Highland Group In Running For Top Award

A Highland residents association has been short listed for Scotland’s most prestigious charity awards.

West Alness Residents Association has been short listed for the Community Action category in the TFN awards which are organised by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and voluntary sector newspaper Third Force News.

The TFN Annual Charity Awards, will be presented at the annual dinner at the Gathering, Scotland’s voluntary sector fair, on 24 May in Glasgow. The awards aim to recognise excellence across Scotland’s voluntary sector and reflect the breadth of organisations working within the sector to support their communities.

Susan Smith, TFN editor, said: “We were absolutely delighted with the level of response we had from the sector to these awards. We’ve had a really high calibre of entry and choosing the short list was not an easy task. “This will be an annual event to tie in with the Gathering, which is now well established as one of the highlights of the year for the voluntary sector, and so we are delighted that it is being supported by organisations across the sector, both big and small.

“Journalist Ruth Wishart will act as the host of the awards, and we hope to have an enjoyable ceremony that will add a new dimension to the Gathering dinner, which is always an excellent evening.”

The West Alness Residents Association runs the Westend Community Centre in Alness which is the only community facility in the middle of a 1000 household neighbourhood.  The project to extend and refurbish this much used meeting place started in 2003.  The hall is due to officially open shortly.

Carol Elliot, The Highland Council Tenant Participation Officer for the area said it was impossible to describe the sheer determination and dedication of the small group of mainly Council Housing tenants who have, without any experience, successfully managed a project worth £270,000.

Carol said: “Anybody who has had a sneak preview of the hall and knew what it was like before hasn’t managed to come out of this fantastic new facility without having a tear in their eye.

“It just shows you what a difference people can make in their own communities when they get together,” she added.

If you would like more information on forming a tenants or residents group in your area contact your local Housing Office.

To book the Westend Community Centre call the hall on 01349 884896.

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