Eleanor retires from Rockfield

Rockfield Centre stalwart Eleanor MacKinnon is about to retire.

 

What started out in 2014 as six months community engagement work for operations manager Eleanor spanned seven years of hard work and commitment to get the former primary school's red doors open once again as a community hub.

 

Now the renovated building is emerging after Covid, ready for the start of a new era of activities, events and projects, it is the right time to hand over the operational reins to someone new, she told The Oban Times.

 

'There are exciting times ahead. I hope the community continues to support it the way they have been.

 

'None of us involved from the start have had the opportunity to stop and really take in all that has been achieved so far. It's always been so full-on. There was always something else coming up and a new target to reach.

 

Now I'm retiring I'm really looking forward to having that time to savour what has been achieved and to watch it evolve even more.

 

'The centre has so much potential.  I feel I'm leaving The Rockfield Centre in very safe hands.'

 

Eleanor will be keeping in touch and remain involved.

 

'I want to be able to spend more time with my family. A job like operations manager is and has needed to be all-consuming.

 

'I'm not running away and I'm not disappearing off the face of the earth. I'll still be working with the heritage group, helping with more fundraising and writing reports.

 

'I'd always said I wanted to take the centre to the end of the capital works but never be the person running the building.

 

'Well, we got to the end of the capital works, Covid hit and I took them through that and we kept things going as much as we could. Now the building is beginning to open up again, it is the right time for change and for me to hand over to someone else.'

 

Carol Devine will take on the role of Operations Manager, having provided Human Resources support to Oban Communities Trust Board and Rockfield staff over a number of years.

 

Oban Communities Trust chairperson Gordon McNab said it was another chapter of the project.

 

'As we all try to get back to a new normal, we again look forward to welcoming you all through those famous red doors as our next chapter unfolds,' he said.