Background
In 2013, the land and most of the lighthouse buildings at the Mull of Galloway passed into the ownership of the local community. As part of this, the Mull of Galloway Trust was established to manage and care for this unique asset. Run by a Board of volunteer Trustees, the Trust is a Scottish charity (registered number SC043557) with the remit of maintaining and caring for the Mull, which is a registered Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Since the lighthouse is still a working light, the tower is owned and maintained by the Northern Lighthouse Board. Thanks to their kind agreement, the Mull of Galloway Trust is allowed to admit visitors to the tower during the summer months (weekends, bank holidays and school holidays). However, other than the lighthouse tower, all the buildings and other structures within and around the lighthouse compound are managed and maintained directly by the Trust. This includes the lighthouse keepers’ cottages, the engines and engine room, the foghorn, the lighthouse garden and some 30 acres of land.
Purpose of the Trust
The main purposes of the Mull of Galloway Trust are:
- To manage community land and associated assets for the benefit of the Community and the public in general.
- To provide, or assist in providing, recreational facilities, and/or organising recreational activities, which will be available to members of the Community and public at large with the object of improving the conditions of life of the Community.
- To advance community development, including urban or rural regeneration within the Community.
- To advance the education of the Community about its environment, culture, heritage and/or history.
- To advance environmental protection or improvement including preservation, sustainable development and conservation of the natural environment, the maintenance, improvement or provision of environmental amenities for the Community and/or the preservation of buildings or sites of architectural, historic or other importance to the Community.
While the Trust does receive some income from letting out the lighthouse keepers’ cottages as holiday accommodation, the cost of maintaining the whole site is considerable. As well as employing staff to manage and clean the cottages and to man the exhibition and lighthouse tours, there is the expense of contractors and maintenance staff to look after the buildings (most of which are listed, so require careful treatment) and the surrounding landscape. The Trust therefore also relies on donations to allow it to continue its work and preserve this remarkable place, both for the benefit of the community and for the thousands of visitors who come to enjoy the Mull each year.
If you would like to help us maintain this beautiful piece of Scotland’s natural environment and maritime history, there are ways you can get involved.
Constitution
The Mull of Galloway Trust is bound by a Constitution that was drawn up under the auspices of the Office of the Scottish Charities Regulator (OSCR). A copy of the Consitution can be downloaded below.
Membership
Ordinary membership of the Mull of Galloway Trust is open to anyone aged 16 or over who:
- is resident in the community;
and - is entitled to vote at a local government election in a polling district that includes the community or part of it;
and - supports the purposes of the Trust
The community in this case is defined to be the Kirkmaiden Parish. It comprises the postcode areas listed as Eligible Postcodes on this page. If you live in the Kirkmaiden parish and wish to become a member, you will need to complete an application form, have it countersigned by two existing members and pay a one-off fee of £2.00.
All Ordinary Members are entitled to attend the AGM of the Trust and other General Meetings. They are also entitled to elect Trustees and to take decisions and vote on such Trust matters as are presented to the membership for voting at meetings.
Associate and Junior Memberships are also available, the former for persons who are not resident in the parish or to represent groups or other organisations and the latter for individuals between the ages of 12 and 15. Neither Associate nor Junior Members are allowed to stand for election or to vote at meetings.
Click here for a list of eligible postcodes
- DG9 9HA
- DG9 9HB
- DG9 9HD
- DG9 9HE
- DG9 9HF
- DG9 9HJ
- DG9 9HR
- DG9 9HS
- DG9 9NA
- DG9 9NB
- DG9 9ND
- DG9 9NE
- DG9 9NF
- DG9 9NG
- DG9 9NH
- DG9 9NJ
- DG9 9NL
- DG9 9NN
- DG9 9NP
- DG9 9NR
- DG9 9NS
- DG9 9NT
- DG9 9NU
- DG9 9NW
- DG9 9NX
- DG9 9PS
- DG9 9PT
- DG9 9PU
- DG9 9PX
- DG9 9PY
- DG9 9PZ
- DG9 9QA
- DG9 9QD
- DG9 9QE
- DG9 9QF
- DG9 9QG
- DG9 9QL
- DG9 9QN
- DG9 9QP
- DG9 9QR
- DG9 9QS
- DG9 9QT
- DG9 9QU
- DG9 9QW
- DG9 9QX
- DG9 9QY
- DG9 9RB
- DG9 9QZ
- DG9 9HG
- DG9 9HQ
- DG9 9HH
- DG9 9RD
- DG9 9HW
- DG9 9HL
- DG9 9HN
- DG9 9HP
If you are resident in one of the eligible postcodes above, and you would like to become a Member of the Trust, please complete the form below and one of the Trustees will be in touch.
