ANNUAL REPORT 2017

BIRSE COMMUNITY TRUST Parish Birse Parish covers over 125 sq.kms. (50 sq.mls.) of Mid Deeside. The four main parts of the parish are the three local communities of , Ballogie and Birse and the largely uninhabited . There are more than 600 voters on the Electoral Register covering the parish, which has a total population of over 800 living in around 300 households. BCT is directly involved in managing fourteen sites in Birse parish on behalf of the community. The sites are marked on the map and the legal basis of BCT’s involvement in each is listed right.

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. N e De R. Dee D R. e e W E 3 B99 Birsemore 13 S 12 Bir se se Allancreich Bir 93 of A rn Oldy leiper Bu 11 Marywell Slidderybrae Glen Tanar B9 Newmill Balf our 76 Ballogie Brownw Hill Shannel 10 Midstrath Coulnacraig ie 14 n BBogieshielo n i B

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A CCreagandummier Corsedardar Hill 9 Balnahar d ttie Glenca t f Ca n o Tillygarmond Bur 8 7 Carnferg Craig Lash Boghead 6 B976 Lamahip 5 4 Finzean Church B F Whitestone o i g n l Brackenstakek tu e Clinter Hill of r t Finzean k s

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Kirk n Aven of Glen Dye r e at 1 Forest of Birse W BIRSE PARISH Peter Hill Parish boundary Ba udnacauner Gannochh n BCT site ve f A o BCT forests Cocko Hill er at W Public roads Tampie 150 - 300m 300 - 450m Hill of Cammie mm 0 1km 2km 450m upwards Glen Esk 0 1 mile

1. Forest of Birse Commonty. Ancient rights (>3,750 ha.) 8. Birse Parish Archive. Ownership (<1 ha.) 2. The Bucket Mill. Ownership (c.1 ha.) 9. Corsedardar. Long term lease (<1 ha.) 3. Finzean Sawmill. Ownership (c.1 ha.) 10. Slewdrum Forest. Ownership (173 ha.) 4. Finzean Community Woods. Long term leases (17 ha.) 11. Ballogie Soutar’s Shop. Ownership (building only) 5. Finzean Community Path. Long term lease (<1 ha.) 12. Birse Kirk. Ownership (<1 ha.) 6. Finzean School Wood. Long term lease (<1 ha.) 13. Birse Community Hall. Ownership (<1 ha.) 7. Finzean Old School. Ownership (<1 ha.) 14. Balfour Forest. Ownership (241 ha.) 2 Introduction This Annual Report will provide a summary of what the Trust achieved in 2017, the current financial situation of the Trust and also give an overview of our plans for 2018.

BCT Trustees (from left to right) Hedge Shand (trustee) Jonathan Kitching (trustee) Jane Winton (BCT administrator) Doug Boyle (trustee) John Hector (trustee) Guy Haslam (Chair)

3 Summary of 2017 BCT has had a very successful year in 2017 - its 19th full year of operation. The Trust has continued to grow and deliver projects on behalf of the community. The highlights were:

Slewdrum and Balfour Forests The Finzean Water Mills

A programme of thinning was The Trust has continued its work to completed on the south west side of repair the weir at the Saw Mill which Balfour Forest during 2017. Balfour was damaged in the January 2016 Forest also provided a venue for the floods. This has taken longer than Scottish 6 Day Orienteering anticipated and we are looking to Championships, whilst Slewrum Forest complete the final section of the weir hosted a horse carriage driving event in 2018. The Trust has been working during the summer. A mobile telephone with both SEPA and the River Dee mast was installed in Slewdrum Forest Fisheries Board to balance the need to during 2017, which generates an annual get water to the Mills and also allow rental income for BCT. fish to move up the river to spawn –

Some of the thinning timber in Balfour Forest awaiting uplift to the mill

4 The partially repaired weir at Finzean Sawmill

the weir was the largest obstacle to fish movement in the River Dee catchment area. The final design has a notch in the central section to allow fish to move up the river even when the water level is low. When the work is completed, BCT will have spent over £20,000 repairing the weirs, with over Replacement picnic bench in Finzean School Wood 85% of this funded by grants.

