What about this vision thing?

We prefer to call it a long-term strategy. It is based on our assessment of community needs which draws on the considerable experience of our members.

What does it say?

Our long-term aim is to “overcome demoralisation, defeatism, and the partial loss of identity, all enemies of a vigorous, self confident, healthy society”.

That’s a big task, to say the least

True. And we’re a small organisation. But we never said we could do much on our own. In fact, we are signed up to a fine statement from the United Nations Organisation which states that there should be:-

• Concern for the whole community;
• Concern for development as a whole;
• Maximum participation by the people themselves;
• Help from outside the community;
• The achievement of the foregoing by a marriage of local and national interests.

And how do we do what we do do?

It’s all about motivating people, about changing the way they see their community. If you stress the advantages of a lively indigenous culture, a pride and awareness in history, of seeking help to do what you want to do, rather than expecting to be told what to do, you are on the right lines according to our way of thinking.

We make a special point of supporting initiatives which fall into those categories and we do this mainly through the news magazine, Am Bratach, published by the council since 1991. We also provide other useful services. They include:

• Free advice and information to voluntary groups
• Publicity for voluntary groups
• Printing and photocopying service for voluntary groups, businesses and the general public
• Fax sending and receiving service for voluntary groups, businesses and the general public
• World Wide Web and e-mail access service for voluntary groups, businesses and the general public
• Desk-top-publishing, including training, for voluntary groups
• Film and flatbed scanning service for voluntary groups, businesses and the general public
• Digital photography (voluntary groups)
• Web portal services to voluntary organisations and businesses
• Web site design and build services for voluntary organisations and businesses

The voluntary sector speaks volumes

Much has happened in North West Sutherland in the last fifteen years — the brilliant example set by the Assynt Crofters Trust in buying the North Assynt Estate, the successful transfer of ownership of the Melness Estate to the tenants, the determination of parents to have a Gaelic-medium school in Tongue and a secondary school in Kinlochbervie, the near-heroic fund-raising to provide new village halls in Strathy and Durness, the revival of shinty-playing in Assynt and beyond and the community enterprises that have turned Skerray’s fortunes round. These, and scores of other developments, owe their success to the vigour of local voluntary organisations.

Where we come in

In North West Sutherland, we provide a unique resource for voluntary groups, free or at rock bottom prices. Want to know more? Just ask by e-mail or telephone 01641 561214.

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