2026
Minute of the AGM of Dalbeattie Museum Trust held in Dalbeattie & Kirkgunzeon Parish Church on the 1st March at 2pm
Minute of Dalbeattie Museum Trust AGM, held on 1st March in Dalbeattie and Kirkgunzeon Parish Church.
The Chairman welcomed all to the meeting and asked for any apologies.
1.Present: Chairman – Ian Wilson, Secretary – Janet Carter, Treasurer – Bill Dryden, John Kirk, Anna White, Mark White, Callum Smith, Billy Glendinning, Nancy Gardiner, Robert Anderson, David Crosbie, Alec Brown, Ronnie Murray, Eric McCowan, Ian Stachan, Agnes Dow, Lana Russell, Erica Johnson, and David Johnson.
Apologies: Peter Hunt
A quorum being met the business of the meeting continued
2. The Minutes of the last AGM had been circulated, by email, to all members. The Chairman asked for a show of hands for the approval of the minutes. Carried.
3. There were no matters arising from the minutes.
4.Chairman’s Report
The Chairman gave a brief review, highlighting the ups and downs, of the past year. Visitor numbers had shown an increase of just over 200, however a higher percentage of this increase came for the number of children who had visited the museum, and this is reflected in donations which had were down on the previous year.
Rosemary and Bobby McLauchlan have once again represented the Museum when they presented the History prize at the Primary School.
Several groups have visited us during the year, both during the day and in the evening. These included, Castle Douglas Brownies, Glenlochar Rural, 2 groups from Dalbeattie Primary School, and Mallory Nursery from Dumfries. Thanks to all volunteers who helped with these visits.
Three of our volunteers, Ronnie Murray, Ian Wilson and Stuart McCulloch assisted Border TV with their Border Life programme, contributing on items on the Granite Industry, William McMaster Murdoch of the Titanic and the history of Buittle Castle. The Chairman thanked the volunteers for their participation. Although this type of visit caused some disruption, it was at the end of the day free advertising.
Throughout the year we had lost 4 volunteers – David Link, Chris McIntyre, Bobby McLauchlan and Rosemary McLauchlan. Bobby and Rosemary had been volunteers for over 20 years and we wished them well in their retirement. We had also welcomed Alan Morgan back as a volunteer and Chris Rome had joined the team as a new volunteer.
The Chairman thanked the @Wednesday Club, who meet through the closed season to carry out work around the museum and prepare for the new season. This year we have refurbished the office and installed 2 new windows. This has been possible due to, in part, a grant from the Heuchan Associated Special Trust. In closing the Chairman thanked all Volunteers for their hard work throughout the year. We look forward to another good year when we open on the 30thMarch.
5.Treasurer’s Report
The Treasurer began by saying he needed to thank 3 people, namely his wife, for her assistance in preparing the accounts, Mrs Fiona McMillan for taking on the role of Independent Examiner of the accounts and the Chairman for his assistance in sorting out any issue, but in particular with his help in obtaining the refund of overpaid money from Scottish Power.
The Treasurer then proceeded to talk through the balance sheet explaining where costs had been saved over the year and how we had benefited from investing the bulk of our funds with the Charity Bank. We had changed our Electricity supplier from Scottish Power to EDF, but it was too early to tell how much this would help reduce our costs.
Prior to the approval of the accounts Mrs Johnson asked how much money was held in each of the accounts. Details of this were given.
The Chairman asked for a show of hands for the approval of the accounts. Carried unanimously.
The Chairman thanked the Treasurer for all his work throughout the year.
6.Election of Trustees
As has been previously minuted Rosemary and Bobby McLauchlan had resigned from the role as volunteers and also as Trustees. In August Stuart McCulloch and Nancy Gardiner had been co-opted onto the Board. The Chairman announced that he would be standing down from his role as Chairman and resigning from the Board of Trustees. This would leave the following Trustees – Janet Carter, Bill Dryden, Nancy Gardiner, Erica Johnson, John Kirk, Eric McCowan, Stuart McCulloch, Ronnie Murray, and Ian Strachan. The Chairman asked for these Trustees to be re-elected en block. Proposal was carried unanimously.
7. AOCB – No other business to be discussed.
Meeting Closed at 2.30
The Trustees proceeded to elect Mrs Nancy Gardiner as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.