The Fun in Fund Raising

How Dalbeattie Museum raised it's funds over the years!

To continue the running of Dalbeattie museum year after year, its members have to continually come up with different ways to raise funds. These funds help the museum develop and grow. The museum in the year 2012 takes about £3,000 to run.

When the museum was in its very early stages, before a building had been found, but a commitee had been formed, fund raising had to begin, as failure to attract grants for this project has not come into fruition. The only grant at this time was £2000 from the T.S.B Foundation.

17th May 1987. This was the start to promote Dalbeattie having a museum. Tommy Henderson and his son Donald took a stand at a "Hobbies Exhibition". To raise money from this exhibition Tommys collection of local postcards had been framed, so they could be sold. The Hobbies Exhibition was held in the Loreburn Hall, Dumfries.

 

6th May 1989. Tommy and Donald once again attended the "Hobbies Exhibition" in the Loreburn Hall, Dumfries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5th August 1989. Donald Henderson ran a "Modellers and Collectors Exhibition" in Dalbeattie Town Hall. Many collectors came from all over the area to show case their collections. Dalbeattie museum was able to raise some well needed funds by charging an entry fee and a by holding a raffle. £360 was taken at this event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 1990. Another "Hobbies Exhibition" had been held at Dalbeattie Town Hall. This time to raise even more funds for the museum, refreshments were served down stairs from the main exhibition at Dalbeatties Lesser Town Hall. Tickets for a raffle were also sold.       

 

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July 1990. Tommy and Donald Henderson put Jim Roberts car into the parade for Civic Week. This was to tell Dalbeattie that Dalbeattie Museum needed a home. Jim Roberts was Tommy Hendersons nephew. 

 

 

 

 

It was not long after this event that the British Legion gave Dalbeattie Museum a home. Dalbeattie Museum was to rent their old storage building for 15 years. It was at this time that fund raising had to be stepped up as the building was in much need of repair,  the estimated cost was £20,000 to make a museum.

 

Undeterred by the sheer scale of the work that the new building needed the enthusiasm of a small band of resourceful members was invaluable. Tommy Henderson did the electicial side of the project with the help from his friend Billy Wood, Mary Graham stocked the small shop, John Harding was the architect and project manager. Other valued help came from Donald Henderson, Willie McNaught, Neil McNaught, Victor Angel, Derrick Murray, Eric Flinn and Richard Edkins. Mr David Deveraux from Kirkcudbright Museum offered his services. Mr Stan Norman took the job as museum treasurer. Mr Gaffney, a local builder in Dalbeattie, offered his building advice.

Tommy Henderson has always gone around the Rurals, Guilds and Clubs giving talks on his extensive collection of postcards, but when he started to develope the museum, he decided to change his talk to incorporate the ongoing transformation of the museum building, thus encouraging the group to give a donation towards the renovations.  

When the new staircase went in it was decided that each tred could be bought by individuals. This proved to make the money needed to cover the cost of the staircase. Mr Tony Anderson made the staircase.

It came as a great surprise that the Museum had won a Dulux Paint Competition and they had won enough paint to paint the whole town. They did not know that someone had done this for them.

July 1990. Tommy Henderson took a group of people on a "Historical Walk" around Dalbeattie. This was a initiative to tell people that Dalbeattie had a history and it would be told in it's new museum. Tommy continued to take guided tours around Dalbeattie for many years.

 

 

June 1991. A coffee morning was held in Dalbeattie Lesser town hall. Bakery was sold along with raffle tickets and a bottle stall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 1992. To advertise the museum a "Tractor with a Trailer" stopped off on its around Britian Tour.

 

 

 

 

July 1992. Dalbeattie Museum took a tent to promote the museum. This event was held in Dalbeatties park. It was a great way to keep Dalbeattie folk up to-date with the museums progress. Tommy Henderson was amazed at the donations he recieved from the general public for the museum and had many people tell him that what he and his volunteers were doing was great.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4th April 1993, Museum Opens.

Mr James Ness was a solicitor in Dalbeattie and he drew up the constitution for the museum at no charge.

The Dalbeattie branch of The Rotary Club gave money to start fund raising off.

 Now that many "Coffee Mornings" had been held and "Charity Shops" had been run, thanks to Mr McKenzies for letting out his shop free of charge, on the High Street of Dalbeattie, the museum must  not get complacent that the shop in the museum would meet the running costs. Fund raising had to continue.

