Highland charity seeks new volunteers to help management of Fortrose and Rosemarkie public toilets

The local toilets in Fortrose and Rosemarkie are in danger of closing unless new trustees can be found to manage the charity that runs them.

Over a year ago Highland Council gave notice that the toilets would be closed, but in the face of protests from the local residents, a group of people got together to form a charity to take over and run the toilets.

Currently the charity has four trustees but three now feel they are unable to continue and have given notice that they plan to stand down at the forthcoming annual general meeting on January 28.

The charity now urgently needs new local people to come forward to serve on the board to make sure this essential service continues and to join local volunteers in the renovation and development of the facilities.

Unfortunately the Covid-19 restrictions have limited the extent to which improvements have been made.

In the short term, the plans are to re-develop the toilets in Station Road, Fortrose, and Mill Road, Rosemarkie.

Already the accessible toilet in Fortrose has been renovated and baby changing facilities added there and in Rosemarkie.

The lighting in the Rosemarkie toilets has been replaced with low-energy units and a more responsive control system to reduce operating costs.

Plans are in place to provide an electric supply to the Fortrose toilets, and at both sites to improve the interiors by laying floor tiling, wall coverings, and better heating.

There are also plans to work with local groups to decorate the exteriors of the toilets, to make them more attractive and more relevant to the history and heritage of the area.

Although the toilets are the main concern of the charity currently, its remit is much wider, aiming to work with local people in the development and growth of the community as a whole and to provide much-needed facilities.

Chairman, Doug Maclean, said: “Serving as a trustee is not an onerous task, involving typically 4-6 meetings a year.

"The existing trustees have done the ground work and there is money in the account, but it does require local people to care for these facilities and to ensure that the best interests of the charity and its aims and objectives are served at all times.”

Anyone interested in being considered as a trustee should contact Mr Maclean on 07802 740761 or email smdoug@avoch.org before the AGM on January 28.

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