Skye-based social enterprise RagTag celebrated the official opening of their new building in Broadford last week.
Christened ‘Little Tag’, the new seven-metre long wooden cabin is designed to give the award-winning charity another workshop space so their students can undertake additional crafts – such as pallet-based furniture and bird boxes – and textile work. It will also act as a meeting for space for local groups to hire, which will give Rag Tag another income stream.
The new building came as a kit from a responsible woodland firm in Estonia and was assembled and painted by volunteer labour, with a local builder making the foundation. In time, it will also be plumbed.
Mental Health advocate Gill Terry said all the furniture used in Little Tag had been donated.
She added: “This is all possible because of a very generous donation from a benefactor who specified it should be used for capital projects. So we used the money to renew our heating system in the main building and build this.”
The kit itself cost just under £5,000, said Ms Terry, but all the insulation, electrical work, paint and foundation materials pushed the price up to between £12,000 and £13,000.
“The chairs are fourth hand, someone had them in their loft, and they will be our first upcycling project,” she added. “They will be repainted and reupholstered.”
Sarah Berry, Rag Tag’s workshop co-ordinator said the next phase of development at the site will be the creation of a wellness garden next to Little Tag.
“We asked for suggestions for what should be in the garden and some of the ideas are herbs, raised beds and planters,” she said. “There will also be decking and disabled access to Little Tag.”
Plants and pallets are urgently sought for the garden, Ms Berry added, as is volunteer labour.
“We are looking for people who can use a spade,” commented Ms Terry.