Draft AGM Minutes

Draft pending approval or correction at the next AGM

THE ISLANDS BOOK TRUST ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Held in person at KINLOCH COMMUNITY HUB, Balallan, Isle of Lewis and online via the Zoom platform on TUESDAY 19 NOVEMBER at 7.30 pm

Present: John Randall, Malcolm Burr, Frank Rennie, Ben Sheppard, John Humphries, Iain Mackenzie, Norman MacLean, Domhnull Domhnullach, Karen Roach, Richard Deveria, Claudia Albrecht, Marc Calhoun, Ian McHardy, Ian Davidson, Morag Mackinnon, Cailean Maclean, Susanne Barding and Ken Roddy Mackay

Apologies: Kenneth Macleod, Iain Macaulay, Jan Gold, Alasdair MacEachen and Donnie Morrison


1/ Welcome

John Randall, Chair, opened the meeting and welcomed Trustees, Members and guests to the AGM. He once again thanked Kinloch Historical Society for acting as host for the AGM, the third to be held both in person and online.

2/ Minute of Annual General Meeting of 5 December 2023

The Minute of the AGM of 5 December 2023 was approved.

3/ Chair’s Report

John Randall presented the Chair’s report and noted that the Trust had continued its strong recovery from the COVID period.

The main areas in which progress has been made since April 2023 were:

  • the support and assistance of new trustees and co-opted members
  • the completion of the 5-year business plan in Summer 2023, which included targets for an increased number of events, publications, and members for each year up to and including 2027.
  • during 2023, 9 events had been arranged, one substantial and very successful new book (‘Beàrnaraigh na Hearadh’) had been published. In 2024, 13 events had been organised, including a successful 2-day conference in Tiree, and 5 new books had been published. 4 quarterly newsletters for members were produced each year and membership numbers had stabilised
  • the key to achieving these targets had been raising funds to enable the recruitment of additional staff to at least the equivalent of one full time post for 2 years. During the financial year 2023-24, the Trust had raised over half the required funding, with the remaining funding put in place during Summer 2024. Three part-time employees had started work for the Trust at the beginning of October: Claudia Albrecht (Publications and Events Co-ordinator), Ben Sheppard (Business and IT Co-ordinator), and Karen Roach (Customer Services and Membership Co-ordinator). Funding sources had included generous donations from members and others, including the Crowdfunder appeal earlier this year.
  • the draft accounts for 2023-24 indicated ongoing financial improvement.

Looking ahead, the Trust had a window of opportunity to move to a longer-term sustainable footing which would allow the three part-time posts to be continued beyond the initial two years without the necessity of further external funding.

The Programme of Events for 2025 would be announced in the January 2025 Newsletter to IBT members. The highlight would be an international conference in Stornoway in early July which would bring together speakers from the Nordic world to discuss the sustainability of rural communities in North Atlantic islands such as the Outer Hebrides, Orkney, Shetland, the Faroes, and Iceland. The idea for this event had come out of visits which the Chair had made in April to the Faroes, and in October to Iceland. It is being funded in partnership with NORA (Nordic Co-operation), an agency of the Nordic Council.

It is intended to publish at least 6 new books next year, starting with a history of the many Lewismen who worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company in North America in the 19th century. This book, which is entitled ‘Pemmican and Portages’, has been written by Angus Macdonald, a native of Great Bernera in Lewis. Angus has carried out substantial new research on a subject which has received little coverage until now. We hope to complement this publication with a smaller book which outlines the story of a Gaelic-speaking Lewis woman, Isabella MacIver Thomson, who travelled into the wilds of Saskatchewan in 1880 to meet up with her husband.

Other planned publications in the next few months would include a book of poetry by Donald S Murray inspired by the ‘Metagama’ emigrant story; the edited diaries of Dr J W Campbell, wildfowler and conservationist, who was a frequent visitor to Uist in the 1930s; and a book based on contributions to the recent Tiree Conference. There is also the possibility of piloting some e-books.

Now that staff resources were in place, it is intended to update and improve the membership records so that it contains up-to-date contact details and subscription information for all IBT members. Karen Roach would contact members in coming months who were asked to assist with this important and necessary task. An accurate record of all members was noted to be an essential first step towards offering a better service to members and increasing membership numbers.

Overall, with the continued support of members, trustees, other volunteers, and our new staff, IBT is now on the right track to achieve sustainability in the years ahead. Doubtless, there will be challenges and a continuing need for hard work, but there is a clear plan. The support of Trustees and members was asked to spread the word to others whom you think might be interested in joining the IBT.

4/ Secretary’s Report

Malcolm Burr, Secretary, thanked John Randall for his outstanding and dedicated  service as Chair throughout 2024 and noted the continuing success and recovery of the Trust, evidenced by the plans, greatly assisted by Susanne Barding, for the Conference in summer 2025 and by the appointment of three employees to assist with the work of the Trust. Malcolm Burr noted the assistance already provided by Ben Sheppard and colleagues to the good administration of the Trust.

5/ Treasurer’s Report

John Randall, acting Treasurer made available copies of the Unaudited Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2024 and reviewed pages 14 and 15. The main issues for noting were the significant increase in income, mainly on account of the success of the Berneray Book and other publications. The financial position of the Trust continued to improve, with a current profit of over £17,000.

The Accounts were approved.

6/ Election of Trustees

Malcolm Burr, Secretary, noted that there was no serving Trustees eligible for re-election at this AGM and invited the nomination of new Trustees.

Frank Rennie intimated that he wished to resign as a Trustee, and his resignation was accepted with thanks for his contribution.

New Trustees were appointed, as follows:

Iain Mackenzie, Keose, was nominated by John Randall and seconded by Malcolm Burr;

Cailean Maclean, Skye, was nominated by John Randall and seconded by Domhnull Domhnullach.

7/ Conclusion of Meeting

There being no other business, the Chair concluded the meeting and thanked Trustees and members for their attendance and contribution.

The Chair closed the meeting at 8.30 p.m.

Minutes of AGM 5th December 2023