Isle of Iona hostel accommodation, Scotland

The hostel provides much needed budget accommodation on the island. Other than the direct income raised by the hostel, I would estimate that our guests annually contribute over £100,000 to the local economy. Being based on our working croft, guests are introduced to many of the discussions that lead from small-scale, ‘slow’ and organically principled agriculture and are encouraged to help us work with the sheep or generally on the croft. Iona has numerous religious or retreat centres and the Hostel deliberately attempts to offer a neutral and inclusive space for guests from all backgrounds and beliefs.

The property has a small ‘footprint’ and was designed to meet various environmental criteria. We are keen to raise awareness of ecological and cultural issues with guests and we can exploit the Hostels location (surrounded by eco-designations as it is) to inspire such discussion. Being located on a very beautiful and unique island, the hostel was built to have a very light footprint. It was important that I build something that was both easy to remove and looked right, i.e., vernacular. It is basically an adapted agricultural building supported on 16 recycled telephone poles and with a non load-bearing foundation. Most of the interior timber is recycled from the whisky industry and the floor is covered by Marmoleum - a natural product. As it is in an extremely exposed spot, insulation was given serious consideration and it is insulated well beyond Building Control requirements. The windows are triple glazed. We are currently looking into how best to utilise our water supplies and through the Energy Group are considering energy reduction on an island / community scale. We work to enhance the diversity of species that live on the site and to encourage the return of those, such as the Corncrake, which have been lost over the centuries.

Iona has just become a 'Fair Trade Island' (the only other one in Scotland being the aptly named Fair Isle). We buy and promote a Fair trade policy in both businesses and were part of the local group setting up our Fair Trade status. We are both closely involved in Slow Food, promoting Slow Food through our businesses, selling our produce through Slow Food events and working loosely with other Slow Food Members in the Hebrides to set up a Slow Food Network. We are both committee members of Holiday Mull and Iona and have just spent the summer, with others, revising policy and long term goals so as to focus primarily on eco-tourism objectives.

We are members of the local, as yet informal and embryonic sustainable energy group. We support MSF and RSPCC by regular charitable donations and I am a member of LEAF (Linking Farming with Environment). We support their work and I promote it through the hostel. I am a member of the Crofting Foundation: the renamed Crofters Union. The Foundation reflects our environmental ethos and our involvement in local produce, animal welfare (also a member of Compassion in Farming), community and landscape. It also promotes diversification and eco-tourism / agri-tourism.