CHAIR

Helen is stepping down from the Trust in May 2025 but has served on the board for seven years, with the past six as Chairperson. She has a strong background in community Development work, also acting a Chair for Thurso Youth Club and the Highlands and Islands Climate Hub.

Emily moved to Thurso in 2016 seeking a great adventure and never looked back. Her day job experience is in environmental policy and sustainability, and there is no sustainability without people and community.

Bryan Dods has a background in engineering and training and has spent the last 2 years supporting community endeavours throughout Caithness with Caithness Voluntary Group. He has lived in the Thurso area for more than 30 years, coaches youth rugby and keeps bees as a hobby.

Born and brought up in Thurso, Pete now divides his time between the town and Glasgow where he works as a part-time lecturer teaching post-graduate journalism students.  He brings journalistic, communication and project management skills to the Community Trust after a career with the BBC.  He joined the board in 2024 because he wanted to do more to help with the great work the Trust is doing in the town.   He’s also chairperson of the Caithness Broch Project.

Alexander moved to Thurso as a child in 1992, and has been a Board member since 2023.  He is a long-standing community advocate who networks extensively with different support and partner agencies as well as he third and voluntary sectors across Caithness and the Far North.

He has a keen interest in improving green-health and blue-health such as helping make Thurso bloomin' marvellous through the flowers group, Thurso In Colour Inbhir Theorsa Dathach which he helped start.  As well as already bringing 10 thousand crocuses to Thurso, he would like to see Thurso River become a riparian river, that liminal zone between water and land.

Sarah has lived in Caithness for 22 years and has always been an active member of the community. She has a background in health and education and worked as a lecturer with UHI for 11 years. She now works as a Humanist Celebrant, conducting weddings and funerals around the County. She has recently joined the Board after being introduced to their work through being involved as a volunteer. She feels proud to live in such a beautiful place, and wants to do her bit to ensure that our wonderful community flourishes and survives in these challenging times.