St. Andrew’s Kirk, Glass SCIO
Trustees’ Annual Report
From 1st January 2022 to 28th February 2023
Charity contact information
St. Andrew’s Kirk, Glass SCIO
Scottish Charity Number: SC050645
St. Andrew’s Church,
Glass,
Huntly
AB54 4XH
Telephone number 01466 700280
Email address info@glasskirk.org
Website www.glasskirk.org
Facebook St. Andrew’s Kirk, Glass
Charity Trustees
At 28th February 2023
- Mr E. Andrews
- Mr M. Day
- Mr M. Taitt
- Mrs M. Wordie
Objectives and activities
The aims of the charity St. Andrew’s Kirk, Glass are:
To permanently preserve the building known as Glass Parish Church as a church accessible by the public.
To advance arts, heritage, culture, or science by making the building accessible to the public for such use.
To advance community development.
During this, the second year of the charity, the work carried out by the trustees has broadly followed the aims as detailed in last year’s report i.e.
To inspect and maintain the structural integrity of the building and carry out repairs as necessary.
To inspect, repair as required and meet legal requirements of the electrical safety of the building.
To inspect the stained glass and other windows of the building and to identify repairs and refurbishment required in order to preserve same.
To engage the services of an architect in order that basic infrastructure such as toilet and washing facilities can be made available to the public when using the building.
To create the start of a local community research centre.
Structure, governance and management
Type of governing document
St Andrew’s Kirk, Glass is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation governed by a constitution.
Trustee recruitment and appointment
Following the death of Pamela Ingleby, two more trustees were recruited bringing the total to four.
Achievements and performance
During the period to 28th February 2023 (the anniversary of the creation of a bank account) the following actions have been taken:
A successful application was made for the grant of funding from REAP (Rural Environmental Action Project) for the provision of architectural services for a planning application for toilet and washroom facilities in the church building. The services of an architect have been engaged to complete the process detailed above. At the date of this report, the planning permission had still to be granted. Although submitted in a timely fashion such that the permission was expected in December, late requests by the council for further information meant delays beyond the charity’s control which the council acknowledged. The full permission has since been granted.
During the period the report covers, repairs and inspection of the church’s electrical system were completed.
An inspection of the windows in the building has been carried out and a report provided and devices to monitor temperature and humidity have been installed on 2 of the stained-glass windows. An application was made to the Cairnie, Glass Community Trust for a grant to cover most of the costs involved in the refurbishment of some of the windows highlighted in the report.
Scaffolding used by the electrician for the inspection works was kindly left to enable a painter to repair water damage caused by rainwater while the church was still in the possession of the Church authorities. The roof has since been repaired. It was during this work that a bible dating from 1894 and belonging to Bella McGregor was found in one of the ceiling beams. The tale of the bible and speculation on how it found its home made the local press and although no direct descendants were found, one family member turned up.
Financial review
The charity is mindful of the fact that certain unavoidable, ongoing costs need to be prepared for. These include insurance (a large sum given that we are dealing with a listed building open to the public) and electricity costs, both standing and consumer costs.
It is therefore our intention to keep a reserve to cover these items.
The following charts show the proportions of the various categories for each.
Future plans
Now that the planning permission has been secured, the trustees will begin the process of obtaining quotations for the toilet works and the funding necessary.
Declaration
Signed on behalf of the charity trustees:
Print name E. Andrews
Designation Chair
Date: 27th June 2023