Mhairi’s visit to Morvern Games & Gala Week and Kinlochleven Gala Day

What does a rainforest, a native oyster and woodland art have in common? Morvern Games & Gala week, of course!

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending Morvern’s annual Games and Gala week on behalf of the Highlands and Islands Climate Hub. Morvern is a 200 square mile peninsula off the west coast of Scotland and home to around 320 residents. Famed as the most scenic Highland Games in Scotland, Morvern Games and Gala Week brings together locals and visitors for a jam-packed week of festivities. This year was a particularly special Games Day as its venue, Knock Park, is now under community ownership.

The Morvern community has been active in taking climate action. Their recently published Community Vision and Action Plan is one of the first to use the new place standard with a climate lens and highlights the community’s ambition to become a “model carbon negative community”.

Morvern’s climate ambitions were reflected in the Games Week program, with community events including a Rainforest Walk at Rhemore Wildcroft, events in Morvern’s Community Woodland Achnaha and a chance to volunteer with the Community Association Of Lochs And Sounds (CAOLAS) at their native oyster project.

A clothes swap at Kinlochleven Gala Day with Lochaber Environmental Group was a great way to end the week. Now in its second year, Kinlochleven’s Gala was a fun family day out. We were delighted to rehome more than 15 items of clothing and enjoyed chatting to locals about ways to take climate action locally.