There are over 120 voluntary and community groups operating on Arran. Our core activity is to offer information and practical help to existing groups in managing their organisations and activities. Set up, governance support, funding information and support, links to local and national policy, opportunities to connect with others and develop a collective voice are all part of the services we provide.
As partners in the Third Sector Interface, we hold lead responsibility for third sector Health and Social Care and Children’s services representation across North Ayrshire. This work is informed by various thematic third sector forums and ongoing connections with organisations and service providers.
Additionally, social isolation is currently a national issue, it has also been identified locally as a priority within the Locality Planning Partnership and Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP). With this in mind, and very few other local organisations to offer targeted activities we worked closely with HSCP to develop several projects which we support in the community.
Arran CVS was established in 1965 to co-ordinate voluntary efforts on the Island of Arran.
Currently there are over 120 voluntary and community groups operating on Arran.
We are part of a national network of 32 TSI's throughout Scotland.
The TSI Scotland Network is a body of charities that support the third sector across Scotland. There are 32 Third Sector Interfaces in Scotland, one for each local authority area.
The third sector includes charities, community groups, development trusts, social enterprises and the volunteering sector. It was recognised that the role of the TSIs needed to change and the focus of TSIs was to take a more strategic role in third sector involvement in community planning and health and social care integration and in responding to local needs and outcomes.
Our key function is to help the third sector in the following ways:
Arran Council for Voluntary Service, set up in 1965, was the founding name of Arran Community and Voluntary Services as it is known as today. Arran CVS was established to assist with community groups and to champion social change on the island.
It all started in an office above The Ship Inn, known locally as Jimmy Gordons, before moving to the new office on Park Terrace. The founding members established the charity to ‘promote purposes for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Isle of Arran in particular the advancement of education, health and the relief of poverty, distress and sickness’.
Arran Community and Voluntary Service comprise of an Executive Committee,
Administrator/Befriending Co-Ordinator
Lee is the friendly first contact at Arran CVS. Her role is to respond to queries from the public and organisations on Arran, providing support or signposting where necessary. Lee can assist you with our varied office services, the booking of equipment, and applications to join our free membership. She is also our Befriending Co-ordinator, supporting volunteers in creating meaningful connections within the community by matching individuals with befriending opportunities. Read full bio
Chief Executive Officer
Vicki is responsible to the Arran CVS Board for providing strategic leadership and also has a hands on role in operational work due to team capacity. As part of her Third Sector Interface lead responsibility Vicki provides strategic representation for the third sector within the realms of Children’s Services and Health and Social Care. She holds a seat on the Integration Joint Board and the Children’s Services Strategic Partnership providing a voice for third sector organisations across North Ayrshire and Arran. At a local level Vicki is the Senior Lead officer with the Arran Locality Partnership and works closely with the Community Planning Partnership as one of the Third Sector representatives. Read full bio
Operations Manager
Carol provides management support for the Arran CVS team and oversees day to day running of the office, events and various projects. Her other key duties include representing Arran CVS on the Arran Locality Partnership, a variety of North Ayrshire and Arran steering groups and meetings including becoming the most recent Chair of the Community Engagement Network. Read full bio
Community Link Worker (Arran)
The Community Link Worker role is included in the GP surgery multi-disciplinary team. The Community Link Worker can support individuals on a wide range of social or 'non medical' issues impacting their health and wellbeing. They can connect people to various community well-being activities and offer supported self-management and information on multiple issues that can affect health and wellbeing. Lorraine also provides the NHS Weight Management and Smoking Cessation support on Arran. Lorraine works within the Arran Medical Group Practices and forms part of a bigger link worker team under the remit of the Health and Social Care Partnership in North Ayrshire and Arran. Read full bio
Health and Social Care Development Officer
Health and Social Care Development Officer is mainland based and supports, promotes and connects third sector North Ayrshire organisation’s working in Health and Social Care in North Ayrshire as well as representation on a variety of forums across North Ayrshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership. Read full bio
Development Officer
Sheridan is responsible for recruitment of, and engagement with volunteers, overseeing lunch clubs, Craft, Coffee and Chat and the Saltire awards for young volunteers aged 12-25. Within this role Sheridan assists organisations with a range of topics from constitution support, charity registration, filing to OSCR & Companies House, and identifying funding sources on their behalf. Read full bio
Community Transport Co-ordinator
Jeanette is our Community Transport Co-ordinator and is running a low cost door to door transport service for the local community who are unable to access existing transport, or where appropriate transport does not exist. Jeanette will be liaising with volunteers, suppliers, external organisations and service users to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the community transport service. Read full bio
TSI Fairer Futures Partnership Lead
Mairi is currently on secondment to undertake the role as TSI Fairer Futures Partnership lead. Her role is to identify ways in which we can support and strengthen the third sectors involvement in North Ayrshire Fairer Futures Partnerships work. Read full bio
