AGM Minutes – 17th November 2015 at MHOR 84, Balquhidder from 7.30pm Please note that these minutes have not yet received formal approval and should be considered as a draft version only. Directors Present: Jan Dalziel; Owen McKee; Fiona Martin; Emma Richards; Sarah Gibson; Mel Brydie; David Johnstone; Malcolm MacNaughton Attendees: Nancy Coppock; Kelly Clapperton-Bates; G Johnston; Janet Richards; Sara Hesp; Kathleen Wenham; Trevor Wenham; Brian Ogilvie; Jason Allardyce; Andrew Poulter; Andrea Poulter; Tom Lewis Apologies: Roel Van der Vliet; Kenny Higgins Declaration of interest: Sarah & Emma declared an interest in the Immervoulin to Strathyre path. Minutes of last meeting: These were passed as a true and accurate record, proposed Mel and by Sarah. Benseconded Lui Matters Arising: We will need to apply for an admin grant via the National Park to pay for web site hosting etc., this will need to be done within the next year. Directors Annual report: Malcolm read through the annual report then went on to talk about the Projects. Strathyre Tennis Court – We are in discussions with Tennis Scotland to see where we can go for funding now we have been turned down by Sports Scotland. Tennis Scotland came and held a Tennis Coaching Session in Strathyre which has been organised by Judy Murray, this session was fantastic but unfortunately Judy Murray did not show up. We are hoping they will return in the spring with Judy Murray to do another tennis sessions. We also talked about the land around the Tennis Court and behind the houses in Strathyre which is now up for sale so this needs to be looked into more deeply. First Responders Unit and defibrillators – We explained we are no longer with the Ambulance Service and now with Trossach Search and Rescue. Trossachs Search and Rescue have also taken on the maintenance of the 3 defibs and we will continue to collect donations to help with this maintenance. There is now a lot of interest in Balquhidder about more people joining the First Responders so Mel & David will organise an open night in the new year. We also discussed a possibility of a defib being put down at Monachlye Mhor. Strathyre Playpark – We still need to contact Stirling Council to set up a meeting with Colin MacKay. It was also mentioned getting in contact with the Rob Roy Way to see if they can help in anyway. Immervoulin Path – We have just had a meeting with Kenny Auld from the National Park and it was very positive. Kenny has just applied to Tactran on our behalf to get the path shovel ready which means getting funds to cover planning permission and engineers designs. Kenny was also very positive about reapplying to Sustrans either next year or 2017 and if the path is shovel ready then you have a better chance of getting funding. Stirling Council are letting us keep £1500 grant as the project is still on going and we just need to keep them updated. We discussed asking local businesses/residents to make a donation towards the path as this looks really good to the funders. Benches – There will be 1 bench at the war memorial and 1 picnic bench at the playpark both in Strathyre. These have now been ordered and there is money left over so we need to go back to the National Park to see if this can be spent on basketball nets for the tennis court to make it a multi-use facility. Book Exchange – The idea is to change the old phone box in Balquhidder into a book exchange. Funding has been applied for from Stirling Council Community Grants to cover the cost of painting, shelving and signage. There will be a donation box which will go to Balquhidder Village Hall as they will be maintaining it. Financial update: Mel read the summary of account – Notes: 1. The Trust had a bank balance at 31st January 2014 of £4069.79 and at 31st January 2015 of £3870.06. 2. Grants from Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and SUSTRANS in the sum of £7000.00 are restricted to use for the Immervoulin Path. Any unused grants will require to be repaid. 3. Fundraising and donations raised a further £920.00 for public access defibrillators for all three villages. This funding has already been used to site a defibrillator in a cabinet outside Balquhidder Village Hall. Funding will be used to site defibrillators in external cabinets at Strathyre Village Shop and the National Park Rangers’ Office in Lochearnhead. 4. Funding for administration expenses has been made available by Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. A reminder that the website is available at blscommunity trust. org.uk 5. A set of fully-accrued accounts have been prepared by Sara Hesp, according to the regulatory standards. They have been independently examined by D McIver FCA of Killin, and found to be correct. These will be submitted to Companies House and OSCR. Copies can be made available to members if required. 16
Callander Rambling Club Sponsored by Caledonian Country Wear
The Club consists of a group of enthusiasts who meet regularly throughout the year to participate in a programme of strolls, rambles, hill walks and a Long Distance Path. Details are published on http://www.incallander.co.uk/ramblers. htm in the Ben Ledi View and on posters around Callander. New members and guests are always welcome. Here are some dates for your diary:
December Wed 2 Dec 09:30 Ramble: Strathyre Forest Loop (6.5 miles) Contact 01877 384227 Sat 5 Dec 08:30 Hill: Cort-ma Law (531m) Contact 01877 339080 Wed 9 Dec 09:30 Stroll: Dunblane Donder (4 miles) Contact 01786 825249 January Sat 2 Jan 11:00 Stroll: Town Walk (4 miles) Contact 01877 330444 Wed 20 Jan 09:30 Ramble: Loch Katrine Aqueduct Towers (6 miles) Contact 01877 330059 We meet in Ancaster Square, unless otherwise indicated. Please bring wet weather clothing, appropriate footwear and a packed lunch. And please let the walk leader know if you plan to join the walk via the contact number given! Visitors and non-members welcome.
BLS Trust AGM After the official business was concluded Tom Lewis proceeded to both entertain and instigate several lines of thought as he reminisced on Tom Lewis his thirty years in the glen but also put forward ideas for the future for the area in general. He confessed to not being fully aware of some Stac Polly of the issues raised during the meeting and went on to think about how the three communities could work together more to be of mutual benefit. He felt there are opportunities to not only attract more visitors but to give them more to see and do to encourage them to stay for longer in the area and not just pass through in one day or night. Signs, stories and information about activities and events on-going were some of the ideas he tossed around before going on to develop the concept of the villages trying to coordinate and share the dates of social events to avoid clashes of dates which obviously restricts numbers attending.