Finzean Community Path and Woods path, disturbing farm animals and ground nesting birds and also trying to The Trust continues to maintain the reduce the amount of dog mess on the Finzean Community Path and School path. We would be extremely grateful Wood, including replacing the picnic of any help local people can give us in bench in the wood (with donations these areas. from Finzean Community Council and Community Association). We have also The BCT Archive thinned some trees around the houses at Boghead behind the old Post Office. In the last 4 months of 2017, we have completed a thorough review of the We continue to manage two issues - Archive and ensured that all the people walking into fields close to the material is properly stored. 5 Scottish 6 Day Orienteering Championships headquarters set up in the field adjacent to Balfour Forest

Other Events

• The Trustees presented their plans to the community at the AGM in May. As part of the AGM the trustees hosted guided visits to the sawmill, turning mill and weir for anyone who wished to learn more about the buildings and ongoing projects.

• The Trust organised the annual Remembrance Day Service at Corsedarder on Sunday 12th Nov, attended by over 40 people.

Trustees hosting guided tours of the Sawmill, Turning Mill and Weir as part of the AGM

Remembrance Day service on Corsedardar

6 Plans for 2018 people who are interested in maintaining the Mills can help the The Water Mills Mills project manager. If you are interested in helping, please contact We plan to complete the repair of the BCT on our e-mail address. weir and continue to maintain the Finzean Mills. We are also planning to The Archive and Finzean Old School complete two new projects. Following on from the review of the • Firstly, the Trust was one of three Archive, we are looking to start a 2-3 selected charities in the Tesco “Bags year project to develop the Archive and for Life” scheme in November and to make it more accessible using December 2017. As a result of the Finzean Old School. Currently, the Old support we received (thank you) School holds the BCT Office and the Tesco have given us a £2,000 Primary School Library/Reading Room donation which will allow us to and we want to look at options to make install an information noticeboard in better use of this building. This will be the car park opposite the Saw Mill a long term project which will involve and help us to maintain the Mills. grant funding applications etc. We will • Secondly, we are planning to set up report back on our progress both at the a “Friends of the Mills” group so that AGM and in the 2018 Annual Report.

The Bucket Mill in the Forst of Birse

7 The entrance to The Foggage track, a very popular circular walking route through Balfour Forest

Walking Routes put in separate accounts while the Trustees identify the best way to use Through BTCo, we are looking at ways this money for the benefit for the to improve access at both Slewdrum community. and Balfour Forests. This project will be based around our forestry thinning For more information on BTCo please operations with the initial step being to go to BCT’s website. install information signs identifying walking routes, noting that we do not BCT Anniversary have any plans to develop the sites into 2018 is the 20th Anniversary of Birse large scale organised walking areas. Community Trust and the Trustees are looking at potential ways to mark this Birse Trading Company (BTCo) milestone. It is a significant BTCo is a wholly owned subsidiary of achievement as many Community BCT which manages Slewdrum and Trusts do not make it past 10 years. Balfour Forests. During 2017, BCT received donations totalling £40,000 from BTCo. These donations have been 8 Direction In particular the trustees would like to thank Robin Callander for the huge In the first 20 years of development, amount of time he gave in setting up BCT has very much focused in the Trust and getting it to where it is establishing itself as a successful today. Robin has decided to and reduce community business with BCT the work he does for BCT, although he focusing on forests and buildings and will still be available to provide advice in establishing a secure income where required. stream. The Trustees now believe that we need to focus on increasing our engagement with the community, as the feedback we have received has been that BCT has in some areas become disconnected from the community. The Trustees are very keen to close this perceived gap, realising that this will take time.

