Community Benefit Fund

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

John Macleod - Tigh-na-Drochaid, Daviot, Inverness IV2 6XN

Ian MacQueen - Balloan, Farr, Inverness, IV2 6XF

Fiona Procto - Woodlands, Inverarnie, Inverness IV2 6XA

Kathleen Matheson - Milton of Aberarder, Dores, Inverness IV2 6UE

Donald Finlayson - Heatherbrae, Daviot, Inverness IV2 5XQ

Robert Boardman - Kerrera House, Nairnside, Inverness IV2 5BU

Kenny Sinclair - Tigh na Coille, Daviot Inverness IV2 5EP

Kirsty Dundas - 6 Forrestry Cottages, Farr. Inverness IV2 6XJ

Sheena Forbes - Druim Sgitheach, Farr, Inverness IV2 6XF

John Murray - East Croachy House, Croachy, Farr, Inverness IV2 6UB

William Forbes - Fearnag, Farr, Inverness IV2 6XB

COMPANY SECRETARY & REGISTERED OFFICE

David Henderson - Corrieknowe, Farr, Inverness, IV2 6XB

MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION

Memorandum of Association

GRANTS

STRATHNAIRN COMMUNITY BENEFIT FUND GRANTS up to SEPT 06

• £1,000 to the Strathnairn Seniors Lunch Club to provide a service without charge to members
• £2,900 to FEIS Farr to pay for new musical instruments and towards the cost of tutors
• £1,387 to Farr Community Hall to purchase a computer projector
• £400 to Andrew Call towards the cost of extending the bird nesting box scheme
• The following grants were made to the School Boards of local schools towards non-statutory costs. These are costs incurred which are not funded by the Education Authority:
  - £14,800 to the Daviot School Board for Daviot Primary School
  - £17,200 to the Farr School Board for Farr Primary School.
  - £4,300 to the Farr School Board for the Farr Nursery
  
• £18,540 to the Strathnairn Village Hall in Daviot towards the cost of improving the insulation of the Hall.`
• £2,712 to the Meallmore Lodge League of Friends to help fund the costs of providing transport and short holidays for the disabled residents of the Lodge.
• £500 to the Strathnairn Community Woodland Project towards the cost of a puppet show and workshop in School Wood this summer.
• £900 to Farr Baby & Toddler Group for a large rocker box play set
• £500 to Farr Baby & Toddler Group to supply Arts Sessions.
• £1,000 to 'Care in Strathnairn' to fund the cost of a survey to assess the need for such a service
• £12,000 to 'Care in Strathnairn' to fund the first six month of operation.
• £3,000 to Farr Community Hall towards the cost of two heavy duty marquees.
• £60,000 to Farr Community Hall towards the cost of a changing Facility adjacent to the Hall
• £1,500 to Strathnairn Heritage to improve their web site
• £100 to SCATA towards the cost of snow tyres.
• £6,525 to Boleskine Camanachd towards the cost of team shelters and net fencing at the shinty pitch in Farr and miscellaneous running costs.
• £10,000 to Farr Hall towards the cost of renewable energy fixtures in the Changing Facility.

• Mairi Fenton - £250 towards the cost of participating in the JST Youth Leadership @Sea Scheme during which she will assist the disabled on a week's voyage on the Lord Nelson.
• Andrew Elam - £250 to attend a four week expedition to Botswana organised by World Challenge Expeditions. Involves spending a week helping in an orphanage.
• Kirsty Forbes - £250 to participate in a TEARFUND charity in Nigeria to teach children and young people.
• Mark Hesling - £180 to go to an International Summer Camp at An-nakah University in Palestine to teach music to young children in a refugee camp.
• Kate McDonald - £250 to participate in a Link Overseas Exchange Programme teaching English to underprivileged children in India/Sri Lanka.
• Freddi Gilbert - £250 to participate in a World Challenge Expedition to Madascar.

• Ruth MacQueen going to Strathclyde University to study Social Sciences
• Fiona Elam going to University of Edinburgh to study Chemistry.
• Robert Kass going to Napier University (Edinburgh) to take a BA in Popular Music
• Kirsty Forbes to University of the Highlands (Orkney) to take a BA in Child and Youth Studies
• Ryan Maclennan to Inverness Technical College to study Plumbing and Electrical
• Eleanor Gruer to Lancaster University to study English with Creative Writing.

• £250 to the Farr Garden Club towards the cost of their annual Flower Show
• £93 to the Strathnairn Community Woodlands to pay for the cost of the BBQ at the Community Event in June 2006

The Benefit Company held its Annual General Meeting on 11 December 2006. This was attended by Jimmy MacPherson representing the Community Council. The Community Council is the sole member of the Company which is equivalent to it being the sole shareholder.
As in other company AGMs it is the shareholders who vote on all motions and resolutions, so in the Benefit Company it is the representative of the Community Council who votes. On this occasion Jimmy voted to approve the Report of the Directors and the Audited Financial Statements, the appointment of Kerr MacKenzie as accountants and auditors, a resolution amending the Memorandum of Association which would allow the Board to make grants to assist in the financing of renewable energy measures and finally the election of Malcolm Ross as a director to replace Donald Finlayson who was retiring.
John Macleod, the Chair, gave his report which is contained elsewhere in this issue. At the conclusion of the meeting, Jimmy Macpherson congratulated the Board on its performance in 2006.
A normal Board Meeting was held after the ACM. John Macleod stood down as Chairman and was replaced by Robert Boardman. Kathleen Matheson was elected Vice Chair.
The Board approved a grant of £2,320 to the Friends of Daviot School to pay for Phase 1 of the plans to improve the Daviot Play Park. This will consist of improving the drainage in the Park and repairing the fencing. An application to fund Phase 2 is expected early next year.
An application by Mhairi Spence for £950 towards the cost of a new pistol which she requires to continue her very successful career as a Modem Pentathlete was deferred until the legality of such a grant could be cleared through the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
The terms of the Venture Grant and the Higher Education and Training Grant were reviewed. Venture Grants cover up to 20% of the cost to a maximum of £250 for residents applying to participate in an educational or training project managed by a recognised charitable organisation. The Board decided that no more than one grant per year to a maximum of two would be awarded to any one individuaL Higher Education & Training Grants of £250 are available to any student resident in Strathnairn leaving secondary school and enrolling in further education or training. The Board decided that only one such grant would be awarded to any one individual.
The Board deferred making a decision on grants for renewable energy measures until such time as more information was available.

