Spotlight on…YOU!
Yes, you! For our 2nd anniversary we want to shine the spotlight on you and the over 500 incredible stories you have shared with us over the years.
So, we at the Spirit of the Highlands and Islands team came to a bit of a realisation recently. Not only has it been 2 years since the project began but we have also surpassed an incredible 550 stories on our archive! This is such an amazing feat and we truly could not have done it without you all.
Since our launch in 2021, and alongside our parent project The Inverness Castle Experience, we have been gathering stories centred around the question ‘What does the Spirit of the Highlands and Islands mean to you?’. With such a vast, open-ended question the possibilities are truly endless - is it represented in the land? The people? A historical site? A favourite memory? The decision is up to you - the people who live, work and visit here.
Each of the 550 stories in our archive come from an array of different backgrounds and perspectives, and each one has added something unique to our shared understanding of just what the ‘spirit’ of our region is, from the Isle of Arran right up to the Shetland Isles. We have been moved by the stories of love and loss, cherished memories and amusing anecdotes, and those favourite places we hold dear. We have also been inspired by stories of resilience, hope, and the kindness of strangers.
Your stories are extraordinary - you are extraordinary - and we are grateful to you for letting us share your stories. We always look forward to hearing from you and we very much look forward to continuing to provide a platform for your stories in the future.
To celebrate, we want to highlight some of the phenomenal stories which have been shared with us over the years. Discover them below:
That brings us to the end of another Spirit: Spotlight. Before we sign off, we just want to say another huge thank you for allowing us to be a small part of your story. Whether that’s through submitting a story to the project, participating in the stitching of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands, taking the time out to speak for audio interviews or appearing in new photography and films of the Highlands and Islands, we are so thankful for all of you.
Share Your Story
Stories are at the heart of what we do as a project and we are always looking to learn more about what the Highlands and Islands means to people who live, work, and visit here. We'd love to know - what does the 'Spirit of the Highlands and Islands' mean to you?
Tell us here!