Someone that had our back: Arisaig Community Trust's story
Arisaig Community Trust has been at the heart of village life since 2009, improving community facilities and enriching the lives of local people. But in 2025, the organisation faced a crisis that put its future, and its community, at risk.
The Trust had planned to generate income through the sale of three plots of land. However, the process was delayed for years due to a Rural Housing Burden, a legal condition applied to land titles to ensure homes remain affordable for local people, which can complicate and delay sales.
For Arisaig, this delay created a serious cash flow risk.
Anne Widdop, Chair of Arisaig Community Trust, explained: “We had four sets of lawyers to deal with and we had to escalate it to the level of the Scottish ministers to change the legislation. It was torturous.
“Our financial status was based on us getting the money from the sales. Once we got past a certain point, we were looking at absolutely no money in the bank.”
Although they were confident the issue would eventually be resolved, the uncertainty was overwhelming. A process they anticipated would take months, turned into years.
“We knew after everything the problem would be solved, but how long would it take? That’s when I contacted the Crisis Recovery service.”
Through the service, Anne was connected with Victoria, who quickly became a vital source of support, not just in identifying funding options but in helping navigate a complex and stressful situation. As part of this, additional support was also provided by DTAS' Resilience and Recovery Programme, reflecting the collaborative approach that underpins how we work with organisations facing complex challenges.
“Victoria was great, she was really helpful and knowledgeable. She put me in touch with a few different organisations to find funding to see us through. We needed about £10,000 which doesn’t sound like a lot to some people but for a small community trust it’s quite a lot of money.”
With support, the Trust successfully secured approval for a £10,000 cash flow loan. In the end, they did not need to draw on it, as the legislative issue was resolved in the final hour, but the impact of the Crisis Recovery service went far beyond funding.
Anne said: “I think the key thing for me was about knowing who to go to. My knowledge of the network of people and support out there is much more limited than Victoria’s – she was able to tap into so many more people. I know I would’ve been able to go back to her and say, this is where I am at now and she would’ve been able to help. It was reassuring to know that there was somebody that had my back, who understood where we were, who was committed to doing whatever they could to help.
Even just having someone to talk through things, almost like a therapy session, was so helpful for me.”
One of the activities from Arisaig (Photo credit: Arisaig Community Trust)
At its most critical point, the Trust was at risk of folding, which could have meant the loss of the vital community assets they run, including 6 affordable homes, a playpark and playing field, village parking, a community orchard, community toilets, and a local heritage centre/museum.
Instead, the Trust was supported through its crisis, managed to complete the sales, and is now stronger than ever.
Reflecting on the experience, Anne highlighted both the challenges and the importance of continuing their work:
“We’re a small village in the highlands, and in the highlands depopulation is a worry. For villages like ours, if you don’t continue to invest in the community and develop – that community will die, it will become holiday homes, there’ll be no shop, no schools.
So, I’m glad we’ve turned the corner, and we’re in an absolutely amazing place now.”
The Crisis Recovery service did not just offer Arisaig Community Trust a route through their uncertainty, it provided clarity, connections and confidence at a moment when it mattered most.
If your third sector organisation is experiencing a crisis which severely threatens its sustainability, please get in touch with our free Crisis Recovery service today.
