LAG Members

John Hamilton (LAG Chair)

I am Director and business owner of several small businesses and a business advice consultant specialising in quality management, environmental management, occupational health & safety management and fire safety management.

David Blair

I worked for 38 years in the Finance Industry taking early retirement in 2022.

I have volunteered on a number of community groups including Scouting, Local Area Committees, Community Councils, Charity Organisations and a local community centre.

I also served with Police Scotland as a Special Constable retiring in June 2023.

Diarmid Harris

I am a recently retired as Deputy Head Teacher from a large primary school in Edinburgh. I am a local lad and have a background in farming and studied ecology at university.

I am Chair of Lochwinnoch Community Development Trust which is currently developing a number of projects in and around Lochwinnoch.

Gerry Cannon

I am a Senior Waste Consultant working in a highly regulated industry and have front facing regulatory experience with the Office for Nuclear Regulation, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and local site stakeholder groups.  I also have experience working on large infrastructure projects in a highly regulated environment.

In addition to my LAG Membership, I am a husband and a father and I am currently involved as a parent coach and committee member of the local village football club, Ardgowan Thistle FC.

As a resident in a rural area, I am keen to support my area and other similar areas to thrive and be attractive places to live, play, work and do business within. 

The GRI LAG enhances these opportunities and hence attracted my keen involvement to support this group.

Anne MacIntosh

I have worked in economic regeneration for over 14 years, working with both business start-ups and existing businesses within different geographical areas in the west of Scotland.  The main focus of these roles is to assist clients with developing and implementing strategies to grow or diversify and, when appropriate, apply for funding to support these plans.

I am now Business Development Team Leader at Inverclyde Council, which involves supporting local businesses, managing the various grant and loan funds and the Business Gateway Inverclyde contract.  Prior to that, following studying for a degree in Marketing and Manufacturing Engineering at the University of Strathclyde, I worked in the Marketing Departments of various engineering companies.

Kam Kaur

Local Authority member of the new GRI LAG since 2023 with 15 plus years’ experience and background in Community Development, NHS GG&C Health Improvement and Early Years Collaborative. 

I’m the Funding and Development Officer based within the Invest in Renfrewshire, Communities (IiRC) / Economic Development team at Renfrewshire Council.

My role involves providing external funding support to constituted community groups and third sector organisations based in Renfrewshire and assist them to secure additional external funding (for example National Lottery Community Fund, Robertson Trust etc) and investment into the area. I’m excited to add community representation to the LAG and contribute where relevant.

Julia Whitaker

East Renfrewshire Council – Business Growth Advisor

Local Authority member of the new GRI LAG since 2022 with 25 plus years’ experience of Community and Economic Development practices, working with remote and rural communities in Highland Region and Ayrshire and businesses and communities located in East Renfrewshire. 

Previous rural experience has included being a LAG member within the LEADER funded programmes as well as a LEADER grant recipient through work within Ayrshire and also advising and assisting groups and businesses to develop projects and applications for many different funding sources.  I also have extensive experience in Grant management, due diligence and claim requirements across many grant funding programmes.  

Lynne Cooper

I joined the GRI LAG in early 2024 as Visit Scotland’s new Regional Director for Glasgow City Region. My role is focused on driving growth in the visitor economy across the region’s eight local authority areas, including East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde.

My previous experience includes 12 years with the national economic development agency, Scottish Enterprise, where I held positions as a LAG member on two LEADER programmes; Kelvin Valley & Falkirk and Fife.

Contact Us

Greater Renfrewshire and Inverclyde
Local Action Group

C/o Keren Ferguson
CLLD Coordinator
Renfrewshire House
Cotton Street
Paisley PA1 1JD