‘Berneray has been part of me all my life, it’s where my heart is’
Alasdair Humphrey, now 59, is among the islanders seen in the archive footage which captured him as happy five-year-old cheerfully milking a cow.
My mother is originally from Berneray but she married my dad who was from Sussex so I was born in England.
We would return to the island several times a year as we had the family connection and I still try to go back as often as I can. Even though I wasn’t born there, it still feels like a really big part of who I am, so in many ways, it feels like home.
My uncle was Donald Mackillop – who married Gloria – and I’m still related to many people on the island today. I live in Edinburgh now, but all my friends will tell you, they know where my heart is, and it’s Berneray.
Even though it takes 10 hours to travel there door to door, I still go every time I get a chance. And it’s a place I’ve been taking my own children to for many years.
I’ve witnessed many changes to the island in my lifetime, especially with the building of the causeway, which connects Berneray to North Uist. One thing in particular that stands out is the way people observe the Sabbath. It was very strictly observed when I was a child, and although it still is to an extent today, that has changed. I suppose as it has everywhere, but it’s more obvious in such a small community.
It’s hard to describe why it’s so special, but it’s a mixture of the community, the culture, the landscape, and it’s something that’s been a part of me all my life. I’ve spent summers there and grown up with it all.
In many ways, it almost feels like you’re a part of this special club that you’re truly lucky to be a member of.