Honouring Charles Kennedy
The Charles Kennedy Memorial Lecture 2025 brings our community together to honour the memory of the former Liberal Democrat leader and long-serving Lochaber MP.
This annual event celebrates the love of ideas, debate, and community that Charles Kennedy was renowned for.
Since its inception in 2015, the lecture has been delivered by prominent political figures such as Lord Jim Wallace, Nicola Sturgeon, Alastair Campbell, and Lord David Steel. This year, we are delighted to welcome Sir Danny Alexander as the speaker.
Insightful topics
Speakers are invited to deliver the lecture on topics that they feel passionately about, and over the years we have enjoyed insightful lectures on subjects as wide-ranging as the need for tolerance in society to the importance of friendship.
Introducing Maggie Cunningham
Maggie Cunningham hails from the island of Scalpay in Harris. She has spent most of herworking life in the BBC and has worked in the third sector, being a co-founder of Sistema,Scotland and chief executive of Columba 1400 based in Skye. An experienced Non-Executive Director, she was chair of MG Alba from 2012 to 2018,and a member of Ofcom’s Content Board from 2018-2024.
A fluent Gaelic speaker, she is currently chair of An Comunn Gàidhealach. Along with Dr Jim McCormick of The Robertson Trust, she was appointed Co-Chair of Highland Council’s Commission on Poverty and Equality in April this year and has been Chair of Kyle andLochalsh Community Trust since 2020.
Maggie is married, lives in Plockton and has two children and three grandchildren whom she adores.
Sponsored by Ferguson Transport & Shipping
Founded in 1959, Ferguson Transport & Shipping is a family-owned and operated business with over 60 years of experience in the haulage industry. Today they are proudly one of the largest independent transport and distribution companies in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland and have strategically located Operation Centres throughout the rest of the UK.
At Ferguson Transport & Shipping they are passionate about what they do and their goal is always to provide a quality service that exceeds customer expectations and deliver innovative and flexible transport solutions that make a positive difference to the businesses they serve.
