A DISUSED ferry store on a Scottish island is to be transformed into a community-owned venison processing facility as part of efforts to make Raasay carbon neutral.
Almost £129,000 has been awarded to convert the former East Suisnish Ferry Pier Store into a solar-powered food production hub where deer can be processed on the island.
The facility will end the need to transport carcasses off Raasay for processing and is expected to help cut carbon emissions by around 136 tonnes a year.
It will also sustain local jobs, provide butchery training and launch a “Hill to Plate” education programme with Raasay Primary School and nursery, connecting children with local food production and sustainable land management.
The unusual transformation is part of the Scottish Government’s Carbon Neutral Islands programme, which is supporting island communities working towards becoming carbon neutral by 2040.
Raasay has also been awarded £78,000 for habitat restoration, including removing invasive species and planting 4000 native trees.
Tom Lusink, community development officer at Raasay Development Trust, said sustainable deer management would be an important part of the island’s efforts to reach net zero.
He said: “The island's most significant carbon levers lie within its natural environment, and if the island is to reach net zero, sustainable deer management will need to be part of it.
“Building the venison processing facility builds on the crofting community's legacy of taking ownership for its deer management, and we will continue to support community stewardship of the island.”
Lusink said the habitat restoration project, which will tackle an invasive plant species threatening natural carbon stores as well as restoring habitats through planting, needed a long-term approach.
He added: “Nature works on a timeframe beyond funding cycles, so it's great to see this project receive its second round of CNI funding. High-impact projects need long-term funding that works to local timescales.
“It's vital these projects also serve the community, which is why they've been designed to offer diverse employment and skills opportunities, with nearly all funds being invested within the island.”
Raasay is one of five islands sharing £750,000 in the latest round of the Carbon Neutral Islands programme, alongside Barra, Great Cumbrae, Hoy and Islay.
The latest funding takes total investment through the programme to £4.65 million since it was launched in 2021.
Climate Action and Rural Affairs Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Island communities face real challenges such as cost of living, higher energy costs and the growing impacts of climate change.
“This investment will help thousands of residents build stronger, more self-sufficient communities fit for the future. These projects show how tackling climate change can create jobs, grow local economies and keep more money in island communities.”
On Barra, £182,000 will fund energy storage, heating and infrastructure upgrades at Northbay Hall and Gàradh a' Bhàgh a' Tuath, aimed at cutting costs and reducing reliance on imported energy.
Great Cumbrae will receive £144,500 to install solar panels and battery storage in 17 homes, reducing energy bills for households which cannot access existing fuel poverty support.
On Hoy, £140,000 will install solar panels and battery storage at the YM Community Hall in Longhope, while £75,000 will fund solar panels, battery storage and heating upgrades across community buildings on Islay.
Martin added that the projects represented “practical, community-led action” aimed at reducing reliance on imported fuels and making islands more self-sufficient ahead of the 2040 carbon-neutral target.
Councillor John Finlayson, chair of Highland Council's Eilean a' Cheò area committee, said the Raasay investment would bring “lasting economic and environmental benefits”.
He said: “As well as reducing carbon emissions and supporting Scotland's net zero ambitions, the investment will help create training opportunities, strengthen community wealth building, support local contractors and retain more economic value within the island.”
