Voluntary Action Orkney (VAO) will be moving from their home of 35 years, The Anchor Buildings, Bridge Street, Kirkwall. Local businessman Neil Stevenson has purchased the building with his plans to redevelop this area of the town.

Neil Stevenson has also acquired the piece of land between the Scout Hall and Lidls. This area might be a possible location for a new Third Sector Hub.

Gerry O’Brien, Chairperson at Voluntary Action Orkney, said:

“We would like to thank Neil for coming forward with such an interesting proposal. It’s an amazing opportunity for the third sector in Orkney and one we felt we had to pursue. It would be a long-term investment for us which will benefit the local charities and community groups we support as well as the wider community in Orkney.

“There are a few different options for us to look at in terms of how we work with Neil, and we’re very much at the start of that journey. At the moment, we’re gathering the information needed to put together funding and planning applications. Ultimately, it’ll be once the funds are in place that we’ll know if we are able to go ahead with our plans.

“In our search for a new premises over the years we’ve worked closely with Orkney Islands Council, and they’ve always been very supportive in particular with the offer to redevelop Garden House for our use. This has been hugely appreciated by both past and present directors and we’ll be keeping them up to date with our progress.”

Morven Brooks, Chief Executive at Voluntary Action Orkney, said:

“We’ve been looking at space for a while now. In that time, we’ve seen the way we work change significantly with more staff are working flexibly and remotely and it’s the same for many of the third sector groups and organisations we’ve talked to. In creating a third sector hub, we will be providing an affordable and practical space that can be used by local charities and community groups in many different ways. Some might use it as a place to operate from, others to hold meetings or access services and information. For this to be achieved, we need premises that is flexible and adaptable so being able to design and build it is a very attractive proposition.

“Anchor Buildings has been home to Voluntary Action Orkney and many other third sector organisations for such a long time, and it’s great to see it included in Neil’s redevelopment plans for Bridge Street.

“In the coming months we hope to be in the position to share more of details about our plans – it’s a very exciting time for the organisation and the wider third sector here in Orkney.”