Theona Morrison

Chair
Theona Morrison

Theona joined SRA’s Board in February 2020. She is founder and Director of codel which is leading the Smart-Islands project in Scotland and Ireland, to support enterprises and young people. Theona also worked in partnership with the James Hutton Institute on the Islands Revival blog.  She has devoted the last 28 years to community development. Her career, which started in public health and in a Blue Chip global company, has  included being the Director of a Radio Station, managing a contemporary traditional Scottish music group, … being the founder member of the Scottish Women’s Enterprise Group and one of only two women from Scotland to sit on a Westminster Government advisory body, … starting her own business using local island produce. Theona worked as a Business Counsellor for the Local Enterprise Company with responsibility for New Start businesses throughout Uist and Barra.  In addition, working from her island home on Grimsay, Theona undertook project work for organisations including the Gaelic Arts Project , she was also co-coordinator of the Aurora project, a pan-European project to increase entrepreneurship by women in rural areas.

Theona co-wrote the Vocational Education Strategy for  Comhairle na Eilean Siar, (Western Isle Council),  managed the development of the crofting course for schools,  and has supported the development of other vocational training matched to the needs of the local economy, including health and social care. She has served on the boards of many local organisations, including a local Economic Development company chairing the Culture and Language group, Education Business Partnership, Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum and Arts Centre, Crofting Connections National Steering Group. She is Trustee of an uninhabited island schoolhouse heritage project and of Grimsay Community Association which has brought an old church back into the community to use as a hub of activity.  She is secretary of a Traditional Music Society, and to her local Common Grazings (crofting) Committee.  She Chairs the Locality Planning Group for Health and Social Care on Uist whilst also sitting on the Strategic Planning Group.

Theona has lived in Uist since 1991.  She married a local tradition bearer and has a son who is steeped in the islands’ cultural inheritance, a fluent Gaelic speaker and rooted in Uist.