A Golspie community leader has been hailed a “local hero” as she attended the opening ceremony of the Scottish Parliament as the guest of Highlands and Islands Regional MSP Maree Todd.

Claire Hamilton, a Youth Development Officer with the Golspie Youth Action Project (GYAP), was nominated by members of the community for the work she has done over the last four years.

Although the GYAP has been running since 1993, under Hamilton’s leadership, the organisation has taken on a charity shop in Golspie since November last year which has allowed greater finance to support their youth services.

This means the youth club has gone from being a youth club two nights a week to providing over 8,000 holiday meals for youngsters.

Hamilton has driven through these rapid expansions and will soon be installing a polytunnel to turn the back of the charity shop into a community garden.

Claire said:

“The shop’s given us a whole other perspective, so now we can do youth employment, youth volunteering, (which we did before), but we are always helping other people in the community, such as visiting Seaforth House, visiting the residents at the hospital, litter picking and stuff.

“Now we are helping our own charity whilst helping the community.

“It just kind of grew arms and legs.”

Claire and her colleagues are constantly looking at ways of innovating, including becoming PAT testers for electrical goods if it can help the charity.

This allows them to test equipment which can then be loaned out to the community.

Initially this came from supporting homeless people moving into accommodation.

“We thought, well, we can help supply those items.”

“And then that’s kind of where the Borrow Box side of it came because, you know, not everyone can afford a £400 lawnmower when they’re starting out their first time, in their first house or whatever.

“We can then naturally grow to support for the work that we’re currently doing.”

Maree Todd said:

“Clare makes a massive contribution to her local community through her work as Youth Development Officer at Goslpie Youth Action.

“Everyone can see her compassion and dedication to helping young people and strengthening the local community.

“It was a privilege to see Clare’s commitment, as well as that of the entire GYAP team, recognised and celebrated.”