HELMSDALE AND DISTRICT SWRI 29 November 2012

Thirteen members of the Helmsdale SWRI attended the monthly meeting on 29 November. The guest speaker was Anna Vermehren, the Development Director of Timespan Heritage System. She outlined some of the events and activities being planned for the bicentenary of the Kildonan Clearances, many of which will take place in August and hoped that members would get involved in some of these. They include a community excavation of a longhouse in the strath; it is intended that any findings will contribute to a virtual reality reconstruction of the longhouse in Timespan. Also a sock sampler exchange is already taking place with the inhabitants of the Winnipeg area. A number of events are also being considered to commemorate the Kildonan Riots and also some involvement in the RNLI Harbour Day. Arrangements were finalised for both the Christmas dinner outing and also the trip to see Mother Goose in Inverness. Winners of the competition Christmas Decorations were Joan Murray (1st), Roz Shorrocks (2nd) and Linda Hopley (3rd). The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 31 January at 7.30pm.