2025-10-31-accounts

APPENDIX 1

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period	Trustees’ Annual Report for the period	Trustees’ Annual Report for the period	Trustees’ Annual Report for the period	Trustees’ Annual Report for the period	Trustees’ Annual Report for the period	Trustees’ Annual Report for the period	Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
	Period start date				Period end date
	Day	Month	Year		Day	Month	Year
From				To

Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator

Reference and administration details

Charity name Scottish Slate Islands Heritage Trust Other names charity is known by Registered charity number SC029805 Charity’s principal address 13A Ellenabeich Oban

Postcode PA34 4RQ

Names of the charity trustees on date of approval of Trustees’ Annual Report

	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	James Fenton	Chairman
	Seumas Anderson
	Isobelle Smith
	George Mackenzie
	Julian Taylor
	Paul Carling
	Maggie Danskin

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APPENDIX 1

Reference and administration details

Names of all other charity trustees during the period, if any, (for example, those who resigned part way through the financial period)

Name	Name	Dates acted if not for whole year
Alice Clayton		1 November 2024 – 14 July 2025
Structure, governance and management
Type of governing document Trustee recruitment and appointment
	Deed of Trust,	9 February 2000
	From Deed of Trust: 9(b) New Trustees may be appointed by resolution of the Trustees recorded in the Minutes and signed by the new Trustees and such records shall be conclusive evidence of the appointment.
Objectives and activities
Charitable purposes Summary of the main activities in relation to these objects
	To advance the education of the public on the former slate industry, together with the life and times of people within the Islands of Easdale, Seil, Luing and Belnahua, and other areas outwith these Islands as may be appropriate.
	To welcome visitors to the Heritage Centre and Museum in Ellenabeich, open to the public April-October. To research and record industrial practice, architectural and sociological aspects of the area and the former slate industry within the area. To collect documents, records, artifacts and other items associated with the area and the former slate industry, together with their conservation and preservation. To maintain an indexed catalogue of all such items.

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APPENDIX 1

Achievements and performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the financial period

a. Visit to Inveraray archives A successful visit was made in May when nine volunteers visited the Archives at Inveraray Castle. The visit was hosted by the archivist Donald MacDougall, who showed us some historical documents relating to the Isle of Seil. After the visit, he kindly emailed us a copy of a 1792 document related to the working of the slate quarries. b. 25th Anniversary A buffet lunch was held in Seil Hall on 20 September to celebrate the Scottish Slate Islands Heritage Trust’s 25th year. The lunch was open to all and about forty people attended, with food provided by the Oyster Bar. James Fenton, Trust Chairman, gave an introductory talk, followed by Mike Shaw, President of the Trust, who gave an illuminating insight into the early days of the Trust. Following the cutting of the 25th Anniversary cake (made by Dorothy Haddon), the group proceeded to the square at Ellenabeich, where a plaque was unveiled in celebration of the first 25 years. This is located in one of the raised flower beds which is now to be managed by the Trust (thanks to the efforts of Willie Munro). c. Visitor numbers A total of 6,188 visitors this year, compared to 5,289 in 2024; 6,191 in 2023; and 6,723 in 2022. d. Bus tours Over the season, Globus notified us in advance of the dates they would visiting. The approach, pioneered by Willie Munro, was deemed a success, and would continue this year: this involved splitting the visiting group into two, where one was given a guided tour of the village, while the other was in the museum. Other bus companies, such as Lochs and Glens, only visited sporadically. e. Digital archives (from Tim Sinclair) He provided an update on the work he had been doing over the year in adding to the digital archive record on the website. This included more information about the doctor Patrick Gillies’ time during the 1915 Gallipoli campaign, the island’s churches, and the artillery video. He has improved the website to make it better when viewed through a smartphone, and is currently in the process of updating the QR codes in the Heritage Centre. f. Archive centre plans In the autumn of 2025, a suggestion was made to the trustees that they investigate buying No.23 Ellenabeich (along the street from the museum) in order to create a new archive centre. After a significant amount of background research, it was decided not to proceed with the idea – not least because of the cost of upgrading the building, and the long-term burden of owning two buildings.

Financial review
Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves Details of any deficit Donated facilities and services (if any)
	Trustees have agreed a policy of retaining a minimum of £10,000 in the charity’s accounts.
	None
	The trustees and volunteers all donate their services without charging.

APPENDIX 1

Other optional information

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Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) OSCR will accept digital or typed signatures Full name(s) James Heneage Crosland Fenton Gerard Hoen Position (e.g. Chair) Chairman Honorary Treasurer Date 3rd April 2026 1[st] June 2026

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