SC033099
Annual Report and Accounts 2025.
Contents
Chairpersons Report Secretaries Report Annual Report Committee Objectives
Review of Developments, activities and achievements Annual Accounts & Treasurers Report
Chairpersons’ Report
It’s been another busy year for the guild where we have welcomed new members and visitors who have joined us. It’s lovely to see new faces and have the opportunity to share our passion for our craft. We hope you enjoy learning and sharing skills together as we fall down the rabbit hole of fibre crafts.
Thank you to our talented guild members who have shared their knowledge with us through teaching workshops this year, each one has been very enthusiastically received and enjoyed. We appreciate the organisation and preparation you have put in to deliver such excellent learning opportunities.
April saw us enjoy a Tunisian crochet workshop with Tracey Van Loggerenberg creating some lovely samples to inspire further exploration of a new skill.
May’s workday was enjoyed with a later than usual date for our annual Hanni’s Quaich challenge, which this year was marking VE day. Unusually, the trophy was awarded to both entries as the quality of the work was so high, with very clever and imaginative details. We would encourage all members to submit entries, whether you are a beginner or experienced member as we love seeing the different pieces which inspire all of us.
June saw us warping together and a workday, with some of our members demonstrating their skills, promoting the guild and our craft at Leith Hall National Trust Property. If you ever have the opportunity to demonstrate, I would highly recommend you join in as its always an interesting experience and encourages new people to have a go.
July saw Kara Milne share the joy of felting, exploring creative 3d possibilities and surface design, with all inspired and buzzing with ideas.
August’s workday enabled us to work on our projects as we chat, inspiring each other with colour and creativity, offering advice, problem solving and encouragement. Workdays are always a lovely experience where we welcome anyone to join us and have a go.
Some of our members entered items for the Turriff show, and it is encouraging to see many more entries keeping the spinning, weaving, dyeing classes on the list of categories. Lots of lovely examples of work, which reaches a wider audience, promoting the craft and in turn, the guild.
September’s topic was colour work knitting to make a mug cosy with Kara Milne, sharing yet more skills. Stranded colour work was knitted in the round, with lots of concentration, learning to follow charts and new knitting techniques, ready for the brave move of cutting the work with scissors in the follow-on Steeking workshop held in October. Many lovely buttoned mug cosies now decorate morning coffee mugs.
November saw Moira Douglas teach us how to make beaded leather bracelets with sparkly crystals and co-ordinated leather. Some very beautiful bracelets were made, with perhaps lucky recipients for Christmas.
We shared our usual Christmas potluck lunch in December, and despite being fewer in numbers this year, a feast was enjoyed along with some beautiful secret Santa presents shared.
Tracey Van Loggerenberg shared another of her many skills with a Sprang workshop in January 2026. A most fascinating ancient art of producing an elastic woven cloth on rustic stick frames. There was lots of concentration, evidenced by how quiet it was, as folk learned the technique.
Thank you again, to all our tutors who shared their skills, it is very much appreciated, and we look forward to exciting workshops to come. The committee welcome ideas and suggestions for future workshops along with items for the newsletter and encourage you to be brave and share your knowledge.
The Association of Guilds of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers (AGWSD) provide further learning opportunities through their teaching programmes and summer schools and local members who have participated speak highly of their experiences. Further information can be found in the AGSWD newsletters that you receive in emails or please ask any member of the committee for further information.
I would like to thank all our committee members for their support and input, to keep the guild running, enabling us all to enjoy workshops and workdays. Some of us are approaching the end of our term of office and we would encourage all to contribute to ensure the Grampian Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers can continue to function. It is not an onerous
commitment when all contribute and share the organisation required. We have vacant committee posts that have not been filled when members have moved away, including workshop organiser, librarian and ordinary members and would welcome your contribution.
I would like to take this opportunity to remember our long-term member, Evelyn Duncan, who sadly passed away in early December at the age of 89. Evelyn had been an enthusiastic member of the guild since the 1980’s, serving in various roles on the committee for many years where she compiled many photographic records and files of our ventures as a Guild.
She designed and oversaw the Millenium Tapestry Project in 1999/2000, a massive project that was exhibited widely and remains in Aberdeen. I was on holiday in the Appalachian Mountains some years later, visiting an open day of historical crafts, which included weaving and spinning. I was talking with one of the weavers who, on hearing where I was from,
proceeded to tell me all about the Grampian Guild’s Millenium Tapestry Project, having seen it and contributed herself. A very proud moment and connection across the world. For those that remember Evelyn, you are welcome to join a memorial being held on 28 March at 2pm at the Atholl Hotel in Aberdeen. Please speak to Carole Keepax if you would like to attend.
