Dear Fellow Members,
We are so pleased to welcome Charles (Chic) Grant back onto the Council again with his many years of experience of organising events.
Many thanks to Peggy Crossman for doing such a thorough job with the minutes at the AGM. It is really appreciated as it is an important way for those of you who are not able to attend the Annual General Meeting to get information about what is going on.
I like this picture of Dan Cottam of the Grantown Museum and me emphasising the closer links that we have built together – it has been really rewarding.
Many thanks to Jack our local Monymusk blacksmith who made the frame and installed the memorial to Lord James at Duthil Kirk just in time for the Gathering. The original tablet is very heavy, so it was a challenge to get it properly installed.
I am glad to say that Duthil is going well – we now have a TV (thank you Tim) and laptop so visitors can see items of interest which are not in the building. Steve and Heather Goodall continue to do a sterling job. I hope it will be linked to other places of interest by Inverness Castle which is to be opened next year and part of whose role is to inform the public of other sites for visitors.
I am so glad that the trip to the USA by the Chief with Tim and Peggy Crossman went so well. I am sure many strong links were made and it sounded very enjoyable.
We are looking forward to welcoming those of you who can come to the International Gathering next August 2025. Please note that if you are planning to come along all queries need to go to Alastair Kennedy at Go Highlands, who are organizing the tours alongside John Halliday of Strathspey Tours. Alastair’s contact information is on the draft International Programme and below:
Alastair Kennedy, Director Go Highlands Ltd
Email: ak@gohighlands.co.uk
Mob: +44 (0) 7527 520 575
I know that we will be in touch with you sooner than we usually are with suggestions and arrangements for the International, but meanwhile… I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a Joyful New Year!
Nollaig Chridheil agus Bliadhna Mhath Ur!
Fiona
December 2024
