Just a reminder that we will be holding our first AGM as a SCIO tonight Thursday 18th January in Dunvegan Hall from 6pm, for anyone who can make it. There will be a pot of soup and baking so no-one gets peckish and the chance to look at the preliminary plans for Gaeltec and feedback about them, as well as look at the Community Park Plans, and a map of Cruachan Woodland and the updated project plans there. There will be further opportunities to see these plans. This Annual meeting is open to all members.
Gillian Alston and Anne MacAskill will be standing down from the committee on Thursday, and we’re really grateful for their contributions over the last several years, which was quite a transformational time for DCT. We have received nominations for the following committee members to stay on for another year:
Jason Bold
Jason has been on Isle of Skye full time since 2014 and lives with his family in Harlosh, Dunvegan. He joined DCT in 2016 and has been Chair since 2019 and is passionate about the trust being integral to the onwards development of Dunvegan. Alongside partner, Jason has established a holiday rental business on Skye, offering architectural, design led holiday accommodation, which has helped them diversify their croft, upon which they run livestock. He is also a qualified football coach with North West Skye Youth FC. After running a design consultancy prior to moving to Skye, Jason has been a business consultant in the creative industry, offering strategic support to talented creative businesses.
Paul MacAskill
Paul MacAskill grew up in the south of the island in the village of Kyleakin. He has lived in Skye his whole life with a few gaps of living in places such as Glasgow, Norway and Australia. He moved to Dunvegan about 12 years ago when he met his now wife Sarah. He has worked in the aquaculture industry for the past 14 years in Scotland and Norway, including working in Loch Dunvegan as assistant manager for 8 years. He currently works for Mowi down in the factory in Kyleakin. His hobbies include running, hillwalking, foraging, paddle boarding, and sea swimming. His skills include local knowledge, and a love of working outdoors.
We have also received nominations for the following new committee members:
Liza Cleland
Liza Cleland was born and raised in NW Skye and returned to live full time in 2009. Her personal experience includes being founder director of Glendale Community Trust, a volunteer manager for Glendale Estate, member of Community Land Scotland, and an attendee of the inaugural Scottish Rural Parliament. She also has professional experience, including auditing UHI’s Sustainable Rural Development degree, involvement in researching community attitudes to the original Orbost purchase, and surveying general volunteering in the Highlands. She is personally familiar with the many challenges facing our communities and community organisations, and also with best practice in meeting them.
Emma-Jane Morrison
Emma Jane was born and bred in Struan, and now married and raising a family in Feorlig. She spent a few years in the tourism industry before taking a job in Gaelic Education. Working with children and being able to share her native language is very important to her. She enjoy the outdoors and helping on the family croft, and has been a driving force of the Dunvegan Community Park project since its inception.
Katy Lawrence