You should also have received an email with the details.
We thank and remember all those members we have lost or have moved away for their friendship and contribution to the Guild and last and not least, to all of you here, for another year of joy, inspiration and fellowship.
Hilary
Secretary’s’ Report
– Grampian Guild AGM Secretary’s Report 2024
2025 was a good year for our Guild. We have welcomed new members, who are all very enthusiastic and keen to learn and share their expertise with us.
We've had some terrific, and well attended, workshops both from outside providers and from our own very talented members.
Membership is slightly up on last year, and we hope to keep this upward trajectory going in 2026. With this in mind, the Committee are considering what we would need to do and what we would need from members to participate in NEOS in 2026, as this could be a really good way of letting people know that we are here, and open to new members regardless of skill level, and will showcase our talented members and the work they produce.
We are always open to requests for demonstrations and workshops to outside bodies, and hopefully we will be able to do more of this next year. We rely heavily on our members to help us do this, as it is their skills that people want to see. We explained this to the Association and one of the North Scotland and NI area meeting, and we extended an invitation to any member from these other guilds who find themselves in the North East of Scotland, we would be delighted to see them. This was reciprocated to our members from all in attendance.
Sadly, at the end of the year we lost Evelyn Duncan. Evelyn was a stalwart member of our Guild, had served on the committee and was always keen to share her vast wealth of knowledge and skill with us. As mentioned in our Chairpersons Report, Evelyn designed a textile project to celebrate the Millenium, which illustrated the history, landscape and villages of the North East of Scotland and beyond. She will be missed by all who knew her.
Our Guild is strong, vibrant and filled with brilliant people, so here's to a
fabulous 2026!
Katrina
Annual Report
Committee
Chairperson Hillary Baker Treasurer Jane Price/ Moira Douglas Secretary Katrina Michie Librarian Equipment Librarian Kara Milne Newsletter Kay Reid Events Coordinator Kara Milne Member Catherine Michie Member Leigh Mitchell
Objectives
Review of Developments, achievements and Activities GGWSD (Scottish Charity SC033099) is an Unincorporated Association.
The constitution may be viewed at the monthly workdays or by application to the Charity Trustees.
GGWSD is affiliated to the Association of Guilds of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers (AGWSD) (Registered Charity No. 289590)
Trustees are elected from and by the membership at the AGM which is held in February each year.
The requirements for the nomination and election of Trustees are explained in the constitution.
Trustees (Committee Members) are elected for a period of two years and must stand for re-election if they wish to continue.
The charitable purpose of GGWSD as set out in the Charities and Trustees Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 is: ‘the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture of science’ (Section 7g)
The constitutional objectives are given:
- The preservation and improvement of craftsmanship in hand weaving, spinning and dyeing, for the public benefit. 2. The advancement of public education in such craftsmanship.
GGWSD holds monthly meetings, often including a ‘mini workshop’ in which a member demonstrates a particular skill or technique. In addition, we host external tutors, often for weekend workshops, allowing for more specialised tuition. Non-member visitors are always welcome to attend workdays and experienced
members are generous with their assistance and advice. Each year the Guild aims to hold at least one external exhibition/demonstration to reach members of the
public who might not otherwise be acquainted with our crafts. The guild possesses a library of specialist books and an assortment of equipment available to loan to members. The GGWSD may look to have specialist study groups on any of the disciplines with the agreement of the committee should the requirement arise.
March – AGM April – Tunisian Crochet May – Warping June – Wet Felting July – 3d wet felting
August – Open Day September – Fair Isle Colour Work October – Steeking
November – Beaded Bracelet making December – Christmas Party and workday
Demonstrations were given by members at various events during the year.
Annual Accounts & Treasurers Report
Trustees are happy to report an increase in the value of reserves in the last 12 Months, leaving the charity in a strong position to support the 2026 workshop program and our foray into NEOS.
As many of our workshop tutors have to be booked well in advance, often before the workshop is advertised and the fees collected we are slightly vulnerable in this area. However, the workshops have been and will continue to be priced to be affordable with the aim for them to break even.
Thank you to the members and committee members who have given generously of their time and talents in providing assistance and advice to others and also to answering enquiries by phone and e-mail. Trustees generally do not claim the full cost of postage/ stationery/printing and phone calls incurred in carrying out their duties. During the past year members have given demonstrations, led workshops and have assisted visiting tutor. Our thanks must go to Kara for leading quite a few of these workshops.
