Region 16

Hello from Annette MacDonald  I’m delighted to introduce myself as the new Region 16 Co-ordinator. I live in Aberfeldy, Perthshire with my husband and 2 dogs.  I have been the Perth Area Rep for the last 6 years, and although I was going to take a break I decided that, with the help from our fabulous, hard working committee and Maureen’s help and input I would take this role on. Maureen has put a lot into the role of Co-ordinator and I wish her well in her new post of Guild Trustee.
My quilting journey began late in life once all my children had left home. In 2014, I was running a B&B and one of the guests showed me a quilt she’d made that had been published in a quilting magazine. I was captivated. A friend offered to teach me and between the two of us, that early enthusiasm grew into something bigger — we went on to set up the Aberfeldy quilting group together. From there, I took every workshop I could find and I haven’t looked back since. Quilting has given me skills, friendships, and a real sense of community, and it’s that community spirit I’m hoping to bring to this role.
One of my priorities as Co-ordinator is to look at reinstating the Region 16 residential weekend which has always been such a highlight for members. Unfortunately, as you know our previous venue at Stirling University is no longer able to accommodate our sewing machines. We have been and are currently exploring alternative venues that can better suit our needs. I’ll share more details as plans develop and I’d love to hear from anyone with suggestions or venue ideas.
Growing Our Region’s membership is another area I would like to concentrate on and I’d  encouraging former members to come back and rejoin us. Scotland has such a rich and active quilting community and I know there are many people out there who would love what the Guild has to offer, if only they knew about us. Whether it’s through word of mouth, local group visits, or simply inviting a friend along to an event, everyone of us can play a part in helping Region 16 flourish. This ties closely into another goal of mine: growing attendance at our Regional Days. These events are such a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow quilters, see new techniques and feel part of something bigger than our local groups — but they only work well with good numbers.
Strong turnout at Regional Days also makes a real difference behind the scenes, as it helps demonstrate the demand and support needed to bring back a residential weekend as well as helping to print and send out our Newspatch magazine. Put simply, the more of us who get involved locally, the more we can achieve regionally. So, if you haven’t been to a Regional Day in a while, or have never been at all, I’d love to see you there — and please do encourage others in your local group to come along too.
Region 16 covers a huge and varied part of the country and I know I won’t get round to see everyone — but I’ll be doing my best to visit groups, attend events, and hear what matters to you. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any thoughts, ideas, venue suggestions, or just to say hello. Whether you’re a long-standing member, someone thinking of rejoining, or brand new to quilting altogether, you’ll always be welcome at Region 16. Here’s to a great year of quilting together across Scotland and the Islands of Scotland which makes it the largest geographical region in The Quilters' Guild. The Regional Committee are all very enthusiastic, and committed to promoting and enhancing the appreciation of patchwork and quilting in Scotland. Committee members are always happy to help you find groups and classes within your local area and to welcome you to our Regional and Area events, or just to provide information about exhibitions and activities in the Region as a whole.
From Annette Macdonald Region 16 Co-ordinator