Barvas and Brue – Community Centre

Monthly Traditional Music Sessions  are held on the first Saturday of every month. These informal sessions are open to everyone of all ages, skills and all musical instruments. Sessions typically feature botton accordion, fiddle, guitar, keyboard, piano accordion, bodhran, pipes,Music Workshop whistles, anything you can play a tune on. Players come from Ness, Back, Lochs, etc as well as the local area. We quite often get summer tourists, and we are sometimes joined by the ceilidh dancers. Whether you be 9 or 90 there is a seat waiting for you.  You don’t even need to play a musical instrument, come along and enjoy listening  to the music, -  have a chat and a cup of tea. Entry is silver collection at the door .

Army Cadet Force in the Western Isles meets every Monday evening at  7.30 p.m.  Aimed at children in secondary education from 12 to 18, girls and boys are equally welcome to attend.  Part of the national Army Cadet Force movement with about 40,000 cadets, Western Isle ACF has a strength of 54 cadets and is looking to expand.  Training subjects include map reading, first aid, fieldcraft, skill at arms & shooting, (Small and full-bore.) military knowledge and drill. Cadets must take part in community events and are encouraged to complete the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. Cadets can take part in activities at local, regional and National levels, including pipes & drums training, shooting, swimming, cross-country and athletics and tug of war competitions.  Older cadets benefit from a wide range of leadership and instruction skills training events. The Army Cadet Force requires adults in order to run ACF detachments.  Anyone over 18 and interested in becoming involved in the Army Cadet Force is welcome to attend and get a feel for the organisation.  No military experience is required and full training is given.

Youth Club meets every Wednesday evening in the Barvas & Brue Community Centre from 7.00 pm to 8.30 pm. The club is currently open to 8-12 year olds and runs through school term time only. There is no senior club provision at present. Admission is £1 and a tuck shop is available. The group have various table games, have an activity programme and have up to 4 adults on duty per club session depending on the activity. On the night, they have the use of the activity room and the main games hall. Currently, over 20 children attend. For further details contact Suzi Morrison on 840406 or suzi@hebrides.net.

Dannsa Eileanach Ceilidh Dancing Group which is based in Stornoway meet in the Community Centre once a month on a Friday - dates to be advertised in the newsletter. The dance classes are suitable for everyone from beginners to the more experienced, all ages, and normally run from 8 pm to 10 pm. The class usually includes a mixture of couple dances, such as the Eva Three Step and Gay Gordons Two Step, and set dances from Strip the Willow to the energetic Postie’s Jig and the more complicated but fun-to-learn Mairi’s Wedding and Trip to Bavaria - and maybe even a quickstep or foxtrot thrown in. Interested? Please feel free to come along - you are guaranteed good exercise and a friendly welcoming atmosphere.For further information contact Janette Maciver on 01851 704870

Barvas and Brue Community Council meet at the Centre, usually on a monthly basis, dates will be advertised on the website and in the newsletter. 

There are various work shops held at the Centre during the year – one of the most popular ones has been Spinning. Would you like to learn how to tease, card and spin wool? Do you already know how to spin but would like to join a group of people with the same interest? Material  and equipment supplied, but feel free to bring your own fleece if you want to create your own unique wool for knitting. Dates are advertised in the newsletter.

The Committee recently updated the local phone book, this has names, addresses and phone numbers of Barvas and Brue residents. It also carried adverts of various local businesses – a useful book to have. It is for sale at the Barvas Post office, or by phoning Peggy MacLeod on 840400, for £4.00.