Moira
Statement of Receipts and Payments for the year ended 31[st ] December 2025
| Receipts Note Guild membership fees Donations 4 |
2025 £ 2024 £ |
|---|---|
| 865.00 1035.00 434.00 412.50 |
| Receipts from charitable activities | 5 | 141.00 | 2794.00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous receipts | 6 | 160.00 | 0.00 | |
| Total receipts | 1600.0 | 4241.50 | ||
| Payments | 2025 | 2024 | ||
| £ | £ | |||
| Fundraising costs | 7 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| . | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| Cost of charitable activities | 8 | 721.08 | 3234.55 | |
| Miscellaneous expenses | 9 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| . | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| Governance costs previous year | 10 | 50.00 | 50.00 | |
| Total Payments | 771.08 | 3284.55 | ||
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | 828.92 | 956.95 | ||
| Statement of Balances as at 31stDecember 2025 | ||||
| 2025 | 2024 | |||
| £ | £ | |||
| Opening cash at bank and in hand | 8362.42 | 7405.47 | ||
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | 828.92 | 956.95 | ||
| Closing cash at bank and in hand | 9191.34 | 8362.42 | ||
| Bank and Cash Balances | ||||
| 2025 | 2024 | |||
| £ | £ | |||
| Bank account | 9103.64 | 8294.27 | ||
| Petty cash | 87.70 | 68.15 | ||
| 9191.34 | 8362.42 | |||
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31[st] December 2025
1. Basis of accounting
These accounts have been prepared on the Receipts and Payments basis in accordance with the Charities and Trustees Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006) as amended.
2. Nature and purpose of funds
Unrestricted funds are those that may be used at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charity. The trustees maintain a single unrestricted fund for the day-to-day running of the Guild.
3. Related party transactions
No remuneration was paid to the trustees or any connected persons during the 2025 year.
4. Donations
| Workday Donations AGM Raffle Donations |
2025 £ 2024 £ |
|---|---|
| 388.00 372.50 46.00 0.00 0.00 40.00 |
|
| 434.00 412.50 |
5 Receipts from charitable activities
| Workshops (see note 11) Hire of guild equipment |
2025 £ 2024 £ |
|---|---|
| 121.00 2774.00 20.00 20.00 |
|
| 141.00 2794.00 |
6 Miscellaneous receipts
| Corrections for cheques 001412 + 001413 already debited in 2024 |
2025 £ 2024 £ |
|---|---|
| 160.00 0.00 |
7 Fundraising costs
| 8 Cost of charitable activities Affiliation fees AGWSD Rent Provision for refreshments Postage and stationery Books Bank Charges Workshop fees (see note 11) Miscellaneous 9 Miscellaneous payments 10 Governance costs 2025 £ Independent examiner’s fee 11 Workshops |
2025 £ 2024 £ |
|---|---|
| 0.00 0.00 |
|
| 2025 £ 2024 £ |
|
| 160.00 180.00 360.00 503.00 54.55 33.05 6.60 0.00 39.93 8.50 0.00 8.50 100.00 2510.00 0.00 0.00 |
|
| 721.08 3234.55 |
|
| 2025 £ 2024 £ |
|
| 0.00 0.00 |
|
| 2024 £ 50.00 50.00 |
Receipts from workshops
2025
2024
| £ | £ | |
|---|---|---|
| Tunisian Crochet | 110.00 | |
| Sprang – 2026 | 11.00 | |
| Tablet Weaving | 490.00 | |
| Willow weaving – market basket | 890.00 | |
| Corn dollies | 330.00 | |
| Natural dyeing | 175.00 | |
| Fun with tapestry weaving | 400.00 | |
| Shibori dyeing | 36.00 | |
| 3D felted gnomes | 453.00 | |
| 121.00 | 2774.00 | |
| Payments for workshops | 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ | |
| Tunisian Crochet tuition fee | 90.00 | |
| Refund for Tunisian Crochet | 10.00 | |
| Tablet Weaving tuition fee | 350.00 | |
| Willow weaving – market basket tuition and travel fee | 840.00 | |
| Corn dollies tuition fee | 315.00 | |
| Natural dyeing tuition fee | 150.00 | |
| Fun with tapestry weaving tuition fee | 405.00 | |
| Shibori dyeing equipment | 25.00 | |
| 3D felted gnomes tuition fee | 425.00 | |
| 100.00 | 2510.00 |