Gratitude to Gazette from Bernera

The Board of the Great Bernera Community Development Trust, want to both thank and acknowledge everything the Gazette has done to support and publicise the unjust position in which it found itself earlier this year.

In February the Trust was served with a long and vexatious writ without any prior communication. This was a shock. Despite being the wrong Defender, the Trust needed to appoint lawyers and defend the writ to prevent it automatically succeeding in court.

Despite informing the Pursuer's solicitor and the Scottish Legal Aid Board that the Trust was the wrong Defender, proceedings continued.

This forced the Trust to both issue a Notice of Intention to Defend and start to prepare full defences.

It was only a few days before defences needed to be submitted that the Pursuer's solicitor finally absolved the Trust. Leaving it so late meant the Trust had incurred significant legal costs.

For the Trust Board it was a lonely, difficult, upsetting and time-consuming period. We could not believe, having done nothing wrong, we could be attacked in this way.

Further, the attack was fully funded by the Scottish Government and our tax money.

The Gazette, with its experienced and thoughtful journalism, ran our story. To have this publicised was a real morale boost.

The Gazette has been brave, thorough and unstinting in highlighting where our small communities are being unjustly attacked. The Gazette is a real champion for the Outer Hebrides and what is right.

We want to fully thank you. You will always have our deepest gratitude.

Yours faithfully,

Board of Directors

Great Bernera Community Development Trust