GAMA stands for the Gatliff Angus Macleod Archive, and the award is made annually by the Gatliff Trust and the Islands Book Trust in honour of Herbert Gatliff (founder of a number of hostels in the Western Isles) and Angus Macleod.

The award is made to a student at a British University or college to spend time living in a hostel in the Western Isles and studying a topic related to the history or other aspect of the islands. The Book Trust is involved in the selection process and undertakes to publish a summary of the student’s written conclusions, and to present the winner with a replica penannular brooch designed by silversmith Ian Stewart-Hargreaves.

The first recipient of the award (in 2009) was Laura Helyer, who spent time at Ravenspoint studying the life and times of Angus Macleod. Her poems and essay inspired by Angus has been published by the Book Trust under the title ‘Paper Cairns’.
The second award (in 2010) was made to Robert Lenfert, whose subject was ‘The Lake Dwellings of the Western Isles.’ The publication is now available from our online store.

The third award is to Monique Watt, recent graduate of Aberdeen University History Department, who is researching aspects of emigration from Lewis during the 1920s based on the Angus Macleod Archive and other sources. Monique stayed at the Ravenspoint hostel in August 2011 and used the Angus Macleod Archive extensively. We plan to publish a summary of her research in early 2012.
Full details of the GAMA award are on www.gama.gatliff.co.uk