HOW ARE WE DOING?

The Clan Association are about to undertake a benchmarking exercise to compare our Association with other Clan Associations. What we want to look at is the activities offered, including the geographical spread. We want to examine the communications - website content and newsletters (content and frequency). We want to explore how we could improve the experience for the younger clanspeople? We want to compare our subscription rates with other clans and in general what can we do better than we are doing at present and how do we achieve that? To start the ball rolling, I would appreciate any comments - positive or negative about the current set-up and ways in which we might expand the activities to make the association more inclusive. You might wish to comment on the membership fee and whether it is value for money! Any suggestions will be taken seriously and I welcome and look forward to a healthy debate.

Ian Cameron

While in Nova Scotia last year, Elizabeth and I met with many interesting people who had Cameron or Cameron connections. Amongst those we met were Ian And Evelyn Cameron. Ian had been hugely influential in promoting Cameron fellowship in Nova Scotia and was one of those who petitioned the late Lochiel in the 1980s to form a Branch of the Clan Association in Nova Scotia. There were and still are many Camerons in that part of Canada. As a token of the work done by Ian over a long number of years, he was presented with a very particular badge of which only 5 were made. The fact that there was no longer a Branch of the Association in Nova Scotia was a cause of great disappointment to Ian and to his sister in law Harriet - whose husband had been the last President of the Association. If any one reading this, in Nova Scotia wants to explore the possibilities of re-forming an association, I will be happy to act as a go-between. My e-mail address is alan.ccas@btinternet.com. The picture on the right Ian is speaking to Elizabeth and his badge is shown on the left.

INTERNATIONAL CLAN GATHERING

The Clan Gathering in Edinburgh is causing quite a stir amongst the clans up and down the country. There are a number of issues. Some clanspeople feel that any gathering of the Highland clans should be in the capital of the Highlands. Others feel that the cost of entry to events is too dear. The passport system ranges from £88.00 to £110.00. Others feel that there has been no consultation with the clans. It looks as if dirks are being sharpened and claymores dusted down.