Search on for volunteers to ‘wake-up’ island trust

MORE volunteers are needed to help ‘wake-up’ a dormant community trust.

Islanders from Seil and Easdale met to discuss the idea of setting up a new community development trust but by the end of lively talks, decided to look at reviving an already existing organisation - the Kilbrandon Trust which helped to build Seil Community Hall.

Kilbrandon trustees will now set a date for a new meeting to explore how the trust can find ways to help the community it covers be the best possible place to live, work and do business in.

Retired island GP Dr George Hannah, one of the trustees, said more help was now needed to boost the trust.

At the end of last week’s meeting, a number of people had come forward to volunteer their help and some had offered to become trustees, said Dr Hannah.

‘We will need a chairman, secretary and a treasurer. Anyone who wants to find out more about the trust and get involved can contact me. They will know where to find me,’ he said.

The idea of the meeting last Thursday at Seil Community Hall had been to gauge public feeling for a new development trust.

All local groups were invited to send a representative to hear from Catherine McWilliam from The Development Trusts Association Scotland - and then have their say.

In 2016, as part of a forward planning initiative, a survey was sent out to homes in the area asking what people thought about setting up a development trust and to identify priorities.

At that time about 50 locals signed in favour of setting up a new community trust in Seil and highlighted sea access and paths for safer walking as potential projects.

Two groups were formed to begin work on the projects but they had to be put on hold when it became obvious that being able to apply for and secure funding would be crucial to them being a success.

A member of the public at last Thursday’s meeting said: ‘There seems to be broad support for the Kilbrandon Trust which could take us forward. It does have history, a constitution and has already delivered a successful project.’

Community councillor Anne Robin, who was also at the meeting and part of the forward planning initiative, said: ‘The Kilbrandon Trust has been dormant but it looks now as though it’s about to be woken up.’