Qlb Oala Club {Galashiels and Dlstrict Local Hlstory Assoclation) Scottish Charity No. SC034141 Trustees Annual Report and Accounts Year ended 31 March 2026
Old Gala Club (Galashi813 and District Local History A8sociation) Trustses Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2026 Scotti8h Charfty No SC034141 Governing Document The Old Gala Club is a charitsble unincorporated association and the purposes and administration arrangernents are set out in our constitution. The Committee members are the Trustees of the charity and carry out their tasks voluntarily. No Committee member receives any payment or any expenses. Commlttee The annual general meeting was held on Wednesday 9th July 2025 and was presided over by Murray Dickson. The Committee and office bearers for the season April 2025 to April 2026 therefore has been President- Murray Dickson., Vice President Stuart Wilson Treasurer- Alan A Brown Membership Secretaries - Jackie and Colin Playfair General Committee Gordon Taylor, George Watson and Irene Mcauley. The Committee are the Trustees of the charity and cary out their tasks voluntarily. No Committee member receives any payment or expenses. The Committee meet on a regular basis and, in addition, members of the Committee continue to meet on a weekly basis to oversee the photographic group. Volunteers record, organise and copy the many photographs that are donated to the Club. Through the group a variety of requests for photographs has been satisfied. The Committee occasionally supply local interest groups on social media with photographs. The photographic group also select and copy photographs which form the main part of our annual exhibition. Bruce Jackson, a retired archivist, continues to archive our collection to professional standard. Vice President stuart Wilson continues the task of in the transferring data on the website to a new platform as well as being responsible for the setting up of audio and visual equipment during our winter programme. He is also responsible for the communication of the meetings and outings. Murray Dickson remains responsible for our ever growing collection of artefacts which are housed within Old Gala House. Departments from Scottish Borders Council liaise with Murray wrth regard to projects and requests. Contad Address Murray Dickson Cote Lea Cottage, Oatlands Terrace Galashiels TD130B
Activities and Achievements There were iwo summer events. On Wednesday 23rd July 2025 Douglas Johnston took party of members for a walk up to the ruined peel tower at Torwoodlee. There they were met by James Pringle the Laird of Torwoodlee. The second on Wednesday 13th August 2025 was a walk round the town led by the President Murray Dickson and the Robert McKendrick .This was based on a piece of work called "Our Towns History" and the walk covered half of it. In the coming year there is an event covering the other half. In 2024 on 8th October our winter programme was launched with the customary Annual Slide Show together with a display of some of the club's many artefacts and photographs which covered a variety of topics. This annual event is indeed a talking point throughout the town. On the 221h October John Haliday gave an interesting talk entitled .1st Edinburgh Festival in 1815 its origins and legacy in Scotland" Cameron Roberston on 12th November gave a well-documented lecture on "Travelling Photographers in the 19th Century". The annual Joint meeting with Selkirk Antiquarians on the 19th November was an away fixture and featured Matt Seattle & John Gibbons speaking and demonstrating 'The Music of Selkirk and Selkirkshire" A week later on 261h November David Mclean gave a fascinating lecture on "The Runaway Slave in Dunse" January saw on the 7th the ever successful "Bring along night. where among other things a cricket ball, silver rugby cup and a WWI officers compass where shown and discussed. Shelia Munro of the Ancrum Heritage Society on theb21st January gave talk on Ancrum House. Scottish Borders Council Archaeology Officer explained the "Historic Environment with special reference to the Galashiels Area" on 4th February.. On 11th March, to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of Gala Rugby Club Gordon Keddie gave a presentation of the club through its 15 decades. This was followed on 25h March by Gala Historian Mark Nichol giving what is now his annual talk in this case on "The Pacification of the Scottish Borders" All talks were well attended and generated discussion and plenty of questions for our guests. Murray welcomed all speakers in a professional manner and several Committee members gave good and sincere votes of thanks. In order to highlight both our collection and to raise awareness of the work that we do as Galashiels has no permanent museum the Club once again this year staged an exhibition. The title being "150 Years of Galashiels Rugby. and shows through photographs and narratives of not only of Gala RFC, the senior club, but the activities of junior and age groups of both genders. The Club remains in a sound financial position. The club made a deficit in the year of £408 (£670 in 2025). As other recent years the main drivers were the rapid rise in energy costs for the storage unit and Live Borders ever increasing charges for the hire of the hall. That all said cash and funds in the bank total £29,263 this is regarded by the committee as more than adequate for the forthcoming future.
The object of the Club is to enhance the education of the public in the history and heritage of Galashiels. We remain confident that this will continue. We are encouraged by. and are very appreciative of the constant support from our Committee, our volunteers and members and the general public Our current membership stands at 78 members which is a down on last year of 88. Despite to the rising cost heating of the storage unit the membership fee was kept at £15. Approved by the Trustees and signed of their behalf. Signed Murray Dlck80n, Pr•8ld8nt Signed Alan A Brown FCMA. Trea3urer
Receipts and Paymants Account for the Year Ended 31 March 2026 2026 2025 Receipts Membership subscriplions Donations Fundraising- sale of publications Door donations - lectures Miscellaneous Total recebpts 1,170 50 297 465 12 2,102 1,320 360 1,680 Payments Pa ments for charitable activities.. Room hire Speakers, expenses Equipment repairs and supplies Subscriptions Stationery, postage and telephone Miscellaneous Museurn collection and exhibitions Unit 7, Langlee Total paym•nts for charltsble actlvlti•8 760 20 129 94 115 155 120 672 60 94 317 350 Net receiptsl{paymant8) Cash funds last year end Ca8h funds thi8 year end (408) (670} As there has been no restricted income received there are no reserved funds. All payments were for charitable activities there were no govemance costs in the year (2025 nil). Statement of Balances a8 at 31 March 2026 2026 2025 Bank and cash In hand General Fund - Cash at Bank General Fund - Cash at hand 29,161 29,288
Notes to the Accounts for 2025126 1. The General Funds of the Old Gala Club are used under the authorty of Ihe Committee for all day-to-day activities of the Club.. 2. The Club has made no Grants. 3. There has been no remuneration of any of the Club's Trustees. 4. No expenses were paid to any of the Club's Trustees. 5. There have been no transactions with any of the Trustees or connected persons. 6. The Accounts are intended to be open and self*xplanatory,' there are no items wtth any hidden meanings or misleading implications. Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf. Signed Alan Brown FCMA, Hon. Treasurnr Dato........ .2026 Signed Murray Dlck80n, Hon. Presldont ..2026 Signod Lorna A Notman FCCA. External Examlner Date..... ..2026
Old Gala Club Ind•pendent Examiner'¥ Report to the Tru8tses of The Old Gala Club I report on the accounls of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2026 which are set out on pages 5 and 6. Resp•ctive re8ponsibilities of tru8tee8 and examiner The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the temis of the Charities and Trustee Investment {Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The charity trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (a) to (¢) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44{1) {c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Ba8ls of independent examin6r'8 Statement My examination was carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Chartties Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the acLounts, and seeks explanations from the trustees conceming any such matters. The prOdureS undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently S do not express an audit opinion on the accounts. Independent gxaminer'8 8tatemont In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements: to keep accounting records in accordance with section 44 (1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations, and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations have not been met, or 2. to which, in rny opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Slgned Lorna A Notman FCCA, 8d The Village.Hawick,TD9 OAH Date. .1.5 nG ..2026