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 effort 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 Aran 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,
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 as part of her Third Sector Interface lead responsibility for the third sector within the realms of Children’s Services and Health and Social Care. She holds a seat on the integrated 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 also holds a rotational annual seat on the Community Planning Partnership as the Third Sector Representative alongside other community planning partners. 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 described as a non-clinical social practitioner, providing support beyond the scope of medical treatment. CLW’s are included in the GP surgery multi-disciplinary team. Lorraine provides Social Prescribing or signposting to relevant support services, NHS Weight Management and Smoking Cessation on Arran. Lorraine works within the Arran Medical Group practices around the island and forms part of a bigger link worker team under the remit of the Health & Social Care Partnership in North Ayrshire & Arran. Read full bio
Community Link Worker (Cumbrae & Largs)
Michelle is the Community Link Worker based on the mainland working within Kilwinning and Irvine Locality as part of a bigger Link Worker team of 12 who are all part of the HSCP in North Ayrshire & Arran. Community Link Workers are non-clinical social practitioners that go beyond the scope of medical treatment and work as part of the GP surgery multi-disciplinary team. They also work closely within the community, keeping in contact with other organisation’s and community groups enabling them to offer the most up to date information of support and services for members of the community. Read full bio
Development Officer
Sheridan is responsible for recruitment of, and engagement with volunteers, overseeing lunch clubs, the Umbrella Group 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
Administrator
Ellie is the friendly first contact of Arran CVS. Her role is to respond to queries from the public, the many groups and organisations on Arran and support or signpost where necessary. Ellie can help you with our varied office services, booking equipment and with applications to join our free membership. 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
I relocated to Arran in 1972, having been educated & completing my electrician apprenticeship in Glasgow. I set up a self-employed electrical business then diversified with my wife Shauna into running a Craft & Antique shop, latterly self-catering cottages. I have held various positions with ACVS as a Committee member, Director, Chair, and now Vice Chair for more years than I care to remember. I was a Community Councillor, Vice Chair of the old Arran Tourist Board & was an Arran Director of the Ayrshire & Arran Tourist Board. I was appointed for a time to represent Ayrshire & Arran Tourism on The Convention of the Highlands & Islands. I acted as local adviser in the setting up of the Lochranza Distillery. I have been Chair, now committee member of the Corrie and Sannox village body & was involved in setting up the Corrie & Sannox Harbour Trust as well as the Corrie Capers Civic Week. I was a founder member & twice president of the now defunct Rotary Club of the Island of Arran. Read full bio
Born and raised in Brodick, and having been away for a very long time, I’m delighted to be back home. I began working in a mental health recovery project around 2001 and from there I completed a Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Counselling. My first post on completion was with NHS Ayrshire and Arran as a School Mental Health Advisor, working with pupils, teachers, school nurses and liaising with parents, in all NA secondary schools, including Arran High. I moved to Renfrewshire and practiced within the Health Improvement team as Adults and Older People practitioner. I worked with all the groups, Senior Forums, the Disability Resource Centre, and the Renfrewshire Carers Centre and the mental health and dementia services, to name just a few. I did a lot of training in Bowel, and Breast Cancer awareness and took that training to staff groups as well as the community groups. I became very interested in the charity Playlist for Life and was one of the very first volunteers, going back to my senior groups as well as dementia carers and other community groups, like Guilds and WRIs, with the benefits of compiling personal playlists to enhance the lives of people living with dementia. I think my work experience will be useful in my understanding of how ACVS fits into this community and I’m looking forward to (hopefully) being an effective board member! 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
Scottish Charity No: SC004057
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