Harry Hassall Obituary, Death – The Coigach Community Trust (Hall) committee regretfully announces the demise of one of its most devoted and supportive members. Without the dedicated volunteer work of this person, our magnificent Hall would not be the outstanding community hub that it is right now. More than 20 years ago, Peter Drake served on the committee before and during the building of the Hall. He recalls that time with great clarity: “Of all the many community members who gave so generously of their time and money to deliver the new Community Hall, Harry more than anyone was tireless when it came to going the extra mile; not only travelling to meetings with potential funders in Inverness, Dingwall or Ullapool, but even taking a model of the proposed build.”
After the community’s share of the funding was raised and grants were awarded, etc., work on the project site started. By showing up each day, Harry developed a strong working relationship with the site foreman and made sure that any problems were fixed right away. There is no doubt that some elements would have been overlooked without his continuous presence and the contractor’s trust. When the Hall Committee met at least once every two weeks during this vital time, Harry served as Treasurer with a productivity and dedication that few volunteers could match. The renovation’s actual cost of £672,000 was 42p lower than expected! Harry continued to be involved as the Community Trust’s Treasurer long after the Hall was completed, ensuring that everything ran well and was accessible to all. He only cared that everyone in the neighborhood gained something.
Harry was crucial to the establishment of Achiltibuie Playing Field, according to Mark Irvine, a member of the Playing Field committee: “Harry was critical to the establishment of Achiltibuie Playing Field. In order to earn money for the project, he encouraged a group of locals, including Mark, Angus Macleod, and Steve Husband, to bicycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats. Then, he put in a lot of effort to raise the necessary sum of money. He put in endless hours, along with the architects and builders, to see it through to the end. It would not have happened without him.
Harry spent a few years patiently and humorously coaching the chess club at Achiltibuie Primary School in addition to his volunteer work at the Community Hall and Playing Field. Students from P4 through P7 in the club enthusiastically took part in a national competition in Glasgow. He was a founding member and served as Achiltibuie Angling Club’s treasurer for many years. This was a defining characteristic of Doctor Harry Hassall, a longtime communist and former head of Leeds University’s biochemistry department who put his drive and formidable organizational skills to good use for the benefit of the neighborhood. He was a delight to be around and loved Coigach. We are praying for his wife Diana and the rest of his family.
Leave a Reply