THEY’VE DONE …
The Friends of the Ochils owes a great debt of gratitude to David Gordon and Dave Hewitt, both of whom are now standing down from the committee – if it hadn’t been for them, the organisation would have folded years ago, rather than being the healthy, well-resourced body it is now. About eight years ago, the Friends was going through a bad patch, with the possibility of having no committee, so no organisation. But the two Davids stepped in at the last minute, took on the key roles of Chair and Newsletter Editor (Dave H), and Treasurer, Secretary and Membership Secretary (David G), and saved the day.
What great things they’ve done in those roles! Dave H edited no fewer than 18 excellent newsletters, all full of interesting pieces of writing, on everything from reminiscences to book reviews to news to concerns, and incorporating Chris Tyler’s delightful illustrations. The newsletters have been central to the Friends’ existence – almost their raison d’etre – and a very high standard is bequeathed to Dave’s successor Catherine Kilgour.
As for David G – he’s kept the whole organisation going, and going like clockwork. The accounts have been kept immaculately, always up to date, and with an increasingly healthy balance; membership has grown; charity status has been won and maintained with great care; the constitution has been kept up and kept to. I notice he’s been trying to get away from all this since at least the spring of 2001 – see that edition of the newsletter! – and now, finally, he’s had to put his foot down, as pressures of work and family responsibilities combine to render intolerable the additional work of keeping the Friends immaculately organised.
There’s been loads else – setting up our excellent website, commissioning our publicity leaflets and posters, responding to many threats and initiatives in the Ochils, researching the ownership of the land … and so on. All with both dedication and good cheer.
We’re going to miss them both, and we deeply appreciate all they’ve done over the years!
Nicki Baker
FotO Chair