 

 

Christmas 1993. A stand had been erected outside Kinnairds shop on Dalbeattie High Street. This was to sell items that the museum shop sold in the summer, but as the museum was shut in the winter months this was a good way of letting go of the old stock, to raise funds for new stock, that would be needed for the following summer. Mrs Mary Graham, Tommy Henderson, Donald Henderson all dressed up in costume to help Santa sell many items from the cart.

 

A new investment by the museum seemed to be an excellent way of fund raising. The museum had purchased a barrel organ with its own trailer and  it was in full working order. It was once owned by Herries McCulloch from New Abbey. This was a great way of entering parades and fairs, to promote the museum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1996 Dumfries and Galloway Vintage Machinery Club held a fair in Park Farm in Dumfries and Tommy and Donald Henderson hired a stall, they sold framed pictures and calendars, with local scenes.

 

 

 

 Many private tours have been given the Warm Welcome by this time. Non other than the Trefoild Guild from Dalbeattie.

 

One special group that visited the museum were from the Stonehouse Historical Society. They came to the museum in the hope to get ideas on how they could start a museum in Stonehouse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1997. Tommy Henderson in conjunction with Dumfries and Galloway Librarys wrote a book called "Through The Lense". Due to this book being a huge success it made the museum a good profit.

 

 

 

A visiting Dutchman called Gerard Boelens, decided that his proceeds from his concert in the town should be split between Dalbeattie Museum and Helping the Handicapped. During this evening Donald Henderson also did a talk and slideshow on "An evening of Steam Nostalgia".

1997. Dalbeattie Museum Trust raised £15,000 in this year by putting on a "Fiddlers Rally" and many "Bring and Buys".

 

2000. Dalbeattie Initiative put on a fair around the by-pass in Dalbeattie. The museum took a tent and promoted the museum and what it had to offer.

 

 

2001. Tommy and Donald Henderson placed the organ on the Bottom Cross in Dalbeattie. Just to keep the museum in the public eye. They also took the organ to Georgetown Library and placed buckets out for anyone willing to give a donation.                                    

 

 

 

 

 

Also in this year they recieved £100 from The Cum Ye Inn pub. This was to help purchase the shop that was now for sale beside the museum. The museum was keen to get it, as it would double the size of the museum and have access directly from the street into the museum.

2002. This time the organ was placed in the parade on Dalbeattie Civic Daze.

May 2002. Dalbeattie Lions Club donated a presentation mug for the  "Queens Golden Jubilee", it was accepted by Mr Billy Wood on behalf of the Dalbeattie Museum.

In this year Dry-Rot was found in the rear of the museum and local trade men yet again jumped in and helped just as they had done before. They got the job done really quickly and the museum was able to open during the summer months. Mr Davie Anderson did the plaster work, Garroch and Gourlay delt with the dry-rot, Johnstons did ther general work required and Derek Caldow did the painting.

 

2006. It was decided that the museum must install a stairlift to get lesser able people to see the main display up stairs in the museum. After much fund raising in the usual manner, on 13th April, Mr Ello Whalen, who was a volunteer at the museum, officially opened the new stair lift. Wine and nibbles were also shared with the friends of the museum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2007. A new book was written and published by Tommy Henderson and was called " Dalbeattie,The Auld Scots Hame". He did this with help from Susan Marcroft. This book also proved a winner and agian helped boost funds for the museum.

 

2009. By winning " The Queens Award", this advertised the museum to a huge volume of new people and this is reflected in the visitors through the door. By this time the museum had dropped an entry charge and let the visitors give a donation. This has proved to double takings.

A legacy left by Mr Jack Benson made it possible for the museum to buy the front shop. Fund raising had to continue for renovations.

2010. Dalbeattie Tree Of Heaven gave a cheque for £100 to the museum to help with administration costs. Dalbeattie Tree Of Heaven gives Dalbeattie Museum a contribution most years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 November 2011. Tommy Henderson was shocked to hear he had been awarded "Community Champion", by the Dumfries and Galloway life magazine. This type advertising for the museum in invaluable.

 

 

Over the years many people have given to the museum and some grant did become available for certain items and projects, such as the Lottery gave £3000 to purchase a video camera and editing machine, so the museum can make and sell videos. It is now making DVDs to sell. The Museum has made 4 DVDs of local interest and subjects. This type of raising funds has and will go on well into the future.

Mr Hughan has given very generously over the years.

Dalbeattie Museum Trust to the present day continues to raise money for its self, and is proud that it has not cost the tax payer anything.

We hope you enjoy our stories and if you would like to get intouch with us for any questions then contact us on

www.info@dalbeattiemuseum.co.uk

Thank you