Lairg centre back on track after residents rally round
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A SUTHERLAND village has rallied round to save its community centre from closure.
Managers of Lairg Community Centre sent an open letter to the area’s residents in September warning that the facility was in danger of shutting down.
Centre treasurer Sheila Stewart explained in the letter that the board of management was set to lose four of its six directors and efforts to drum up new recruits had borne little fruit with only one person coming forward.
She said it was ironic that the manpower crisis had come at a time when Lairg Community Association, which runs the centre, was in a healthy financial position and the facility itself in a good state of repair.
Mrs Stewart made a last-ditch appeal for directors with appropriate skills and abilities to fill the posts of chairperson, company secretary and treasurer, to come forward. She was particularly keen to see groups which use the centre, nominate a representative to stand for the board.
A public meeting was held on Monday, October 28, to gauge the level of support ahead of the boards crux November 5 AGM.
After the public meeting, Mrs Stewart said she was pleased to report that there had been a “small but supportive” turn-out, giving a glimmer of hope that there was enough interest to form a new board.
And that has turned out to be the case, with a new board of management now in place following the AGM.
“All the positions were filled with eight directors appointed with a variety of skills,” said Mrs Stewart, who is having to stand down under governing rules. She added: “There is great relief all round - the alternative was unthinkable!”
