The Muirhouse community said goodbye to Sister Ann Buckeridge at a reception at North Edinburgh Arts Centre last Friday. Sister Ann is moving on to new challenges in Cardiff, but the wee woman with the huge heart will leave a lasting impression on Muirhouse.
Sister Ann belongs to the Daughters of Charity order, and arrived in Muirhouse just two years ago with a simple mission – ‘to help’. Help she certainly has, and it’s fair to say that there has been very little that Ann hasn’t been involved in – from the community council, various Neighbourhood Partnership Action Groups, the Voluntary Sector Forum and Muirhouse Centipede Project to name a few. Small in stature she may be, but Ann’s boundless energy and enthusiasm have been a real driving force for positive change in Muirhouse and she will be sorely missed.
Community activists, council officials and project workers joined local councillors Cammy Day and Vicki Redpath to present gifts and to thank Sister Ann for her huge contribution to community life in Muirhouse.
Modest as ever, Sister Ann said: “From the moment I came to Muirhouse I received a warm welcome and people have been so generous and kind. I am really touched by all the kind things that have been said and I have enjoyed working alongside so many dedicated people – it has been a pleasure to have been part of community life here.”
Roy Douglas, chairman of Muirhouse Salvesen Community Council, said: “We really have been so fortunate to have had Sister Ann working alongside us for the last two years. It’s hard to overstate the contribution she’s made – she has been wonderful to work with and we will all really miss her.”
The wee woman hopes to return for a visit one day – and, with the regeneration of Muirhouse beginning to gather pace, Sister Ann may find that some of the seeds she sowed will have bloomed.
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