Coming from diverse backgrounds but united by a shared commitment to deliver excellent person-centred services that genuinely enhance health, wellbeing, and community spirit in Uist.
Chief Executive Officer
Chris has worked at both front-line and senior management levels in both social care and international development. Starting as a social anthropologist in Bolivia and Peru, working on indigenous land rights in the Amazon basin for the UK Government, Chris then shifted to directly supporting homeless people, as a project worker in a day and night centre in Edinburgh. After taking on the management of this centre, he then progressed to the role of Principal Officer and Homelessness Strategy Manager for the City of Edinburgh Council. A return to Latin America followed with SCIAF and then a decade in several African countries as Country Director and Head of Programmes for Maryβs Meals. Latterly, Chris led the Dutch NGO ZOA to deliver large scale humanitarian and peacebuilding programmes in Liberia and Ethiopia, supporting refugees and local communities in conflict prone areas. Chris has roots in Benbecula, where his father grew up, and is now taking on the family croft and learning Gaelic. Chris is married to Mercy, who is from Liberia, and they have four children.
Finance Manager
Kirsty joined the Tagsa team in January 2024 as Finance Officer, later taking on the additional role of Transport Coordinator. Kirsty was promoted to the position of Finance Manager in April 2026. After studying Gaelic at the University of Aberdeen, Kirsty moved home to spend more time with family and has since had over 10 years of experience in finance and administration. Kirsty is now living in North Uist with her partner and 2 boys, enjoys spending time in her garden and running her small business of designing knitwear.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Manager
Catriona has worked as an HCPC registered art psychotherapist since 1997 in the NHS and third sector organisations gaining extensive experience in working with the complex trauma of childhood abuse in both children and adults, with asylum seekers and refugees, in addiction and recovery and with life threatening illness, palliative care, loss and bereavement. Particularly interested in how to address trans-generational and cultural trauma she has set up art therapy services in London, Edinburgh and Uist. Catriona is also an approved clinical supervisor, visiting lecturer and published researcher. She represents the interests of Gaels in Scotland for her professional body, the British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT) and also founded and coordinates a BAAT Special Interest Group for Art Therapists in Scotland working with children and young people. Catriona inherited the family croft in North Uist in 2019 and lives with her dog and cats surrounded by various wild animals. Learning Gaelic and dancing keep her busy when she is not working.
Care Manager
Sarah joined Tagsa Uibhist as a carer in 2020 just before the Covid-19 pandemic, working full time as a carer. Sarah progressed to take on the role of Care Coordinator in September 2022, and most recently has progressed to Care Manager in January 2023. She has been gaining the required qualifications whilst managing the Care Department. Previously Sarah worked in hospitality and has several years of experience in office environments. Sarah is from Benbecula and has worked since leaving school in 2013. Sarah is passionate about helping the community and progressing professional development in the industry.
Care Coordinator
Kirsty recently joined Tagsa Uibhist as a carer in 2022 after getting back into work after having two children and has now progressed to take on the role as Care-Coordinator. Kirstyβs background has always been in health and social care and previously worked with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and the NHS. Kirsty also owns a croft in North Uist where she keeps a holding of sheep. She has a great passion for both jobs and being a native Gaelic speaker really helps in both sectors.
Care Coordinator (Trainee)
My name is Emma, on the 1st of August I started as the Trainee Care Co-ordinator. I started my HNC Nursing while living in Glasgow in 2020, I then fell pregnant with my son and and decided to move back to the islands, since then I have had a second baby girl who has just turned 1. I am really excited about this opportunity to get back in to working life in a sector that I've wanted to grow my career in since I was young and I am looking forward to my studies as i progress to SVQ level 3 in Health and Social Care.
Care Assistant
Mercy joined Tagsa Uibhist as a Care Assistant in 2023. She provides essential support and care for people in their homes, a role she finds deeply rewarding. She particularly enjoys the positive impact she's making on the community that welcomed her and her family in 2021. Originally from Liberia, Mercy's background is rooted in serving others. Before moving to Benbecula with her husband and children, she lived and worked in Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, and Ethiopia. Her experience includes a role as a Care Manager for a residential school for deaf children for Mary's Meals and heading up Customer Service for Mission Aviation Fellowship. Now settled in Benbecula, Mercy is active in her local community. She also manages a croft and a small accommodation business with her husband. In her free time, she stays active by running and enjoys swimming in the Atlantic Ocean year-round.
Care Assistant
Lou joined Tagsa in June 2025. She is a strong, independent mom of one who took the big risk of traveling many miles away from the Philippines to Scotland. She was working in the medical field since 2018, serving all ages and during her free time, she did event organizing and hosting. Being here in the Western Isles has been a big experience and change for her; from the weather to the roads, to the people and most especially the food - but she is loving the island and everything that is on it. Being a Care Assistant here in the Western Isles is both challenging and rewarding for her. She finds that working at Tagsa is providing a space for her to grow, learn and mature as an individual.
Care Assistant
Lexa is a proactive, reliable, caring, compassionate individual who is so passionate about working in the Health, Social and Caring sector having gained valuable experience from the 20 years of working as a Nurse/Midwife, Social worker, public health practitioner, Counsellor and Palliative care provider in Malawi. Lexa also worked in Research projects as well as school health projects in Malawi. Lexa has qualifications in Nursing and Midwifery as well as Sociology and International Development and she continues to study towards SVQ 2 in Health and Social Care. Lexa joined Tagsa Uibhist as a Care Assistant towards the end of 2023 and since then, she has enjoyed her work with Tagsa which she finds so fulfilling and she also enjoys her stay on the island, which she finds so peaceful. Lexa has integrated well in the community she serves and is happy to contribute to the well-being of the people and the community. Lexa has a desire to help people, especially the elderly in this community, and to put a smile on their faces.
