Spring update from SOSA 2019 | 06 April 2023 | Stratherrick & Foyers Community Trust

Spring update from SOSA 2019

Thursday, 06 April 2023

Now, just in case some of you aren’t aware, SOSA2019 is a local community organisation, formed three and half years ago, with the objective of offering opportunities to local folk to get out and about, try a little healthy activity and to meet and socialise with other locals, when they might not otherwise have a chance to do so.

The way we do this is to encourage and support our members to try out an outdoor activity, that they may never have tried before – and very importantly, the level of expertise is absolutely irrelevant. We have found that it’s great fun to try something new, in the company of others who are all in the same boat. Activities we have organised or funded include skiing, climbing, sea-kayaking, archery, outdoor navigation, canoeing, as well as an outdoor First Aid course – in case of mishaps!!

Our activities are organised in two ways. Firstly, should a sufficient number of members all wish to try something together (and some activities are rather expensive!), we apply for grant funding to subsidise the overall cost, so that members pay a reduced price, making things more accessible. The second way is if qualifying members wish to book activities themselves, we are able to offer a subsidy to them, again, making their activity more reasonably priced – and who would refuse that, the way things are these days?

We are very grateful to Stratherrick and Foyers Community Trust, as well as to the Community Council, for their financial and practical support that makes all these things possible. We have very few rules and regulations and the members (who must be over eighteen) are encouraged to research, suggest and organise activities. Our membership currently numbers around sixty, and come from all walks of life, with a full range of ages and abilities – the message being that it doesn’t matter a jot how good you are at something - it’s more important to just give it a try and have a good time.

If any of this might be of interest to you do get in touch at the email address below – or perhaps you came along to our Annual General Meeting held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 29th March. We kept the formalities brief, and afterwards over forty of us enjoyed a glass or two, a few tasty nibbles, and took the opportunity to catch up with old friends and maybe made some new ones!

During the AGM some really exciting suggestions were made for new activities and members have gone away to research the details, before returning to the whole group to gauge interest. We also elected three new Officers for the roles of President, Secretary and Treasurer. Well done to Morag, Maire and Annelise for stepping up! The outgoing Officers, myself, Zoe and Geri offer our thanks to the membership for all their support and for making SOSA 2019 what it is – a sociable, active, inclusive group of really nice folk who know how to enjoy themselves - you really should give it a try!

Best wishes, Peter.

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Stratherrick & Foyers Community Trust,
The Wildside Centre, Whitebridge,
Inverness IV2 6UN
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