Visitors to Lochmaddy Pier will soon be greeted by an eight-foot high dolphin sculpture, which has been commissioned by Comman Na Mara.
Abigail Taylor
Set up by the late Dr John MacLeod to educate children about their local coastline, the volunteer led Comann Na Mara helps promote local events and throughout the community, including the popular bi-annual St Kilda Yacht Race.
Comann Na Mara submitted an application to Western Isles Lottery for the cost of the commission and the total £3,700 was awarded. Funding was raised solely by supporters of the lottery throughout Uist.
Now a large concrete plinth (pictured, with Colin Rankin, chairman of Comann Na Mara, and Lorna Docherty, secretary of Comman Na Mara), currently located alongside CalMac’s office in Lochmaddy, is being prepared as the location for the siting of the steel dolphin.
A local competition was held to design a logo for Comman Na Mara and was won by a local schoolgirl, Millie Shepherd. The logo depicts a dolphin leaping out of the sea and will adorn the plinth alongside those of Western Isles Lottery and Calmac. Hebridean Graphics has been commissioned to manufacture the logos.
Colin Rankin, chair of Comman Na Mara, said: “This is a fantastic gesture from Western Isles Lottery and very much appreciated. The sculpture will become a talking point in the Western Isles and further afield and I’m sure it will help to further establish Comman Na Mara as an educational platform for children. Comman Na Mara would like to thank Western Isles Lottery and UCVO in helping CNM to achieve this.”
Janet Paterson of the Western Isles Lottery said: “This is an innovative project which we are delighted to be funding and one which will provide a quality, artistic landmark and tourist attraction to Lochmaddy Bay for many years to come. UCVO in Uist readily partnered with the Lottery Team at the outset of the successful Lottery project and manage the funding in this area on behalf of Western Isles Lottery.
We are forever grateful to UCVO Manager Sheena Stewart for continuing to work with all agencies and groups in the area to provide funds to fantastic causes and congratulate Comman Na Mara on their initiative.”
Some £40,510 has now been raised for projects in Uist in addition to tens of thousands of cash prizes having been distributed to local supporters.
