Our Kind of Town: Wick event will be a showcase for community groups
A free event in Wick later this month will be a showcase for local community groups and the wide-ranging work they carry out.
Although it is called Our Kind of Town, it will feature voluntary organisations from around the county and not just Wick itself.
The name of the event was inspired by the BBC programme, My Kind of Town, which featured Wick and was first aired last year.
Our Kind of Town will be held on Saturday, May 25, from 2pm to 5pm, in Wick St Fergus Church Hall. All are welcome, with no charge for admission.
The aim is to raise awareness of some of the work that is done in Wick and elsewhere in the east of the county by groups of volunteers.
Groups will each be given a table to display information about their activities and will be able to seek volunteers and donations.
The event is part of the outreach work of Wick St Fergus Mission Group. Jean McLennan, a member of the group, explained: “The idea was hatched some time ago and reinforced when the BBC programme My Kind of Town featuring Wick was broadcast.
“In that programme the presenter, Ian Hamilton, said that our community steps up when a need is identified.
“There are many voluntary groups serving our area, many of them unsung heroes with a low profile, especially if you are not a lover of social media, so the idea of offering a showcase of voluntary organisations was born.
“We thought it would be a chance to highlight how fortunate we are to live in a responsive community. Groups as diverse as Wick Paths Group, Home-Start Caithness and Caithness Family History Society will be taking part, along with many others.
“Come along to Wick St Fergus Church between 2pm and 5pm on May 25 and discover groups all working to improve the quality of life of local people. Maybe they can do something for you, or perhaps you can do something for them.”
In the programme, first shown in January 2023, Ian Hamilton found out about Wick’s history and strong community spirit.
Ian, who was accompanied by his guide dog Major, said at the time: “Two-thirds of us in Scotland live in small towns or near them. They are the towns that aren’t in the headlines that often, and are not always tourist hotspots either, but they are the beating heart of the country in many ways.”
Films of local interest made by Alastair Sinclair will be shown throughout the afternoon at the event.