Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and partners has announced the launch of a new 'Heritage for People' strategy, which sets out the ambitious aims and priorities of the heritage sector of the Outer Hebrides over the next 10 years under the umbrella of the Great Place Scheme.

Funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Great Place project is led by the Great place Steering Group which has membership from multiple organisation in addition to the funders, including An Lanntair, Outer Hebrides Tourism, Taigh Chearsabhagh and Historic Environment Scotland.

Colin George Morrison, Team Leader for Heritage and Culture, said: "The aim of the project and the strategy development was to identify strategic approaches to support and deliver appropriate heritage-led economic development, identifying infrastructure requirements and priorities. To achieve this, a partnership of heritage, culture, and tourism organisations was established. This document has been co-created by that partnership. Valuable input has been received from communities and stakeholders throughout the development stage of the project. Priorities have been identified and cross-sector solutions are proposed in the action plan, which has been devised to support the aspirations and developments of the heritage sector across the islands."

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Ken Roddy Mackay, Chairman of the Outer Hebrides Heritage Forum, said: "The Forum welcomed the establishment of the Great Place Scheme project, which aimed to ‘enable cultural and heritage organisations to make a step change in how they work together, and with other organisations in other sectors, in order that arts, culture and heritage contribute more to meeting local social and economic objectives'.

"The Heritage Forum welcomes the priorities for Heritage which have been identified by the Great Place Project, Dualchas do Dhaoine, and looks forward to the implementation of the priorities identified in the strategy."