Callander’s Unsung Community Champion Receives Top Award

L to R Friends trustee Sheila Winstone, Anne Docherty and Friends Chair, James Fraser are pictured on the steps of Ross Priory on Loch Lomondside where the special award was presented to Anne for selfless service to the community of Callander

Callander’s Unsung Community Champion Receives Top Award

At the Annual General Meeting of the Friends of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs earlier this week Anne Docherty received a special Chairman’s Award in recognition of her selfless service to the community of Callander for the past 30 years.

Anne moved to Callander in the 1990s, after retiring from a career in education, but immediately became involved in various local community groups and has never stopped working until she recently retired from the role of company secretary of Callander Community Development Trust.

In her role with the Development Trust alone, she held the administrative and financial reins over a time of great achievements for the Trust, including the community hydro scheme, the construction of the iconic Bracklinn Bridge, appointing and managing a town coordinator, and developing 4 community action plans and a place plan.

She also led many successful projects like setting up Creative in Callander and Summerfest in which she organised all the music events, bringing Phil Cunningham & Ali Bain, Dougie McLean, Scottish Opera and Scottish Chamber Orchestra and many more to Callander.

More recently she was instrumental in keeping the Visitor Information Centre open after VisitScotland’s departure and supported the day to day running by volunteers in many practical ways.

Anne previously was a Director of the National Park Community Partnership, edited the Ben Ledi Community for more than a decade, organised Callander Chimes Handbell Group and still organises the Craigard Club, a weekly lunch club for senior citizens. For many years she has also kept the public toilets open in evening as the local keyholder for Stirling Council.

James Fraser, the outgoing Chair of the Friends said: ‘’Anne is a truly remarkable lady who has done so much on a voluntary basis over a prolonged period for the benefit of Callander residents and visitors and we were delighted to recognise her selfless efforts with a special award.

She has enriched the lives of many thousands of people and over the years has strengthened the appeal of Callander as a visitor destination through her boundless efforts on many fronts. I am pleased she will be continuing to use her organisational skills to support the Craigard Club which plays an important role in the well-being of senior citizens in the Callander area.’’