I was delighted to spend a year living and working in Skye. It is particularly close to my heart, having spent many happy - and challenging - times climbing the incredible hills there.

Working with the wonderful team at LSHA, I saw what the housing association means to its customers and to the wider local communities. From its inception, LSHA has served the local needs, with high quality social housing, energy advice, care and repair, and handyperson services. It created major value for local people, for the economy, and as a business, and provides a great legacy on which Lowri and the board will build the next strategic stage.

That next stage is challenging. Like all associations, LSHA faces rising costs, increasing obligations and high demand for social housing. I learnt first-hand to grapple with the additional issues of remote geography, with higher costs for small new developments to sustain fragile local communities, while balancing the need for maintaining and upgrading existing homes in a fairly harsh climate.

At the same time, increasing numbers of people need support, social homes, and services in other tenures. This balancing act, of investing in both existing homes and new build, while maintaining essential services, is the obvious strategic game-changer for the association from 40 years ago.

LSHA can’t build, improve, or juggle programmes at scale, as larger associations can. However, it finds ways to achieve the balance of keeping rents affordable while investing for the longer term in small-scale developments, new heating programmes, which are essential for rural and remote communities, and providing opportunities for businesses to sustain the local economy.

I could engage with positive collaborative partnerships with the Scottish Government and Highland Council to find strategic and practical solutions for the specific local context and conditions to keep the housing association thriving for the next 40 years. There are no easy answers on sustainable funding solutions for existing homes and the board considers this while demand for affordable housing for local people, and key workers remains so high, especially as tourism demand affects the availability and price of all tenures.

LSHA’s Board is informed and purpose driven, with deep connections to the local communities, and the patience and determination to do the right things. This reminded me once again that good governance and sound finances, as well as engaging with local people and communities, are the fundamentals for every association, which can’t be taken for granted.

I know that LSHA is in good hands as Lowri leads its next strategic stage. I didn’t get back onto the Cuillins (they get bigger every year as one board member told me) but got to admire them every day, and thoroughly enjoyed my year in Skye, Lochalsh, Raasay, and above all with the amazing people I now know.