Staff

Amy Dobson, Community Engagement Lead 

 

I joined the Skylark IX Recovery Project in June 2024.
With a background and interest in social history I was captivated by the story of Skylark IX and really inspired by all of the work and impact within the local community that was led by the previous team. My goal now is to keep the Skylark IX story alive, and work together with people to share the Skylark IX spirit through all of our different activities and projects – whether that be learning to build wooden oars together, creating meaningful artwork, or gaining skills on the water of Loch Lomond!

 

 

Anne Dyer, Advisor to Skylark IX Recovery Project

 

Skylark came into my life as part of my work at Alternatives Community-based Recovery where I am Depute Manager.

At that time, she was under water on Loch Lomond and local people who knew her history had raised an SOS.

 

We were blessed to have this historic ship right here on our doorstep and could relate to her life in terms of troubled waters.

Like Skylark, many of our local people can face extraordinary circumstances in times of trouble and also feel like they are drowning.

So, we responded to the SOS. Not knowing much about boats but knowing lots about the strength people can gain from coming together with a common purpose, we joined with like-minded people to save and make good use of this precious Dunkirk ‘Little Ship’.

Matching her recovery story to our clients’ stories – ‘Recovery through Recovery’ – we set out to blend her rescue mission with the recovery of community members in need. We now do this through our boatbuilding training and heritage and arts projects.

We also set out to honour the past, bringing folk right into the heart of a vital WW2 story and remembering our past with great pride.

It has been a huge learning curve for all of us, but for me, it has been one of the most rewarding projects too.