Weary Angels Scheme

Some people give and give and give. They hold communities together. They care for the vulnerable. They fight for justice. They nurture the land. They show up, day after day, for people and places that need them. They rarely, if ever, put themselves first. These are Scotland's weary angels—and they deserve rest.

The Weary Angels scheme embodies everything Turadh stands for: recognising that those who care for communities need care themselves, that rest is not a luxury but essential, and that Scotland's common good depends on sustaining the people who serve it.

We know that most Weary Angels would never think to nominate themselves—of course not, they're too busy serving others. So this scheme depends on you noticing them, valuing them, and nominating them for a stay. Who do you know who really needs a break? Someone who has been carrying too much for too long. Perhaps they're at a point of exhaustion. Perhaps they simply need a change of scene and some new perspective. We trust you to tell us who needs this gift of rest and recognition the most.

There’s a nomination form to fill out at the bottom of this page. It should take 5-10 minutes. We just need to understand:

• Who you're nominating and what they do

• Why they deserve this recognition

• What makes them particularly weary right now

• How you think a stay at Turadh might help them

Nominations are reviewed quarterly, and we select one weary angel each season. We'll contact you if your nomination is selected, and work with you to surprise and gift the stay to them. Please be aware that this is a popular scheme and we cannot offer stays to everyone who is nominated.

Who Is It For?

Weary Angels are the people who:

• Hold everyone else up but rarely ask for support themselves

• Work tirelessly for communities, ecologies, or causes in Scotland

• Put others' needs before their own, again and again

• Are at risk of burnout or are already exhausted

• Would benefit deeply from time away but wouldn't seek it for themselves

• Deserve recognition for all they quietly do

They might be:

• A community worker who's been running on empty for months

• A carer who never takes time for themselves

• An organiser who's always available to others

• A volunteer who's given everything to a cause

• A colleague carrying more than their share

• A neighbour who quietly holds the community together

• Anyone working for Scotland's common good who needs to press pause
  
  We welcome applications from those whose work is often under-funded or under-recognised, and from individuals who rarely get the chance to step back and take time for research, writing, visioning or deep project planning.

What Turadh Offers

• A gift stay at any of our three beautiful properties for 4-7 nights between October and April

• Space to put down all responsibilities - come alone for much-needed solitude, or bring a friend or up to 3 family members

• Time to rest, restore, reflect, and simply be - hike big mountains, take cold swims, sit by warm fires, or just sleep deeply for seven days straight. There's no agenda except renewal.

What The Angels Say

"I didn't realise how much I needed this. For two years, I'd been supporting families through crisis after crisis in our community. I was running on fumes but couldn't see it myself. When my colleague nominated me for a Weary Angel stay, I actually cried. The week at Nead Bernera with my sister was the first time in years I'd let someone care for me. I didn't realise how depleted I was until I had space to refill. The rest this Turadh has afforded me has felt sacred."

"A gift I would never have given myself. After caring for my father through his final illness while trying to keep our community allotment project going, I was beyond exhausted. My fellow volunteers nominated me without telling me. When I got the call that I'd been chosen for a Weary Angel stay, I honestly didn't believe I deserved it. But those days at Taigh Whin with my daughter—walking, talking, sleeping, just being—gave me back something essential.”

"What moved me most wasn't just the stay itself—though it was deeply restorative—but that someone had noticed I was struggling. That someone had taken the time to nominate me. That I was seen. A week at Nead Bernera gave me the space to breathe again, but the act of being chosen as a Weary Angel gave me something else: the reminder that care flows both ways."

Questions You Might Have

Most of your questions should be answered below. You can also check our Frequently Asked Questions page. If you still have questions, contact us by email hello@turadh.org.uk