Robert and Dorothy Dinnie People working or volunteering for BCT At the AGM Robert Dinnie stood down The trustees would like to thank those as our Paton of 9 years. Robert was people who have either worked or one of the founding trustees and along volunteered their time for BCT – their with the help of wife Dorothy have support is invaluable and without them given 19 years of dedicated service to BCT would not be what it is today. the Trust.

Jean McLeod being presented with flowers at the AGM

Jean McLeod also stood down as Chair Robin Callander, founder of BCT after 5 years but has generously agreed to be our Patron. 9 Installers hoisting the new phone mast into place in Slewdrum Forest

Management and Trustees

BCT did not have a manager in 2017 Trust and we are always looking for with the role being covered by the new Trustees, as we would very much Trustees and other personnel working like to have the full complement of for the Trust, but have decided to recruit seven trustees from across the parish one in 2018, as the Trustees believe and have a mix of male and female that the Trust will continue to progress Trustees to provide a balance across and develop under the supervision of a the community. manager. Being a Trustee is not an overly onerous I would like to thank the other four duty and allows people to have a say in Trustees for all their work and support what the Trust does and also its during the last year. Each of the development. If you are interested in Trustees focus on particular areas of becoming a Trustee please contact the Trust working with the relevant [email protected] project/site manager. The Trustees are or one of the Trustees and we can key to the continued success of the provide more information. 10 Finances Feedback Financially the Trust is in a very solid You will have noticed that the format of place. In 2017, the Trust had a total the Annual Report has changed this income of over £82,000 (including the year – this is very much a trial. The £40,000 donation from BTCo) with the Annual Report is an excellent way to main other sources of income being engage with the community but it is rent from the forests and the also an expensive exercise – this year’s telephone mast (£11,000), and grants report will cost less than half of last for the repair of the mills and for tree year’s report. This will enable the Trust planting in the Commonty woods to put more money into community £16,000. projects. We welcome feedback on this format as we can easily revert to the The main items of expenditure were old format next year, if preferred. managing the Commonty Pinewoods (£5,000), the repair of the mills and We also welcome feedback (good or weir (£7,000), maintaining the bad) on the Trust and its work as a buildings, paths and woods (£5,000) whole. It is the Community’s Trust and and the cost of administering the Trust the Trustees are there to represent the (insurance, accounts and general views of the community. We would be running costs - £18,500). The Trust is very happy to meet with individuals to very focused on keeping its discuss their thoughts and ideas – we administration costs as low as may not be able to deliver all your possible. requests, but at least we can explain why we haven’t been able to! A summary of the Trust’s 2017 finances are included on the following two pages. Page 12 shows the approved balance sheet for 2017 and page 13 provides a summary of income and expenditure for the year. The detailed accounts are available from our website. Please feel free to contact the Trust if you need any further information.

11 BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEMBER 2016

2016 2015 Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total Total funds funds funds funds funds ££ £££

FIXED ASSETS Tangible assets 80,062 500,476 - 580,538 567,238 Investments 2- -22

80,064 500,476 - 580,540 567,240

CURRENT ASSETS Stocks 3,450 --3,450 3,518 Debtors 1,447 --1,447 1,187 Cash at bank and in hand 34,476 1,505 75,723 111,704 111,717

39,373 1,505 75,723 116,601 116,422

CREDITORS Amounts falling due within one year (2,305) --(2,305) (3,338)

NET CURRENT ASSETS 37,068 1,505 75,723 114,296 113,084

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 117,132 501,981 75,723 694,836 680,324

NET ASSETS 117,132 501,981 75,723 694,836 680,324

FUNDS Unrestricted funds 117,132 116,808 Restricted funds 501,981 488,516 Endowment funds 75,723 75,000

