About
In 2004, as a result of detailed work by the Economic Development Unit of Shetland Islands Council, Northmavine was awarded the Scottish Executive’s Initiative at the Edge (IatE) status. This status was given to rural communities in Scotland, classed as economically and socially fragile.
At a specially called Extraordinary General Meeting in 2004, the members of the IatE Local Development Group became the new Board of Directors of the Northmavine Development Company (NDC).
In 2008, after a special resolution passed at the AGM, the NDC became the Northmavine Community Development Company (NCDC). Membership, assets and liabilities of the NDC were transferred to the NCDC. NCDC is now a company limited by guarantee with charitable status. The first projects that got underway were The Northmavine Visitor Guide as well as a Healthy Meals project which young people organised a meal for locally invited guests, purchased land at Stucca, Hillswick.
The Hillswick shop was purchased in July 2009, and opened in November 2009. Shoormal – another rental property was added to the list.
NCDC lead partner with Shetland Natural Heritage and Shetland Amenity Trust to develop and install a geo exhibit at the Braewick Cafe.
NCDC received funding from Community Energy Scotland and DTAS to employ a Community Power Down Officer Colin Dickie, who took on the role, looked for ways the community could reduce carbon use through energy conservation, increasing local food production and implementing small-scale community renewables. They also offered energy audits on people’s homes. From this project, Nortenergy Wind Turbines and Polycrubs came to fruition.
In 2010, 12 Community polytunnels were built using recycled materials and polycarbonate sheets Climate Change Fund. Local landowners acted as hosts sharing with 3- 4 other members of the community. Polycrub kits marketed through new trading arm nortenergy.
We helped the Northmavine Club develop toilets, showers and laundry facilities at the Collafirth Pier in 2011.
450 trees from the Woodland Trust were planted at Sullom, local schools and community groups benefited from the scheme.
The Rural Homes for Rent scheme was a Scottish Government grant which aimed to increase the supply of rented housing in rural areas. NCDC helped a local landowner to access the grant and build two affordable rent houses in North Roe in 2011. We continue to act as a letting agent for these properties.
In 2013, we needed to fill a funding gap that NCDC was facing… Glusstonberry was planned. The weekend was such a success that it secured the future of several more NCDC projects. Over 1300 people attended what would later be known as “the best weekend ever!”
Polycrubs became increasingly popular as a storm-strength growing space by 2014. The kits are now sold world-wide, and as far away as the Falkland Islands. Almost 2 thousand Polycrub kits have been sold in the past decade. Five staff are employed at Polycrub HQ in Shetland Distribution hubs are located in Inverness, Lewis and Nantwich.
Nortenergy – a trading subsidiary of NCDC, built 2 5kw turbines in Ollaberry in 2015, with the energy generated used by two local businesses at the FIT payments returned to Nortenergy.
In 2016, NCDC began working with Geoff Jukes, owner of the Weaving Shed Gallery in Hillswick, to administer an artist-in-residency programme, which we continue to do. We have had a number of artists from all over the world take part in the residency programme.
NCDC received funding from The Energy Saving Trust in 2019 and purchased five electric bikes. Two standard bikes with a front basket and three folding bikes. The bikes are available for hire for £15 a day or a reduced rate of £75 a week. Click the ebike hire tab at the top of the page to find out more.
When the Shetland Islands Council announced they would be removing the rural skip scheme which had allowed people in rural areas to dispose of bulky household waste without having to travel to Lerwick, members of the community were concerned fly tipping would become a real problem and they approached NCDC to find a solution. After a community consultation and many years working with SIC and SEPA, Bruckland finally opened to the public in 2019 and has since diverted over 10 tonnes of unwanted items going to landfill!
In 2020, when the world was plunged into the first lockdown due to COVID-19, NCDC received funding from the HIE Supporting Communities Fund. With this money, NCDC worked with Da Barn, Good Gub Soap and the local shops to provide seeds, hand soap and a £20 voucher for each household to spend on compost, pots or gardening equipment in the local shop. NCDC also coordinated a food top-up scheme through the local shops to provide fresh produce for anyone who was in need, and we also sponsored a number of well-being packs from Mind Your Head, VAS and Women’s Aid that were sent out to members of the local community.
NCDC received money from The Islands Green Recovery Programme in 2021, and it was used to purchase an electric van, put in solar panels at Bruckland and the Hillswick Shop, and put in an EV charging point at Bruckland that can be used by anyone. Since installation, the solar panels have generated over 15000kW of energy. We have also covered 41k miles in the van!
As the pandemic continued to cause social isolation and problems for local businesses, NCDC sent out Easter Baking Kits to all bairns under the age of 16 in the local area. This was followed with a £20 voucher for Harry’s Department Store during winter 2021, provided with funding from the Community Wellbeing Grant. NCDC also administered the Community Recovery Fund, helping local halls to get ready to reopen, such as hand sanitising units, signage, cleaning supplies and screens.
NCDC received funding from the Coastal Community Fund to employ a project officer to deliver the Growing Local Northmavine Project. The project had multiple stands, including continuing to send out seeds to each household in the spring, a range of workshops around setting up your garden, composting, and ways to preserve produce, a number of community events, including a Maker’s Market and Produce Show which were all very well attended, took over the Shetland Kale Seed sales, worked with Rachel Gambro from Weave Consultant to create the Be-Nort Da Grind Audio Tours which are available to find on the Geotourist website by searching Northmavine.
A monthly newsletter was started in 2022 and sent out by post/email to all NCDC members, with an aim to highlight previous and future events held in Northmavine along with updates for new and current projects.
Growing Local held it’s first Local Produce Show, which was held in Hillswick. 2 Peerie Poly’s were built which later went to Tangwick Haa and the Nort Trow Gardens.
£25 shop vouchers were issued again, this time for both December & January to all households in Northmavine, with 83% of households using them.
In 2023, NCDC was successful with Phase 1 for the Old Urafrith School Housing Project. NCDC has been in discussion with Shetland Islands Council about potentially doing a Community Asset Transfer of the Old Urafirth School and Schoolhouse. There have been different ideas over the years, and it has now developed into a housing project. NCDC received funding from the Scottish Land Fund to do a housing needs assessment for the whole of Northmavine and get initial architectural feasibility drawings done. This was completed in October 2023.
Funding for the Community Fridge was received from Hubbub, and a Peerie Poly Opal was built and sited at Bruckland in November.
The large Polycrub at Bruckland which is intended for growing local produce to provide to local shops was completed in December 2023.
In 2024, we teamed up with Scottish Islands Federation and Norwegian coast clean up group In the Same Boat to tackle the West Ayre Beach in Hillswick.
We launced our new website in May, here you can find our calendar with all local events here in Northmavine, as well as latest news on projects.
Local artist Kit Mowat drew us some trows for the schools to paint up for our Trowie Trail with approx 100 people taking part!
Received £32,000 for Growing Local Phase 2 Project, this was to provide access to fresh produce for all Northmavine residents regardless of income, as well as reducing waste going to landfill by creating our own compost which we will use on our growing sites. We now employ 2 gardeners currently working across 4 areas in preparation for the next growing season. Received £150 from Northern Highlands and Islands Climate Hub Funding for our Produce Show & Bruckland Open Day. ToTal Energy donated £250 towards our composting project.