DISCOVER COLL

Discover Coll is the local community based marketing group formed late last year for the purpose of just that - encouraging people to discover Coll and enjoy all that the island has to offer.

A major and continuous undertaking for such a small community but Discover Coll is confident and greatly encouraged by the response from the local community who immediately backed the embryonic organisation by getting involved and providing financial support from their own pockets and most of all by being enthusiastically active.

Already in a few short months Discover Coll has formed productive financial support partnerships with The Rural Forum Group, Scottish Natural Heritage, Argyll and Bute Council and Argyll and the Islands Enterprise. Plans are well ahead and by the summer 1999 season a specially designed walk in information centre will exist in the village filled with interpretative leaflets, displays and information about every aspect of Coll. There will also be services, accommodation and other information useful for the visitor coming to Coll.

In conjunction with Scottish Natural Heritage and Coll Heritage Society an independent consultant has been commissioned to produce a wide ranging report on the future of visitor/tourism to Coll. The report is expected by early summer. The group will be gathering data throughout the year using a questionnaire which invites visitors to say, amongst other things, what they liked or disliked about Coll.

Discover Coll hope that their activities will enhance the visitor's experience of Coll and benefit the local economy as well as preserving all that makes Coll so special and unique amongst the gems of the Hebrides.

Fiona Kennedy

The current chairman of the group is Jim Houchen, Achamore (01879230430), the treasurer, Roy Barrie, Taigh Solas (01879230333) and the secretary Julianna Nicholls (01879 230440)