I arrived in Benbecula in 1975 to take up a post as a Livestock Officer with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland and remained with them until 1985.   I have been a Retained Firefighter with Highland & Islands Fire Brigade at Benbecula Fire Station since 1979. My experience there helped me to secure employment with the Fire Section at RA Range ( Hebrides ) until redundancy in 1995.

 

Since then I have been fully involved with the running of Orasay Inn. The Inn was established by my wife, Isobel, and I in 1987. Isobel is a fully qualified chef and always had an ambition to run her own business. This was achieved by extending our croft house in Lochcarnan, South Uist, originally to accommodate a restaurant, which has since been extended to become a 9 bedroom hotel.   We also run a herd of Highland Cattle on the 2 crofts which we now have in Lochcarnan.

 

I became involved with Cothrom, in 1996, as a student. The following year I became a Director with the firm intention of serving 3 years. It is a task which has always been interesting and I find it stimulating to be involved with an organisation which has been to the forefront of the development of further education training in the Uists.