After a long illness, borne with dignity and fortitude Susan Holden, the previous Chair of Callander Community Council passed away on 21st July 2023. Her funeral on 18th August was held at Stirling Crematorium and online, followed by refreshments at Callander Youth Project. Friends and colleagues from all round her world of publishing attended via the Internet link and family, friends and many of her Callander colleagues came in person to say their farewells.

Her professional role as a leading figure in the world of English as a Second Language was significant as many of her friends and colleagues testified, but few of us in Callander were aware of her eminence in this field as she was a private and modest person.

Whether she was working professionally or as part of a community organisation, she was very focussed and took the same care and consideration in all that she did.

For Callander, she led the Community Council from October 2020 to April 2023 when the previous CC stood down. As Chair, she held the CC together, during the time of COVID lockdown when numbers had dropped below the standard number required for a CC to function.

She was an active director of Callander Community Development Trust from January 2017 until her death and instigated the joint meetings to improve communication between these two key organisations in town, all for the betterment of the local community. She will be much missed.

Marilyn Moore

Chair, Callander Community Council