artwork by Joceline Hildrey Titled ‘Tri Eileanan’ (three islands) it is inspired by the landscape and bird life of some of Scotland’s most remote locations. The free exhibition will run until the end of the month during the West Harris Trust venue’s opening hours. “The exhibition is based on my observations from trips out to the Flannan Isles, St Kilda and the Shiants,” says Jocel

Photo credit: Effie MacLeod A service took place outside Hebrides People Visitor Centre on April 30, remembering the servicemen who lost their lives when a Shackleton aircraft crashed into Maodal, near Northton in 1990. The service was led by Rev Mark MacLeod and well attended by members of the community, along with representatives of South Harris Community Council, local emergency services and six members of VIII Squadron from RAF Lossiemouth, the squadron to which the servi

A racing pigeon missing for four years has turned up in the grounds of Borve Lodge Estate and is happily settling into its new home in South Harris, where it is becoming some-thing of a local celebrity. Harold in the office (Credit: Borve Lodge) The pigeon, who appeared on the drive earlier this month, has now taken up residence in the Lodge’s conservatory and been given the name ‘Harold’. Its story appeared on the front page of last week’s Stornoway Gazette. Staff first noti

This year’s Scarr-Hall Awards, which recognise local volunteers for their exceptional service to the Harris community, were presented at a celebration tea at Harris Hotel. The winners, Donnie ‘Rodel’ MacDonald, Annie MacDonald (Scalpay) and Tania MacLeod and Jocelyn Corderoy, from Tarbert in Bloom, were praised for their ongoing efforts, from campaigning for essential housing to catering for community events and working to brighten up a village. Mr Ian Scarr-Hall of Amhuinnsu

Over the next few issues of Dè tha dol? we are taking a break from our usual Tea Break feature and asking the candidates in the forthcoming Scottish Parliament election to take a Campaign break with us instead. Alasdair Allan (SNP) popped into our office for a chat last month... What’s your story so far? I grew up in the Borders, near Selkirk. I studied Gaelic at Glasgow University and have been involved with the Scottish National Party (SNP) since I was about 18. In 2006 the

The Easter Bunny and the Easter chick at Tarbert Community Centre Hail, snow and high winds may have battered the island over the last week, but that wasn’t enough to stop the Easter bunny, who delivered treats to egg hunts at both the Bays Centre and Tarbert Community Centre. Young visitors to the Bays Centre’s first Easter party enjoyed searching for hidden goodies around the grounds on Friday, while there were crafts and a tea party to enjoy inside. On Saturday, a chick, a

Nominations for the Scottish Parliament elections have closed and the candidates for the Western Isles seat have been confirmed. With campaigning already well under-way, candidates have been out and about meeting Harris residents and hearing their views and concerns. The election will take place on Thursday, May 7, with voting from 7am until 10pm. Local polling stations are Tarbert Community Centre (Tarbert), South Harris Free Church Hall (Leverburgh) and Scalpay Community Fi

Over the next few issues of Dè tha dol? we are taking a break from our usual Tea Break feature and asking the candidates in the forthcoming Scottish Parliament election to take a Campaign break with us instead. Labour's Donald Mackinnon was the first to pop into our office for a chat... What’s your story so far? I’m a crofter from Arnol, Lewis. I have lived on Lewis all my life apart from four years at university in Glasgow, where I studied Geography and Politics. After univ

From Leverburgh Playpark Committee The newly formed Leverburgh Playpark Committee is delighted to announce that they have reached their fundraising target of £30,000 allowing works to commence imminently on the new park. Due to extra funds being identified by CNES (Comhairle nan Eilean Siar), the authority will now cover the cost of the purchase and installation of both Phase One and Two. This will allow the £30,000 raised locally, through generous donations from individuals

The gym at Harris Sports Centre is set to be upgraded, with new equipment arriving later this spring. The redesigned space will replace the current setup which has been in place for several years. A recent post on the Harris Sports Centre Facebook page offered hints about what the new gym will include: “We're delighted to announce our new partnership with Origin Fitness, who will be delivering a state-of-the-art gym,” it said. “We don't want to give everything away yet, but l

In our fortnightly feature, we join a local for a tea break and find out how they spend their time - and their time off. This week, we welcome Iain MacIver, a musician whose teaching has influenced a generation of islanders. Please introduce yourself… I am a retired itinerant Gaelic music instructor. What's your story so far? I was brought up in Bayble in Lewis. I left school at 17 and started work as an apprentice printer with The Stornoway Gazette. I spent 21 years with the

There is so much happening on the Isle of Harris this Easter break. If you're looking for things to do with the family, why not take a look at our What's On page?

In our fortnightly feature, we join a local for a tea break and find out how they spend their time - and their time off. This week, we welcome Anna MacRae, Manager of the West Harris Trust venue Talla na Mara Please introduce yourself... I grew up in Scalpay and like many young islanders left home to study and work. This took me to various towns and cities across Scotland, but I’m happy to have recently returned to the family home in Scalpay. What’s your story so far? Primary

Plans are underway to bring an artistic new look to the inside of the waiting room at Leverburgh Ferry terminal as part of a project that will see parallel improvements to the Berneray waiting room, on the other side of the Sound of Harris crossing, and other small waiting rooms around the islands. The Outer Hebrides Heritage Forum (Comann Dual-chas Innse Gall) have received funding from Museums Galleries Scotland to re-decorate the buildings with a heritage theme in mind, ma

From Volunteer Centre Western Isles Following the appeal for donations in December, the office at the Old Primary School was filled with generous contributions. These donations have supported the new foodbank and aided those in need in our islands. Thank you to everyone that donated. In the first couple of months, it has become clear that the foodbank is very much needed in Harris, with it being topped up at least once a week. To keep the foodbank in the bus waiting area in T