Three sound slides based on the social history of the Woodland Trust Scotland’s Ledmore & Migdale Woods near Spinningdale have been produced. They were shown at a special event at Dornoch Social Club on Saturday 13 December at 3pm.

Each sound slide features beautiful photography and the voices of local people sharing their memories and knowledge of a particular theme:

• The Canadian Forestry Corps looks at the impact on local people of Canadian foresters recruited to help extract timber in the area during the Second World War. The sound slide calls on the memories of Blossom Gow who grew up in Clashmore, and Hamish Matheson who as a small boy had the excitement of a Canadian camp across the road from the family croft. 
• Worship in the Woods looks back to a time before the Great Disruption of 1843, when local people broke away from the established church and held their services outdoors on the shore of Loch Migdale. The Reverend Alexander Murray and Gavin Ross of Migdale Stores share their insights into the period informed by memories passed down through their families, and two young Mod gold medallists sing a Gaelic psalm on the loch shore.
• The Carnegie Log Cabin follows Margaret Thomson, great grand-daughter of Andrew Carnegie, as she searches for the site of the family’s log cabin in the lovely Fairy Glen at Spinningdale.  Echoes of parties and picnics from years gone by intertwine with the sound of the tumbling burn, and the quest is rewarded with proof-positive of the cabin’s lost location.

The sound slides have been produced by seven volunteer interns working alongside site manager, Eleanor Garty, and a team of heritage interpretation professionals, led by Verity Walker of Black Isle- based Interpretaction.

The volunteers studied information that was gathered earlier this year during sessions held in Bonar Bridge and Dornoch in association with Archaeology for Communities in the Highlands (ARCH) and chose a topic that interested them. They were given training in photography by John MacPherson of Light Touch Photogaphy and audio recording by Anne Marie Goldie.

Volunteer Gavin Ward from Tain said: “It’s been a fascinating and rewarding experience. As a graphic designer I’m interested in communicating through visual imagery, but this internship has opened up a whole new approach to me, and fed my growing interest in local history.”

Site manager Eleanor Garty said: “Ledmore and Migdale Woods have a long human history and it’s tremendously exciting to see the high quality work that the volunteers have produced, and the way they have engaged with local people to explore their stories and make their memories accessible to a wider audience.

“The project has uncovered much more fascinating material than could be included in the short presentations, so we will be lodging the full recordings in local archives, where they can be accessed by the public.”

Colin McLean, Head of HLF Scotland, said “This is a wonderful project which has unearthed the fascinating stories that these trees have to tell. Congratulations to the volunteers who, in collecting the stories and images, have learned new skills and helped open people’s eyes to the wonderful natural heritage on their doorstep.”

The premiere of the Sound Slides was at 3pm in Dornoch Social Club on Saturday 13 December. 

The sound slides are part of the three-year People and Trees project at Ledmore & Migdale Woods, which is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, EON Rosehall Community Fund and Foundation Scotland, and includes access improvements as well as activities exploring the heritage of the woods. 

Notes to editors

The Woodland Trust Scotland

The Woodland Trust Scotland is part of the UK’s leading charity championing native woods and trees. It has over 400,000 supporters. The trust has three key aims:

• to plant native trees and woods with the aim of creating resilient landscapes for people and wildlife
• to protect ancient woodland which is rare, unique and irreplaceable
• restoration of damaged ancient woodland, allowing native flora and fauna to return

Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). In 1984, the trust acquired its first wood in Scotland. Today the trust owns 80 sites across Scotland covering 8,750 hectares (20,000 acres). The Woodland Trust has more than 400,000 supporters.

The Woodland Trust is a charity registered in Scotland (No SC038885) and in England and Wales (No 294344). A non-profit making company limited by guarantee. Registered in England No 1982873. Registered Office: Kempton Way, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 6LL. The Woodland Trust logo is a registered trademark.

Foundation Scotland

Foundation Scotland (formerly the Scottish Community Foundation) has been connecting philanthropists with exceptional charities, enterprises and community opportunities since 1996.

The foundation is trusted by over 250 individuals, families, charitable trusts, companies and public bodies. It provides cost effective and tax efficient services from light tough giving to personalised grant and loan programmes. In-depth knowledge of the charitable and community sectors ensures that client giving has the greatest value.

Foundation Scotland brings a fresh approach to philanthropy and makes the act of giving effective and rewarding. It reaches all corners of Scotland through grassroots grant making and creates high impact in specific areas through major donations, investments and capital initiatives.

The foundation currently distributes approx. £1.4m a year and administers 21 wind farm community funds across Scotland working with over 80 community councils.

About Rosehall Wind Farm

Rosehall Wind Farm is located about 2.5km north east of Rosehall. The 19 turbines have an installed capacity of 24.7MW which is enough to power around 13,000 homes a year and save about 27,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.

These figures are based on DECC figures for average household electricity consumption, the Government’s long term marginal plant figure of 430g CO2/kWh and estimates drawn from modelling data on wind speeds measured in the area.

Further information

For more information contact Rory Syme, PR and Communications Officer, Woodland Trust Scotland, 0845 2935607, rorysyme@woodlandtrust.org.uk.