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The beautiful island of Gigha |
In March 2002, the islanders of Gigha, a small Scottish island lying just three miles from the Scottish west coast made history when they bought their island through the Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust, a charitable company established for the purpose. No longer was Gigha to be owned by an individual Laird (landlord) but forever would be owned by the Trust for the benefit of all. To celebrate, the islanders commissioned two hundred bottles of the finest malt whisky (which means ‘water of life’, in the local Gaelic language) each bottle bearing a specially designed ‘Spirit of Gigha’ label.
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Willie McSporran, the first Chairman of the Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust, spins a yarn or two |
What has happened since the buy-out is little short of remarkable. The island, which for decades had been in a state of decline has been transformed, with housing improved, businesses and jobs created. Where there were just six children in the island’s school there are now twenty six, as islanders and their families have returned and new households moved to Gigha.
Most of the Spirit of Gigha whisky has now been sold to raise funds for much needed investment on the island and the whisky is now a collectors item with bottles exchanged at auction for more than N$10,000.
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Gigha whisky |
When the islanders of Gigha heard about Ombetja Yehinga from a former island resident, Alan Hobbett, now a VSO volunteer with OYO, they immediately decided to donate one of the last of their bottles of whisky, to be raffled for the benefit of OYO. “We wanted to show that this community supports other communities throughout the world striving to make a better life for themselves. Namibia faces a huge challenge with the issue of HIV/Aids but what OYO and the young people they work with are doing is inspirational” said Audrey Dickie, Trust Administrator.
Already many thousands of dollars have been raised from the sale of the raffle tickets, the drawer for the whisky to take place on the eighth anniversary of the purchase of the island, on the 15th March 2010. All proceeds will be passed to OYO.
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