A north-east charity that offers support to blind and deaf people is appealing for a Moray representative to help lead the region’s chapter.
North-east Sensory Services (Ness) is based in Aberdeen but has a resource centre in Elgin, and with one of its two Moray members soon to depart it has launched moves to source a local replacement.
The group says that finding someone from the area to represent its visually and hearing impaired residents is essential to maintaining a “good balance”.
Former social worker Lynne Hawcroft will complete her term of office next year, leaving Reverend Mary Whittaker, who leads the congregations of St Andrew’s-Lhanbryde and Urquhart, as the region’s sole representative.
Ness chairman, Peter Copp, said: “We try to maintain a board with a good balance of backgrounds and skills to help formulate policy and strategy, and provide necessary support to the chief executive and his team.
“Whilst our head office is in Aberdeen, significant parts of our work are carried out from our resource centres in Moray and Tayside, so we feel it important to have those areas represented on our board.
“So we are keen to find a successor from Moray.”
The new board member will help raise funds for the charity and make efforts to boost its profile in the area.
Rev Whittaker also leads services at St John’s Church for Deaf People in Aberdeen, Moray Deaf Church and visits Shetland to preach to deaf people who have no church to attend.
The 55-year-old, who is faithfully assisted by her hearing dog Scott, is the Church of Scotland’s first ever born-deaf assistant minister.