A Word From Our CEO – ‘3 Months In’

“Since starting life at the Trust, and through every conversation and introduction I have had, that feeling of hope is palpable.”

Jonathan Christie, Chief Executive, The Cabrach Trust

“Three months ago, I arrived at The Cabrach Trust as our new Chief Executive. I arrived with excitement, with enthusiasm, with nerves, with the sad goodbyes of moving on still raw in my mind. But, most importantly, I arrived with a deep-rooted belief in our purpose.  

The previous 12 months had been difficult in the extreme as society, the world, grappled with the unprecedented impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The impact of the pandemic on families and communities was enormous, although the response of so many – our NHS, key workers & the Third Sector – was incredible to bear witness to. Organisations at the frontline pivoted and stepped up in a way not seen since the 1940s.

For the Trust, and our driving vision to regenerate the Cabrach as a thriving, sustainable community, we found ourselves in a slight holding pattern. Our team worked from home, grappled with uncertainty and, like many organisations working within culture and heritage, hard decisions were made to allow the Trust to weather that uncertainty.   

But hope is a powerful thing. Since starting life at the Trust, and through every conversation and introduction I have had, that feeling of hope is palpable. Whether speaking with a colleague, Trustee, member of the community or a partner, I have felt a deep kinship with our shared ambition for the Cabrach. A shared ambition to celebrate the Cabrach’s unique heritage and place in Scottish history. A shared ambition to see projects and partnerships which bring about real, tangible benefit for the Cabrach community come to life.

So, three months ago, we took the opportunity to regroup, regalvanise and redouble our activity. We have reconnected with our community and membership, listening closely to their hopes and concerns for the Cabrach. We have launched new projects including work on The Cabrach Discovery Trails, alongside our community volunteer programme, our ‘Cabrach Lives’ initiative, and other events.

Importantly, we have put a power of work into progressing our first major transformative project – The Cabrach Distillery. Over the last 90 days, we have worked tirelessly to close a significant capital funding gap and conclude detailed design activity. Design activity which will preserve the fabric of Inverharroch steadings – where The Cabrach Distillery & Heritage Centre will be housed – whilst ensuring that our new social enterprise heritage distillery will be delivered in harmony with our fragile landscape, paying meticulous attention to our environmental footprint.”

There remains a lot of work to be done but, in the not-so-distant future, we hope to be updating you on our move from planning to implementation. At which point we will commence a programme of activity intended to genuinely catalyse a renaissance in the Cabrach. A renaissance only made possible by a community of likeminded individuals, organisations, and supporters. We are excited to share more over coming weeks and months.   

PS. This photo overlooks Torniechelt, Upper Cabrach, with The Buck beyond. The landscape and weather in the Cabrach is ever changing, and the wildlife is incredible. Many photos have been taken and many journeys to and from Inverharroch have been interrupted as I pull over to take a picture or watch a Red Kite or Tawny Owl pass overhead.