Care Assistant
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Care Assistant
Cherie has been a dedicated carer with Tagsa Uibhist for nearly three years. She enjoys being out in the community, meeting new people, and helping them with their daily living needs. Prior to joining Tagsa, Cherie was a Health Care Assistant at Ospadal Uibhist agus Bharraigh (OUAB) for 13 years. In her later years there, she completed phlebotomy training and assisted in the A&E department. During the pandemic, Cherie played a vital role in the community, helping with COVID-19 swabbing and ensuring samples were sent to the Western Isles Hospital for testing. She also ran clinics at the Balivanich health board, where she took blood samples. In her spare time, Cherie loves spending time with her partner and daughter. Her son now lives and works in the Scottish Borders.
Adult Support Worker
Deborah MacVicar has worked in home care for most of her life, even while completing her Ba Hons degree in fine art. Since moving to Benbecula 31 years ago with her husband Archie and their two sons, she has been a gardener, a nursery teacher and a chef for the Ministry of Defence. The family welcomed a daughter to the family 28 years ago, and as all three of the children have left home, the couple live with a husky, a Bengal cat and an axolotl. Deborah loves to create art and silver jewellery and has her own small business. She is passionate about helping people to reach their full potential, and to keep people as independent as possible, for as long as possible. She cared for her own father as his dementia progressed, including taking on self-directed support.
Human Resources and Office Administration Manager
Hanna joined Tagsa Uibhist as a Human Resource and Office Administration Manager in 2023. She previously worked with Tagsa in 2019 as a Project Coordinator on a Climate Challenge Fund project.
Hanna is born and raised in Sweden by Finnish parents. Her varied background includes working as a care assistant with the elderly and children with autism whilst studying social anthropology, sculpture and nursing. Before moving to the Western Isles in 2015, Hanna enjoyed a role as a Human Resources Manager at sea where she helped an international crew thrive and deliver in their onboard roles. Since moving to Scotland, she has learned about growing vegetables through SVQβs 1 & 2 in Horticulture and completed a BSc (Hons) in Psychology with the Open University. Hanna lives with her partner and son on a croft in South Uist. In her spare time, she enjoys looking after a new woodland (Alders, Birch and Willows) planted on the croft, reading and walking the beautiful island landscape with her two Border Collies.
Local Food Development Manager
Alex Mackenzie is the Local Food Development Manager for Tagsa Uibhist. Alex has over 20 years community development experience working with local communities from across Scotland and overseas. In her studies Alex specialised on rural community developments, social justice and their connection with the environment achieving an MBS and LLM in Human Rights Law. Originally from Dublin in Ireland, Alex is now living in South Uist with her husband and four children. Alex has a deep love for the Scottish islands and is passionate about climate justice and keeping community at the heart of local food development.
Community Transport Driver
Donnie started work with Tagsa in 2016 having taken early retirement from Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar after working there for 30 years as a Chartered Civil Engineer. Donnie is married to Cathy and they have two children and four grandchildren. He thoroughly enjoys his work with Tagsa as a driver/carer as driving is one of his hobbies and he enjoys meeting and interacting with people. Swimming and cycling are also amongst his hobbies. Donnie also enjoys singing and playing guitar at the monthly Tagsa Ceilidhs as well as singing/playing in his local church praise group.
Community Transport Driver
Helena has always had a passion for helping people, a journey that began in retail before she earned her NNEB qualification. This led her to a rewarding 25-year career as a childminder, where she nurtured and cared for childrenβincluding her own four! Helena now continues her caring role in a new way, helping elderly members of the community maintain their independence by driving them to appointments and the shops. She finds true joy in the conversations and laughs they share along the way, appreciating the chance to make a positive difference in someone's day.
For Helena, this role is about more than just transport; it's about ensuring community members feel valued and supported. Since joining the transport team at Tagsa in 2021, she has been dedicated to this mission.
Community Gardener
Olliβs experience stems from a deep love of nature and the environment, education and learning, and a life-long commitment to active volunteering. Her experience includes horticultural tutoring, educational, therapeutic, and recovery (from addiction) work, and outreach projects in Uist (schools, gardens, woodlands, and parks) as well as within designated gardens for organisations & establishments in Uist, and guidance in community-led growing initiatives. Inspired by her love of nature and people, climate care, caring for others, curative education, demonstration, teaching and listening, she has fostered the approach of helping folk to help themselves, through her passion for finding a healthy, mental & physical wellbeing, through meaningful appreciation of our outdoor environment. Having spent 5 years helping to develop Tagsaβs Community Gardens, Olli feels excited to return, to nurture and care for the gardens, within Tagsaβs goal of proactive continuity, to strengthen its community engagement and partnerships, by making the gardens accessible as a valuable resource for wellbeing, through therapeutic intervention in a welcoming and safe, outdoor environment, for the inclusivity of all, to share in the enjoyment of this happy space. Olli moved to Uist with her husband in 2006, raising her 3 sons on the island, whilst cultivating a very large garden at home.
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