I arrived in Carradale in 1971 as a result of my RAF service. Two years later I left the RAF and opted to remain in Carradale, commencing a short, seven-year career in the fishing industry, during which time I worked on two Carradale boats. In 1972 I had been invited to join the Ratepayers Association, a group that later became the first Community Council under the same chairman, Jim MacDougall. In the Seventies our principle aims were to improve the village environmentally and to raise funds for various projects. We initiated the July Gala Day, then quite a major event, as a fund-raiser.
In 1980 I decided to return to my RAF occupation of maintaining radar systems and moved to Germany with my wife while retaining our home in Carradale. Our original plan was to stay about two years but that eventually extended to almost thirteen years. During this time we stayed in touch by making annual visits, letters from friends and by reading the Carradale Antler. We returned in 1993 and I worked at the K V Wooster factory until its closure at the end of 1999. I am now pretty much retired and thus able to devote more time to community affairs.
I would like to see a return to the objectives and ideals of the Community Council as it existed in the Seventies under the chairmanship of Jim MacDougall. Along similar lines, I feel there is a tendency now to overly rely on the Wind-Farm Trust for funding of village projects, whereas in the past a community effort was required. I believe this engendered a better community spirit to the benefit of everyone. With this in mind I would promise to work to achieve a more cohesive community.
Brian Gee |