Simon Fraser played a key role in the biggest community buyouts and his legacy will help shape future land reform.
The Lewis-based lawyer, who died in 2016, helped the pioneering Assynt crofters take over their land in 1992.
His expertise then proved invaluable in other high-profile community purchases, including in Eigg, Gigha, South Uist, Galson and North Harris.
He also gave behind-the-scenes advice to multiple other groups seeking to take over land or assets.
That contribution will be marked on January 24 with the inaugural Simon Fraser Memorial Lecture in Edinburgh.
Who is attending?
The event, organised by Community Land Scotland (CLS), will see expert speakers and cultural figures contribute to the debate on land reform and community ownership.
Guests include Simon’s wife Ann, songwriter Karine Polwart, and CLS vice chair Agnes Rennie.
Also attending is Maggie Fyffe, who led the famous buyout of Eigg in 1997.
She said: “Simon sincerely believed in empowering communities and he had the know-how to make that happen.
“It is a real honour for me to be involved in the memorial lecture and to share thoughts about Simon’s legacy and where we might go from here in community buyouts.”
She said Mr Fraser was “hugely knowledgeable” and found solutions when things looked difficult.
“He was totally committed and believed in community ownership as a way to rejuvenate rural communities.
“If nothing had changed, and the community hadn’t taken control, I think Eigg would have dwindled and people would have left.
“The crofters had some security, but otherwise housing and employment were often at the whim of the landowners.”
Another buyout pioneer, David Cameron from North Harris said, despite what has been achieved, Mr Fraser would have wanted more done.
“‘I think if Simon was looking down today there would be an element of frustration that more hasn’t happened since that earlier period.
“Why aren’t there more big buyouts now? And Simon would have been at the front, pushing hardest on that campaign.”
‘He would have like to have seen more buyouts’
Maggie Mackay, who joined Simon’s law firm in 2007, agrees.
“Ideally, I think Simon would have liked to have seen many more buyouts across the country.
“And he would certainly have liked to see the Western Isles completely under community control.”
Dr Josh Doble is Community Land Scotland’s policy manager. He said the annual lecture will be a platform to discuss and celebrate land reform.
He added: “Land reform, community wealth building and how our land is used to address the pressing ecological and social issues we face is going to be crucial to the wellbeing of Scotland in the years ahead.
“We look forward to the Simon Fraser Memorial Lecture being a key contribution to that discussion.”
Conversation