TOTAL FUNDS 694,836 680,324

12 BCT 2017 Financial Summary

Income Area Amount Comment

Balfour & Slewdrum Forests 6 ,000 Birse Trading Company Ltd Rent Slewdrum Forest 5 ,000 EE Telephone mast Commonty 16,182 SRDP Planting Grant completed in 2016 G r a n t s a n d BTCo donation 40,000 Money transferred to Endowment Fund d o n a t i o n s Donations for weir repairs 6,960 Thin Trust and River Dee Trust Donations 2,407 Individuals Sales and services 3 ,844 Book sales, wooden products, etc O t h e r i n c o m e Subscriptions 425 Associate Members Gift aid 814 Interest 500 Total income 82,132

Expenditure Commonty Pinewoods 4,953 Planting and maintainance Balfour & Slewdrum Forests 2,536 Agreement for EE Mast - covered by donation Mills (General) 7,032 Weir repairs and work at the Mills L a n d a n d Comm Woods & Path 1,305 Upkeep of the paths b u i l d i n g s Corsedardar 105 Memorial Service and upkeep Finzean Old School 1,038 Flag / Fire Checks, PAT Testing Soutars Shop 165 Maintainance Parish Archive 552 Work to update Archive Total project expenditure 17,686 Office admin/book keeping ,596 Insurance 4,045 Buildings and Forests Accountant fees 2,050 Community events 1,567 Inc. cost of AGM/producing Annual Report A d m i n i s t r a t i o n Stationery, postage, phone 1,164 Includes mailing Annual Report Website 197 Legal & professional fees 716 Electricity 189 Depreciation 934 Total adminstrative costs 18,458 Total expenditure 36,144 Transfer to endowment fund 40,000 Net total Surplus 5,988

13 AN ACCOUNT OF THE PARISH OF BIRSE by Robert Dinnie Published by BCT Paperback, 170 pages; £8.50 BCT's edition of Robert Dinnie's classic 19th century history of Birse Parish. Originally published in 1865, Dinnie's book contains a wealth of information about the parish, including chapters on Birse, Ballogie and Finzean.

HISTORY IN BIRSE by Robin Callander Published by BCT Paperback, 180 pages; £9.75 BCT's edition includes all four original volumes of History in Birse published in 1981-85. The book contains over 60 articles on many different aspects of the parish's history, with over 40 old photographs and many other illustrations.

Copies post free in Birse Parish, £2.50 postage elsewhere in UK BCT, The Old School, Finzean, AB31 6NY email: [email protected] 14 Donations and Legacies

This Report describes some of the work done by Birse Community Trust (BCT) to conserve historic sites in Birse parish and carry out a wide range of other projects to promote the common good of the local community and deliver wider public benefits.

BCT is a local charity (Scottish Charity Number SC028220) and donations make an essential contribution to helping BCT conserve the heritage of Birse parish and its three communities of Birse, Ballogie and Finzean.

Please help BCT conserve the heritage of Birse Parish by making a donation.

BCT is also very grateful to those who leave a legacy to BCT for the Birse Parish Endowment Fund, which was established by BCT to help provide long term support to maintain the historic sites that BCT looks after on behalf of the local community.

For more information, please contact:- BCT, The Old School, Finzean, Banchory AB31 6NY email: [email protected]

Cover Image: View across the natural re-generation in Balfour Forest.

Copyright: Photographs in this Report are the © of the individual photographers. 15 Birse Community Trust exists “to promote the common good of the inhabitants of Birse parish and deliver wider public benefits”. Everyone on the Electoral Register covering the parish is eligible to be a member of BCT and responsible for electing up to seven local Trustees who run BCT on behalf of the community. BCT undertakes a wide range of local projects. BCT’s core partners are Birse parish’s three Community Associations and two Community Councils.

BCT is a company limited by guarantee (SC188799) and a Scottish charity (SC028220) with its registered office at J&H Mitchell, WS, 51 Atholl Road, Pitlochry PH16 5BU.

Birse Community Trust BCT The Old School, Finzean, Banchory AB31 6NY

Tel: 01330 850200 Email: [email protected] www.birsecommunitytrust.org.uk