Community spirit key for Nairn in 2024
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Community spirit has helped pull Nairn through a challenging 12 months – and will continue to do so into 2024.
That is the assessment of the area’s civic and political leaders as they look back on what has gone and forward to what the new year might bring.
Lord Lieutenant George Asher, the King’s representative for the area, praised the work of the many voluntary organisations including Team Hamish which created the hugely popular splash pad at the seafront and is now pushing ahead with plans for further seaside improvements.
It received the King’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2023.
Mr Asher said: “There is an awful lot of people who rally together for Team Hamish and that’s what earned them the award, which is actually very difficult to achieve.
“But there are so many other organisations within Nairnshire.
“There is Listen Well Scotland, which started here in Nairn; there’s the hydrotherapy pool; cycling for the less able out at Nairn Cantraybridge (Highland Cycle Ability Centre); and even our very special natty-knitters who decorate the town with wonderful designs and bring a smile to everybody’s face.
“There are a lot of people going under the radar who are doing a lot of good for others.
“People are looking out for each other.
“I think that’s the great thing about Nairnshire. It is a beautiful place to live and work, and a lot of people put a great deal back into their community.
“There are so many people doing all these little things that make a big difference.”
Sam Hey, of Team Hamish, feels the manner in which the community has rallied around it and his family has given a lot of people belief in what can be achieved in 2024.
The charity group was set up in honour of his son Hamish Hey, who died at the age of eight after a battle with cancer, and continues following the passing of his wife Susan, who also died of cancer.
“It has brought the community together in so many ways,” he said.
“It has been a difficult few years for everybody and it has been inspirational how people have responded.
“Over the past week or so, we have had some really strong rainbows in the sky visible from Nairn and I’ve had so many messages from supporters who say ‘I’ve seen the rainbow – that’s Hamish and that’s Susan saying ‘hello’’.
“It is really nice that these things serve to bring the community together with a bit of brightness.
“I think it has inspired people. That may be difficult to quantify in terms of what it can do for the community heading into 2024, but people certainly have a sense of what is possible when they work together and support each other.
“I think it has given people a belief in our community and what can be achieved.
“The whole premise of Team Hamish started from the support Hamish received during his treatment back in 2011, right through to Susan being unwell and the events that followed.
“Throughout that period, the community has really rallied behind us and taken it forward to create something positive, a legacy for Hamish and Susan, out of a really horrific situation.”
Grassroots activity may help shore up Nairn, with the region not immune to factors such as continued low consumer spending, high energy prices and reduced spending on public services which are expected to have a national impact over 2024.
The planned Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport – of which the Port of Arderiser is part – is expected to bring 10,000 jobs over 25 years, but Highland economist Tony Mackay does not expect the region’s economic growth rate this year to be significantly different from the Scottish forecast of 0.7 per cent.
He expects the Scotch whisky industry and the renewable energy sector to do well this year but added: “In contrast, those industries dependent on consumer spending, such as retailing, tourism and service providers, will inevitably have another disappointing year in 2024.”
For Provost Laurie Fraser, a bypass for Nairn is the key to unlocking prosperity for the community.
Though sceptical of the chances of seeing much progress on this soon at least – “we’ve been badly let down there” – he insists it is needed if a prosperous future for the town is to be secured.
“I see big things,” he said of Nairn’s future prospects.
“With the Ardersier port taking off, as soon as that opens I think all the possible opportunities for local people will help to retain children in the area.”
Hopeful of a chance to arrest a brain drain of local talent, he added however: “But a lot of that prosperity (is) down to the bypass – we get that and the town expands. At the moment the town is being held back.”
