March 17th 2021 at 7.30pm

This is a reminder about the Member’s Meeting at 7.30pm on Wednesday 17th March, 2021 which will be held on-line via Zoom.

Below is the Link to the Meeting:-
Join Zoom Meetinghttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/85370871124?pwd=WlBjSERBZlh1ekRtTGxJeTdESllMQT09 Meeting ID: 853 7087 1124 Passcode: 682659

The Strathaven John Hastie Museum Trust

Scottish Charity 043189 Members Meeting

(online, by Zoom) 7.30pm

Wednesday 17th March 2021

Agenda

1. Present 

2. Apologies 

3. Minutes of the Meeting of 17.2.21 

4. Matters Arising (where not on this evening’s Agenda) 

5. Financial Summary – Current Balance 

6. Premises Search 

• Funding Issues 

• Ballgreen Hall & Former Library Community Asset Transfer Project: Update 

• Premises Search Next Steps 

7. The Strathaven App: Update 

8. Covid-19: A Shared Experience 

9. Growing SJHMT Membership: Review 

10. AOCB 

11. Date of next Members & Friends Meeting

(Meeting closes at 9.00pm) 

THE STRATHAVEN John Hastie Museum Trust (SJHMT) has been pursuing a Community Asset Transfer (CAT) of the Ballgreen Hall in its drive to set up a museum and community facilities for Strathaven.  It is therefore disappointed to report that, despite vigorous efforts by its funding team and its consultants since July 2020, and as a result of many funds being closed or diverted to respond to the Covid 19 Emergency, to date the Trust is unable to identify sufficient available funding streams.  

Its aim was to purchase, make safe, renovate and adapt the Ballgreen Hall and ex-Library Facility so being  unable to engage with potential funding bodies to secure confirmation of when suitable funds will be available or the likely magnitude of Grant Funding means the plans for a community asset transfer cannot proceed at this time.

Continual constructive dialogue with South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) has taken place throughout the CAT Process with the process being mutually paused to allow the Trust further time, in the expectation of the re-opening of Grant Funding which would allow Funding for the full proposal to be identified. 

Regrettably, this has not occurred. Consequently, the SJHMT Board of Trustees met using “Zoom” on Monday 8 February and after much deliberation unanimously decided to withdraw their CAT Application for the Ballgreen Hall and ex-Library Facility.

The Trust’s Chairperson, Gordon McAllan, commented. “Whilst our Trustees are very disappointed to have felt it necessary to make this decision, this action enables the Trust to revisit its plan to secure a permanent Modern Volunteer-Run Community Museum and ensure that the facilities offered within both the Museum element and those for use by the Communities of Strathaven and Avondale, fully align with the needs of the Community as we emerge from the Covid-19 Emergency and enter the much-cited “New Norm”, whatever that may be. Our search and determination to find and secure a permanent home with Community Facilities continues undiminished. I wish to take this opportunity to extend my and the Board of Trustees.  Thanks also to all those who have assisted in our mission to date and particularly to SLC for their help and support”.

The Annual General Meeting of the Strathaven John Hastie Museum Trust will take place on Tuesday December 15th at 7.30pm. Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions this will be an online meeting and we welcome members, friends and those interested in our Trust to enrol and join the meeting.

This is your opportunity to find out all that has been done in 2020 and to hear our exciting plans for 2020 and beyond. There will also be the election of office bearers.

Our calendars are still available from Craig’s Newsagents in the Common Green and The Common Greenery in Townhead Street. Each calendar is priced at £5.

For those of you not keen to venture out during lockdown, please email strathavenmuseum@gmail.com and we will endeavour to get them to you.

The Strathaven John Hastie Museum Trust will be commemorating James Wilson on the 22nd and the 29th August 2020 between 10am and 2pm in the Common Green next to the former Royal Bank. Please come and have a (socially distanced) chat and purchase a copy of the booklet for only £2 (cash only) explaining his importance in the history of Strathaven. He was executed on the 30th August 1820.

The Strathaven John Hastie Museum Trust’s proposal to create a modern volunteer-run Community Museum, with space for Community Activities / Facilities and the ability to be self-funding at least for its day to day operation and activities, in the Ballgreen Hall and ex-Library Complex is moving forward.

The Community Consultation Process has been taking place.  There has been a terrific response from the Communities of Avondale, with the levels of input reported to be far in excess of that usually experienced in such processes.  This demonstrates the desire of our Community to participate and contribute to where we live and where many work.  This is great news for the health of our Community as we move forward.

The majority of survey respondents (92%) expressed support for the proposal.  However, very importantly, constructive comments have been received to allow refinement of the proposal.  The Trust is presently developing business plans and potential funding streams to allow completion of its Feasibility Study, so it’s busy but very interesting times for the Trust and its Members & Friends.

The Trustees would like to thank those of you who joined us at our online meeting on Monday July 6th . It is encouraging to hear that our current proposal to acquire the Ballgreen Hall to house a community museum and provide community space is gathering pace.

It was great to be able to offer the opportunity to members of the community to pose questions and offer their opinions and suggestions all of which are very important to CEL who organised and co-ordinated the meeting, as this input will be used in the preparation of their final assessment of the feasibility of the project.

We still have a way to go however great progress is being made. If you haven’t already completed the online survey, please do so by clicking this link. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Ballgreen_Hall_Community_Survey

Many thanks again.

Online consultation for Strathaven John Hastie Museum Trust proposals

The Strathaven John Hastie Museum Trust is continuing its consultation into exciting plans to bring its ‘Strathaven deserves its own museum’ initiative to fruition.

The Trust is currently working with South Lanarkshire Council to complete a community asset transfer of the former Ballgreen Hall, with plans to turn it into a modern museum and also to provide a community space for other groups to use. This is a complex process and as always the more community support it can demonstrate the better.

There are two ways you can become involved. The first is to follow the link in the flyer to the right at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/Ballgreen_Hall_Community_Survey and express your views on the plans.
The second is to take part in a scheduled online consultation on Monday 6th July 2020 to see and hear what is proposed for our community.

Community Enterprises Ltd is working as consultants on the development of a business plan and has now organised a virtual online public meeting via Zoom on Monday 6th July. We would encourage as many within our community to apply to take part and to show your support. Attendees will be sent joining details once they have signed up. Go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-new-modern-community-museum-in-strathaven-open-meeting-tickets-110650970030

Due to the current weather situation and the forecast of more snow later today, The Trustees have decided to cancel this evening’s meeting (11th February, 2020).

A new date will be rescheduled and circulated to all Members and Friends.