My wife and I have been permanent residents on Arran for 20 years. I am involved in various community activities, e.g., Community Council, Local village improvements group, Arran Development Trust, Arran Economic Group, & the CalMac Community Board. I have worked in Finance & Business Planning at senior level within the electronics industry covering Europe, Middle East & Africa. I operated a successful Management Consultancy company delivering management services for general material planning & financial modelling together with effective management structure analysis services. Read full bio
I work in Lamlash Primary School and have taught all age groups. Having obtained a degree in Civil Engineering I worked as a Chartered Engineer before going into teaching. Both careers have allowed me to watch something grow whether it was a road from planning stage to completion or see a child grasp new concepts in learning. I am also keen on Sustainability and the UN Global Goals which are a cornerstone of the work that ACVS does. Out of school I enjoy having people come to visit us at Kilpatrick Farm on the lambing days and playing with the two ponies we have on the farm. I am also class organiser for Arran Highland Dancers and on the committee of Feis Arainn, as well as being mum to 3 growing girls. Read full bio
Derek joined the Board of Trustees in 2025, bringing a wealth of experience in strategic planning, financial oversight, and governance from a 28-year career in the Royal Navy. This included a Non-Executive Director role on the Board of a large Ministry of Defence Trading Fund. Relocating to Arran in 2021, he has been volunteering for Arran CVS as part of their befriending and transport projects. Seized by the positive impact Arran CVS delivers for the community, he welcomed the invitation to become a Trustee to support the management team in delivering for the residents of Arran and North Ayrshire. Read full bio
I moved to live on Arran 4 years ago. I have spent 35 years in elite sport working for organisations like Glasgow Rangers FC, Middlesbrough FC & Manchester City FC & now consult for a number of sporting organisations nationally & internationally. My work is around medical & performance solutions & effective communication. I am very keen to support & help organisations that serve their community whatever age the person & whatever their needs. WE all require this at some stage in our lives & the world is a better place if we can show tolerance, humility & kindness to others. Read full bio
Hello I am Angela. My husband and I are retired, we have lived in Corriecravie for 6 years and I have been visiting Arran for many years previously. I worked for a major telecommunications company for 40 years as a Human Resources Manager of a national sales organisation. This gave me a wealth of experience building relationships across different skill sets and all levels of the business and dealing with a variety of people issues. I am currently the Membership Secretary for the Isle of Arran u3a and actively involved in our local Church On a personal note, I am a friendly and sociable character with a sense of fun. Meeting up with family and friends both on and off the island is important to us. We have a garden which keeps us busy. I enjoy cooking and baking and travelling when we can. Read full bio
After qualifying as a youth and community worker, I spent many years setting up and running youth projects in London. I relocated to the South East of England to work as a Regional Officer for a large Trade Union. I spent 29 years living in Hastings, where I was a local Councillor. I have a lot of experience of local government and have spent most of my working life in the voluntary sector, most recently in a health promotion project and a project supporting people who were unemployed due to long term health conditions and disabilities. I moved to Arran two years ago and love it here. I enjoy volunteering on the community transport project and look forward to supporting the work of Arran CVS alongside the board and staff team Read full bio
"I have been coming to Arran for over 75 years, having been a holiday maker, a holiday house owner, and, having built my own house (largely myself), a resident of Blackwaterfoot for the last 12 years. My job was a Medical Professor in Cardiff where my main research was running the largest trials in the world for the treatment of leukaemiia. I received an MBE in 2010...not for housebuilding...but for services to Medicine. I am currently the Property Convenor for the new Church of Scotland Congregation of Arran I hope to be able to contribute to the work of the Arran CVS" Read full bio
Arran Community and Voluntary Service (Arran CVS) aim to provide high-quality services at all times. Whether you think we’re doing well or feel we need to do better, we value your opinion and want to hear from you.
If you are unhappy with Arran CVS in any way, please let us know. We welcome the opportunity to put matters right, for you and for others who might use our services in future.
What to do:
First, speak to the staff providing the service you wish to comment on. Most problems can be dealt with quickly by the people closest to the situation.
If you are unhappy with the response or feel unable to approach staff directly then email info@arrancvs.org.uk or call 01770 600611 or write to
Arran Community and Voluntary Service
Park Terrace
Lamlash
Isle of Arran, KA27 8LW
Whatever method you choose, the matter will be dealt with in the same way.
Our commitment to you
We will:
What happens next?
In the case of a complaint, we respond to you within 3 working days informing you who is dealing with it and how long the investigation will take.
We aim to resolve complaints within 10 working days. However, some complaints take longer to investigate and when they do, we will contact you to advise you when you can expect a response from us.
All comments and complaints will be recorded by Arran CVS and used to help us improve our services.
What if I’m unhappy with the response?
If you have made a complaint and are unhappy with the response you receive, you can email or write to Arran CVS’s Chief Executive, who will look at the situation and decide if further action is needed.
If you are still unhappy, you can email or write to the Chairperson of Arran CVS’s Board of trustees, who will look at the situation again and decide if any further action is needed.
You can contact the Chief Executive and Convener by email at info@arrancvs.org.uk or at the postal address above.
Scottish Charity No: SC004057
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