A YES group formed to mobilise independence supporters in Carrick and the surrounding areas is laying plans for its second meeting after a successful launch.
More than 40 people from Girvan, Maybole, Coylton and surrounding rural areas attended the group’s first meeting at the Carrick Centre in Maybole.
Top independence campaigner and local Paul Kavanagh, aka the Wee Ginger Dug, was in attendance and spoke to the group about the state of the independence debate, as well as memories of past campaigns.
Reflection and nostalgia led the discussion to how to progress in the area with this motivation.
Their second meeting is set for Friday, November 25 in Girvan. The group aims to set out a calendar for stalls, meetings, events, speakers and leaflet drops as well as head to rural areas of the community, not just town centres, for maximum impact.
Gordon Ferrie, one of the local activists instrumental in the group’s formation, told The National how the group came about and their plans for the future. He said new faces are joining the discussion.
He added: “I think we all decided when Nicola announced the date for indyref2, it was time to focus our energy on the Yes movement and the group will help give the campaign a higher profile in the area."
Members feel Carrick is a “geographically distinct area”. Carrick is much larger and much more rural than elsewhere in the area, with the main population centres at Girvan and Maybole. The area lends itself to unique arguments for independence which the group will focus on.
Another key focus is encouraging young people to get involved.
Ferrie said: “One of the things that we really need to work hard on is to get more younger folk along to our meetings, hear their ideas and learn how we can put the message of an independent circles in their circles.
“Our group is average age 60, but this is for the future, so we really want to get younger folk involved.
“The plan for our next meeting in Girvan is say to folk, bring along a young neighbour, a young relative, someone you have been talking to about indy so we can hear their ideas and learn so we’re not just replaying what we did in 2014."
South Ayrshire rejected independence by an above-average margin of 57.9% No to 42.1% Yes in 2014. Independence supporting SNP MP Allan Dorans and SNP MSP Elena Whitman represent the area in Westminster and Holyrood.
Yes Carrick will join with 127 other Yes groups throughout Scotland to support the organisation, Believe in Scotland, and their strategy. This strategy promotes the positive argument on why Scotland can be a successful independent country.
The group also plans to head to Edinburgh to take part in the demonstration planned in reaction to the Supreme Court verdict.