The Strathnairn Community Fund held a Special Meeting on the 28th of February 07.It was attatended by Robert Boardman (Chair), John MacLeod, Fiona Proctor, Malcolm Ross, Sheena Forbes, William Forbes, John Murray and David Henderson.
John Macleod represented the Strathnairn Community Council in a vote on a special resolution amending the Memorandum of Association to include two new ‘objects’ — the promotion of energy saving measures and the promotion of public participation in sport. This resolution was carried.
A presentation was made by Eric Dodd, the Manager of the Highland and Islands Community Energy Company Duncan Fraser and J M Campbell on the Scottish Community and Householder Renewable Initiative Scheme (SCHRI). It was agreed to hold an ‘open day’ at Farr Hall to provide information on renewables and the SCHRI. The date will be publicised as soon as possible.
The Board agreed to consider applications for a grant of 20% of the cost of installing small scale renewable technologies to a maximum of £1,000. The applicant must first have been awarded an SCHRI grant which provides 30% of the cost to a maximum of £4000. The scheme is not retroactive and the total awards will be capped at £20,000 for the year.

The Company Secretary reported on the following grants;
a) Venture Grants of £250 for Sue Fenton for her trip to Nepal to work at an orphanage in Katmandu for five weeks and to Catriona Thompson for her trip to Madagascar in 2008 organised by World Challenge Expeditions.
b) A Further Education and Training Grant of £250 for Mairi Fenton on her acceptance at Glasgow University on a four years BSC course,
c) A donation of £115 to Friends of Farr School & Nursery Supports towards the cost of a Valentines Disco.
The Board approved a change in the conditions for Venture Grants by adding ‘Universities, Colleges and Schools’ as eligible sponsors to the present ‘Recognised Charitable Organisations’.

The Directors approved the following grants:
a) £750 to the Strathnaim Village Hall for painting of the interior of the hall
b) £2,307 to the Strathnajrn Village Hall for the installation of a sound system at the Hall.
c) £400 to Andrew Call towards the cost of an extension to his bird box scheme started last year
d) £1,948 to Fan- FEIS towanis the cost of the purchase of a clarsach and the payment of tutors.
e) £1,000 to the Seniors Lunch Club to provide free lunches and to pay for outside visits
f) £12,500 to the Friends of Daviot School towards the cost of installing play structures in the Daviot Play Park.
g) £800 to the Strathnaim Community Council for the annual lease of an improved copier.
ii) £3,000 to the Strathnaim Farmers Association to provide free stands for local businesses and crafts at the September Show.

An application by SCATA for £2,160 to fund a bus pass system was deferred, pending further inquiries.

LATEST GRANTS: July 2007

a. School Grants (Farr Primary - £7,990, Fan Nursery - £1,229: Daviot Primary- £3,150) tc~I2rdS costs not funded by the Education Authority.
b. £6,376 to Farr Baby & Toddler Group for a swing set in Farr Play Park conditional on the receipt of an Awards For All Grant of £3,000.
c. £2,246 to the Strathnairn Community Woodland Project to cover administrative costs.
d. £1,100 to the Strathnairn Community Access and Transport Association to provide a subsidy of 20p for concessionary bus fares.
e. A Venture Grant of £250 to Alice Murray towards the cost of her trip to Ecuador to work as a volunteer in a paediatric hospital.
f. A Venture Grant of £250 to Ross Munro towards the cost of his trip to Romania organised by Blytheswood to help host a camp for children from poor families.
g. A Venture Grant of £250 to Peter Scott towards the cost of his trip to Madagascar organised by World Challenge Expeditions to participate in environmental and conservation work.
h. A Further Education and Training Grant of £250 to Eilidh Bowie taking an Earth Science and Archaeology course at Glasgow University.

REVIEW OF GRANTS BY THE BENEFIT FUND:

a. General. The Benefit Fund is able to provide grants for a wide variety of projects and causes. There are certain limitations which are contained in the Agreement with the Wind Farm Company and the ‘objects’ approved by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
b. Venture Grants. Grants of up to £250 to a maximum of 20% of the applicants’ costs are available for those planning to participate in an educational or training project organised by a recognised charity or a school/university.
c. Further Education and Training Grants. Grants of £250 are available for students leaving school and going on to further education or training. Applicants are required to submit a copy of their acceptance letter at the new establishment.
d. Renewables Grants. Grants of up to 20% of the cost of installing small scale renewable technologies are available where an applicant has had an SCHRI grant approved. The maximum grant would be £1000. The scheme would not be retroactive and the total amount awarded is limited to £20,000 for the year.
e. Donations. Donations of £250 are available for a local group or organisation planning an event which is open to the public.
f. Applications. Anyone considering applying for any of the above grants should first contact the Company Secretary on 01808 521244.