We dream big, start small and move fast!
The success of isle20 gave rise to Isle Develop CIC - a Community Interest Company dedicated to reinvesting profits into island communities.
IsleHoliday was a natural succession from Isle Develop CIC. We’re an accommodation booking site, and like our competitors we secure a commission for each booking, but that’s where the similarities end. We put communities and their residents at the heart of island economies.
We’re a woman-led, island-based team. We know exactly what it takes to set initiatives up from scratch, managing our own businesses and being actively involved in communities. What connects us all is our passion to create a flourishing future for the islands, that our communities remain the focal point and beneficiaries of our initiatives.
We don’t pretend to know all the answers, but we work hard. We’re open and curious about learning and experimenting, securing the best results for our island communities.
Meet our Directors:
Rhoda Meek manages the day-to-day running of Isle Develop CIC. A digital whizz, Rhoda lives in Tiree and is Chair of the Tiree Development Trust. She also cares for sheep and cows on her croft, and runs Tiree Tea. A rather busy woman. When she does get downtime she loves to write and teach her collie dog Wisp new tricks.
Rebecca (Becca) Hutton lives in Harris and manages the running of Isle Develop CIC with Rhoda. She owns Taobh Tuath Tweeds and is a fully fledged Harris Tweed weaver. She’s also Chair of the Northton Heritage Trust. Becca is owned by two demanding cats (!) and has a vast Coca Cola collection.
Ann MacDonald is a ‘numbers’ person. Local to Tiree she works in the public sector, and is also a Director of Tiree Renewable Energy and the Scottish Islands Federation. Anne has spent much of the last 10 years freezing on a beach watching her son develop his windsurfing skills. #windsurfingMum
Catriona MacLennan runs the family fishing business in Harris and is Vice-chair of the Leverhulme Community Hub project. She has a career background in media, and was previously a broadcaster. Mum to two young kids, she has a never-ending to-do list. When asked what she does in her spare time, she wasn’t entirely sure what that meant..?
Kirsten Gow is a self-confessed island geek and researcher, living in Jura. In the midst of her PHD, she’s involved in a variety of voluntary and paid roles supporting island and rural communities. Kirsten loves nothing more than writing fiendish island trivia quizzes to delight her friends.
Catriona Smyth is heavily involved in island history projects and Vice Chair of Friends of the Argyll Papers. Based between Tiree and Edinburgh she returns to the islands as often as she can. When she’s not wrangling with bookkeeping, Catriona loves to knit and is on a mission to discover how to make dyes the traditional way - with lichen.
Our Support Team and Digital Trainees:
Mark Vale is a talented Web Developer who lives in Tiree. He specialises in data management and PHP. He was integral in the creation of the Tiree Community Broadband infrastructure, which he still manages today. Mark is also a volunteer firefighter and loves getting out on the water to sail whenever he can.
Rou Worsley, a digital trainee and artist, illustrator and animator. Rou lives in Tiree where he volunteers for a local community support group. He loves a bit of anime, and ducks, he really likes ducks.
Kyle Goode, a digital trainee living in Tiree. Kyle is working on building an encyclopedic knowledge of Facebook marketing. When he’s not busy figuring out how to increase online engagement he’s gaming.
The small (but important) print:
Isle Develop CIC is an asset locked company. That means that no individual can profit, or take a dividend. Our Articles of Association have been approved by the CIC Regulator and state that all assets must be handed over to another island community group should the business end.
The first 2% of the accommodation booking commission goes towards the cost of processing the credit card payment. This is based on current costs and is subject to change.
The remaining commission is used to pay staff, advertise properties and products and manage the business. The remaining profit is used to give free digital advice to island entrepreneurs and community groups.
By keeping profits local, we aim to positively impact our communities, so they thrive for generations to come. The islands need to remain a great place to live as well as a great place to visit.
We place communities at the heart of everything we do, encouraging tourism to work better for everyone.
If you want to know more about isleHoliday - whether you have your own website or are currently using another service, or both or none, talk to us today.
