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 prO￿dureS 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