OUR TEAM
WILLIE JACK
Chair
Willie Jack (Chair) ran two successful dental practices for 28 years employing over thirty staff. After the practices were sold the family moved to live in Stoer in 2012. Willie was first co-opted onto the board of the Assynt Community Association in March 2017, becoming Chair in September 2017. He is also a Director of Assynt Development Trust’s trading subsidiary Assynt Community (Trading) Ltd and Culag Community Woodland Trust Ltd. Willie has been instrumental in developing the successful applications to the Scottish Land Fund for the initial feasibility study and subsequently raising the funds to buy the Glebe Land. In addition, he has steered the Trust through the successful Community Asset Transfer application to buy the Mission Building from Highland Council for £1. Key skills: business and financial management and human resource management.
NIGEL GOLDIE
Vice Chair
Nigel Goldie has been very involved in a number of community organisations for some years, such as the Assynt Foundation, the Assynt Development Trust (and its predecessor the Assynt Community Association) and Historic Assynt. He has always sought to improve collaboration between the varied community organisations and groups in Assynt. Nigel has much relevant expertise relevant to the issue faced by Assynt Development Trust which is complemented by subsequently working in a senior management role in local government with a wide range of corporate responsibilities, including that of funding community and voluntary organisations.
EDWIN DE JONG
Treasurer
Edwin de Jong (Treasurer) is originally from the Netherlands, moved to Stoer in 2017 and bought a B&B. He worked for a bank/ insurance company in finance for 25 years writing budget proposals, financial forecasting and participating in projects as a financial controller. Edwin joined the board of ADT in 2019.
BOYD HART-ALEXANDER
Director
Boyd Alexander moved to the Highlands in 2014 for work, making his home in Ullapool with his family. He is a Marine Biologist by training with several decades of experience working in development and project management in both Asia and Africa. Boyd is a scheme manager for the Coigach & Assynt Living Landscape Partnership and has overall responsibility for the scheme’s successful delivery. As an Assynt non-resident, Boyd is a co-opted member and has been involved with Assynt Development Trust since April 2016.
MARIANNE HUTCHISON
Director
Marianne Hutchison grew up in Assynt before attending Edinburgh University and Moray House College. She has taught in many primary schools in the Highlands, mostly in the North West, and lives with her family in Lochinver and works at Lochinver Primary School. Marianne loves several outdoor pursuits and has recently enjoyed developing her teaching skills by training in the delivery of Outdoor Education. Marianne has been a director of ADT (and its predecessor ACA) since 2012.
ADAM PELLANT
Development Officer
Assynt Development Trust currently employs two half-time Development Officers, Adam Pellant and Ewen McLachlan. The two development officers have been employed by the Trust from May 2018 through a successful funding application to the Scottish Governments Strengthening Communities Fund, replaced eighteen months ago by the Investing in Communities Fund. In the past three years they have developed and delivered many significant projects for the Assynt community including the Assynt eBike Project and Assynt Motorhome Waste Project both at Assynt Leisure, running the Discover Assynt tourism marketing organisation, relocating the Assynt Tourist Information service to Assynt Leisure, Consultations including local democracy and climate action, planning consultations including Assynt Housing Needs Analysis, Lochinver Local Options Appraisal, Community Asset Transfer of the Mission from Highland Council and the purchase of the Assynt Glebe Land in Lochinver from the Church of Scotland with funding from the Scottish Land Fund.
EWEN MCLACHLAN
Development Officer
Assynt Development Trust currently employs two half-time Development Officers, Adam Pellant and Ewen McLachlan. The two development officers have been employed by the Trust from May 2018 through a successful funding application to the Scottish Governments Strengthening Communities Fund, replaced eighteen months ago by the Investing in Communities Fund. In the past three years they have developed and delivered many significant projects for the Assynt community including the Assynt eBike Project and Assynt Motorhome Waste Project both at Assynt Leisure, running the Discover Assynt tourism marketing organisation, relocating the Assynt Tourist Information service to Assynt Leisure, Consultations including local democracy and climate action, planning consultations including Assynt Housing Needs Analysis, Lochinver Local Options Appraisal, Community Asset Transfer of the Mission from Highland Council and the purchase of the Assynt Glebe Land in Lochinver from the Church of Scotland with funding from the Scottish Land Fund.