A short story, a Gaelic poem, an artwork and two short films – all on the theme of ‘Why young voices matter in the future of our communities’ – made up the five winning entries in the 2026 Spiorad na Mara Scholarships Programme.
Now in its second year, the programme provides financial support of £10,000 to secondary school pupils from the Outer Hebrides pursuing STEM or Gaelic language and/or culture studies in Scottish universities. It is open to all final-year students at the four secondary schools in the Outer Hebrides: the Nicolson Institute, Sir E Scott, Sgoil Lionacleit and Castlebay School, as well as home-schooled students who are resident in the Outer Hebrides and students who completed their finals recently but took a gap year or two.
Following a rigorous assessment process by an independent panel – comprising individuals with relevant expertise, and all of whom live in, or have strong connections to the island – the five successful students are:
- Isobel Craig, Sir E Scott School, Tarbert, Isle of Harris – Master of Optometry with Independent Prescribing, Glasgow Caledonian University
- Odhran Mackay, Nicolson Institute, Isle of Lewis – B. Engineering (Hons) Mechanical and Offshore Engineering, Robert Gordon University
- Cormac James Sandison, Nicolson Institute, Isle of Lewis – Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde
- Charlie Beaton, Castlebay School, Isle of Barra – Medicine at St Andrews University
- Ava Mackenzie, Nicolson Institute, Isle of Lewis – MEng Mechanical Engineering with Aeronautics, University of Glasgow
Each scholarship provides £10,000 of funding over four years, with £2,500 being received annually to help meet the costs associated with higher education, including tuition-related materials, equipment, travel and accommodation.
“We are delighted to support another group of talented young people from across the Outer Hebrides as they begin the next chapter of their educational journey,” said Martin Whyte, Project Director. “Investing in education and skills is an important part of our commitment to the communities of the Outer Hebrides and our ambition to create a lasting positive legacy through the delivery of the proposed Spiorad na Mara project. We look forward to following the students’ progress and wish them every success in their studies and future careers.”
On behalf of the Independent Assessment Panel, Sally Reynolds added, “We were deeply impressed with the standard of the applications this year: the levels of effort and creativity, but – even more impressively – the deeply personal and profound interpretations of the theme ‘Why young voices matter in the future of our communities’. The students displayed a nuanced understanding of the islands’ challenges and opportunities, as well as its culture and traditions, and the role they can play in shaping the future of their communities. This came through in the submission pieces themselves and also in the narratives that accompanied them. We congratulate all the winners and wish them well in their studies.”
The Scholarships Programme was launched in April 2025. Applications will open again in early 2027 for the next academic year and details will be shared widely at that time. In total, the project has committed to an investment of £200,000 over a seven-year period, supporting 20 students1.
Further information on the Scholarships Programme can be found at www.spioradnamara.co.uk
Contact:
Steve Thomas
Communications Lead, Northland Power
+44 (0)7359 597354
steve.thomas@northlandpower.com
About Spiorad na Mara
Spiorad na Mara is a proposed offshore wind farm, located approximately 5-13 km off the west coast of Lewis. With an expected installed capacity of around 900 MW, it could meet the equivalent average annual electricity needs of around 1.2 million2 Scottish homes with renewable electricity and save more than 1.7 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year. Spiorad na Mara is owned by Northland Power (75.5%) and ESB (24.5%), with Northland leading on the development, construction, and operation.
Further information is available at www.spioradnamara.co.uk
1 Should a decision be taken at any point between 2026 and 2028 that the project will not proceed, no new intake of students into the programme would be accepted. However, commitments made to students who had already received a scholarship would be honoured, up to the end of their four-year programme.
2 More than 1.2 million homes powered per annum based on the average Scottish annual household electricity consumption of 3,078 kWh in 2022 (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/regional-and-local-authority-electricity-consumption-statistics) together with a minimum projected 50% wind load factor and a projected installed capacity of up to 900MW.
About Northland Power
Northland Power is a Canadian-headquartered global power producer delivering the electricity the world needs through offshore wind, onshore renewables, battery storage and natural gas-fired generation. With offices in seven countries, Northland owns or has an economic interest in 3.5 GW of gross operating generating capacity, 2.5 GW under construction and an approximately 8.0 GW development pipeline, reflecting nearly four decades of experience delivering large-scale energy infrastructure.
Publicly traded since 1997, Northland’s Common Shares and Series 1 and Series 2 Preferred Shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols NPI, NPI.PR.A and NPI.PR.B, respectively.
About ESB
ESB is involved in six offshore wind projects and 2GW of onshore wind projects in Scotland, as part of its drive for a 5GW renewable electricity portfolio across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain by 2030. Since its foundation almost 100 years ago, ESB always been fully invested in the lives of the customers and communities we serve. We have set a target to achieve net zero by 2040 and have committed to doing this in a way that enables communities and natural habitats to thrive. Our focus is on developing and connecting renewables, building resilient infrastructure and empowering our customers to live healthier, more sustainable lives using clean electricity.