Thanks to the children who were very well behaved, and to their teachers and helpers and to the FoN Trustees Hughie and Joy who led the session.

More recently we are finding ways for volunteers to help in others ways that are a bit easier than walking halfway up the UK’s tallest mountain with a spade and shovel to labour hard all day (although we value very much those who do that too). 

Our new Volunteer of the Year is Issie Cameron. Issie lives in Glen Nevis and both helps out practically at the Curling Ponds and with the Litter Picks, but having recently retired from local accountants RA Clements she has put her book-keeping and numeracy skills to good use in getting our new CashFlow Manager software installed and running.

So a big thanks to Issie our Volunteer of the Year 2013

• New growth from any suckers or shoots that had come up from the trees that obscured views of the river or of the two standing stones was cut back
• Creeping leaf litter was scraped back from paths
• Litter was picked not only from ponds – which were still pretty tidy from last Novembers blitz but also from around the area
• After the recent freeze  and the first outside curling on the ponds for 35 years organic debris was scraped back from the curling pond surface itself.
• Watercourses were cleared of any debris like branches from winter storms – this helps keep water flowing into the Nevis and stops the area, culverts under the path and road behind flooding

So a big round of applause to the trusty team – most of whom went on to attend the dinner and ceilidh. You definately earned your supper!

Go to www.surveymonkey.com/s/bennevis

Both Claire and the kids survived the talk, in fact they all look like they enjoyed it!

If so then book yourself some tickets for the Friends of Nevis get-together on the 16th of March at the Pinemartin Cafe at Nevis Range, Torlundy, Fort William?  For only £15 ahead its a bargain and there is dancing to a live ceilidh band ‘Brocken Spectre’/two course sit down meal/ an after dinner talk and raffle….the fun goes on and on…

Click through on  our events page to find out more and book tickets.

You can make a weekend of it by volunteering during the day on Saturday and helping tidy up the landscaped site of the old Curling Ponds.

On Sunday you can blow those cobwebs away with a walk up into the North Face of Ben Nevis. Acclaimed international mountain guide Mike Pescod will be leading our annual post dinner walk and talking about his experiences and the Ben’s place in mountaineering culture. Click here to find out more and book on the walk.

Charities such as Friends of Nevis help by stepping into the breach but long term strategic management is needed. The Outdoor Capital of the UK and the Nevis Partnership formed a working group along with others such as the Chamber of Commerce, and to task independent consultants to talk to local community groups, landowners representatives etc and come up with solutions. Does this report provide them?  Follow the link below to read it and see what you think.

http://www.nevispartnership.co.uk/newsarticle.asp?id=3726

Nevis and the Mamores by Alex Gillespie

The Nevis Partnership are in line to get a £4 million pound funding package for the Ben and Glen Nevis area.  The Nevis Landscape Partnership will be formed by adding to the existing Nevis Partnership group. There will be an exciting range of projects funded including archeological experiments to find out how ‘vitrified forts’ were made, excavations of Dun Deardail hilltop fort in Glen Nevis, and a variety of wildlife conservation projects involving locals and volunteers and West Highland College.

Funding will be partly provided by the Heritage Lottery Fund, with the Nevis Partnership needing to draw up detailed plans in the next 16 months to qualify for the money.  So exciting times for Ben and Glen Nevis and the Friends of Nevis look forward to working with the Nevis Partnership and finding out more about their exciting plans.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-19960999

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A big thanks for all our supporters and members who came along to the Friends of Nevis (FoN) AGM on September 15th 2012.   In summary we are not in bad shape – small but perfectly formed if you like. 

We are succeeding in paying our way now our staff costs are no longer being supported by the Nevis Partnership.  Our accounts are in order,  the 2010/11 accounts were presented at the AGM.  For the financial year 2011/12,  a verbal update was given. Our largest costs are for the Co-ordinaotor and Path Supervisor – freelancers who enable us to put on the volunteer events FoN runs.  FoN’s biggest sources of income are from the donations cairns on the tourist path up Ben Nevis and support from co-orporate supporters such as Macs Adventures, Torlinnhe Guest House, the Claichaig Inn and Grog and Gruel pub, amongst many – a big thanks to all. 

We will continue to develop our range of volunteer activities, and look forward to doing this with the Nevis Partnership when they develop their Heritage Lottery Fund Landscape Partnership. 

We are extremely grateful for all the continued support we recieve from both volunteers, our  businesses supporters and the Scottish Community Fund. We would also like to thank SNH (from whom we recieve a grant),  and the Nevis Partnership who support us with  office space.

For the minutes and documents relating to the AGM see the links below. For a copy of our 2010/11 accounts please get in touch using the contact form.

Approved 2011 AGM minutes          Draft 2012 AGM Minutes        Chairman’s report 2012     Monthly Activity 2011/12

We are succeeding in paying our way now our staff costs are no longer being supported by the Nevis Partnership.  Our accounts are in order,  the 2010/11 accounts were presented at the AGM.  For the financial year 2011/12,  a verbal update was given. Our largest costs are for the Co-ordinaotor and Path Supervisor – freelancers who enable us to put on the volunteer events FoN runs.  FoN’s biggest sources of income are from the donations cairns on the tourist path up Ben Nevis and support from co-orporate supporters such as Macs Adventures, Torlinnhe Guest House, the Claichaig Inn and Grog and Gruel pub, amongst many – a big thanks to all. 

We will continue to develop our range of volunteer activities, and look forward to doing this with the Nevis Partnership when they develop their Heritage Lottery Fund Landscape Partnership. 

We are extremely grateful for all the continued support we recieve from both volunteers, our  businesses supporters and the Scottish Community Fund. We would also like to thank SNH (from whom we recieve a grant),  and the Nevis Partnership who support us with  office space.

For the minutes and documents relating to the AGM see the links below. For a copy of our 2010/11 accounts please get in touch using the contact form. 

Approved minutes from 2011 AGM

 Chairmans Report for AGM 2012    2011/12 Activity Report for AGM 2012  Draft AGM minutes 2012