Membership Form
Board of Trustees
The day to day management of the Trust, its property and its funds is carried out by a Board of Charity Trustees. This board is made up of:
- Up to 9 elected Trustees who are Ordinary Members of the Trust who are elected by other members at a General Meeting (or appointed automatically if there are fewer candidates than vacancies)
- Up to 3 appointed Trustees:
- one representing Kirkmaiden Community Council
- one representing the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
- one representing the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB); and
- Up to 2 Trustees co-opted onto the board to provide additional breadth of experience and skills
At any given time, the number of Charity Trustees on the Board cannot be less than three or more than fourteen.
Elected Charity Trustees serve a three-year term of office, after which they can be re-elected immediately if they wish to continue to serve and there is a vacancy. If there are more candidates than vacancies, retiring Trustees who wish to continue on the Board must be elected by vote in the same manner as any other candidate.
At each Annual General Meeting (AGM), at least one third of the Elected Charity Trustees must retire from office, but may then stand and be re-elected immediately.
Current Board Members
Elected Trustees:
- Alex Peebles, Chair
- Dianne James, Treasurer
- Harvey Sloan
- John Ansell
- Sheila Hainey
- Mhairi Lammie
- Phil Hunt
Co-opted Trustees:
- Maureen Chand
- Donald McColm
Appointed Trustees:
- Representative for Northern Lighthouse Board
- Representative for RSPB
- Representative for Kirkmaiden Community Council
Roles and responsibilities of trustees
The role of Charity Trustee is unpaid and comes with a number of specific responsibilities and duties. The overarching principle throughout is that the Trustee must act in the interests of the organisation. For full details, see clauses 46 and 47 of the Trust Constitution (available above).
How to become a Mull of Galloway Trust Charity Trustee
To become a Trustee, you must be a member of the Trust (or be eligible to become a member) and be nominated by a minimum of 2 existing Trust members.
The members nominating a new Trustee must put their proposal in writing and deliver it to the Trust’s Registered Office no less than 7 days prior to the next AGM. They should establish the nominee is willing to act as a Trustee if elected and state this in their proposal.
Employees of the Mull of Galloway Trust may not be nominated as or become Charity Trustees.
Charity Trustees are volunteers and receive no remuneration for their role. They serve a 3 year term, after which they are immediately eligible to be re-elected onto the Board.
Registered Office:
Mull of Galloway Trust
Mull of Galloway
Drummore
Stranraer
DG9 9HP
Have a chat
If you are interested in becoming a Trustee or volunteering with the Trust, please get in touch for a chat. We are always happy to explain more about what is involved and would be more than happy to meet up and answer any questions you may have.
Please email info@mull-of-galloway.co.uk with your name and contact phone number and one of the Trustees will call or email you back.
Trust Finances
The Trust is funded by donations (entry to the lighthouse exhibition and tower is by donation) and by income generated from the three Lighthouse Holiday Cottages. These funds are used to support the Trust’s stated goals, as detailed in the Constitution and summarised at the top of this page (see Purpose of the Trust). These goals may be achieved directly through the actions of the Trust and its employees or contractors or through grants to individuals and organisations for work within the community.
The Trust keeps full accounts, in accordance with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, and the accounts for each year are made available at the Annual General Meeting.
Community Grants
The Mull of Galloway Trust has a committment to the local community and can issue small grants to individuals or groups. Please email info@mull-of-galloway.co.uk for a grant application form.
Complaints Procedure
If you have a complaint to make about the Mull of Galloway Trust, please send an email to info@mull-of-galloway.co.uk or write to the Trust at
Mull of Galloway
Drummore, Stranraer
DG9 9HP
Please give us details of your complaint or issue and the board will respond within 21 working days.
Donations
If you wish to donate to the Mull of Galloway Trust to allow us to continue our work in preserving this special place, you can donate on our JustGiving page. Thank you!