Minutes of the meeting of The Gaitherin Management Committee
Port Elphinstone Community House
Sunday 25^th March 2007, 7pm

Present: George McLeod, Cathie McLeod, Matthew Harker, Fiona Harker

Apologies: Jackie Massie, Biff Barrow, Sue Richardson, Steph Baross

Alison McLaughlin has asked to be invited to our meetings when we have a specific need for her assistance. She was not in at this meeting.

• Welcome

Minutes of last meeting adopted.

• Matters arising
  • Drama tutor Biff has arranged contact between Ali Leith and Tina Olsen who will be our drama tutor. Michael from WLYT has been informed that we do not need Rachael Duff.
  • RANT Two groups will be representing the Gaitherin at Duff House on 1^st April. They are ‘Across the Border’ and ‘Canal Street Lovers’.

• Scottish Arts Council

We have had no further response from the SAC since Tamsin acknowledged receipt of George’s letter. It was agreed that George should email Tamsin to enquire about progress.

• Company Limited by Guarantee

Sue Richardson has met with Frank Mathers (solicitor/Gaitherin parent) and all forms are now signed off. Sue will post along with cheque for fee.

• Financial model to allow for early fee setting / bookings

To be included in next agenda

• Easter Gaitherin

Refer to appendix : Gaitherin - update 23 March 2007

• Transport
  Huntly bus /driver booked. Also 3 council minibuses (Currently only 3 bookings from Ellon area – no bus required). Biff is to discuss the Alford minibus with Rotary drivers. Cathie and George will drive the SAGS minibuses.
• Video
  Ben Barrat and colleagues are going to produce a 5-10 min promotional video. They have asked initially for £150 for hire of equipment and tapes. We also want a video of the concert that can be sold after the Gaitherin (question to be included in parent feedback forms). Cathie asked whether copying of the concert DVD could be done more cheaply by Murray. George to get more detailed costings from Ben and to contact Murray.
• Catering
  Cathie will ask Ellie how much money she need as an advance (expect approx £1000).
• Registration
  Registration on Monday will be in the assembly hall of Inverurie Academy manned by– Biff, Fiona and ?
• Parking
  Parking may be an issue at Inverurie Academy. It may be necessary to have a parking marshal, especially for the concert on Friday. TBC
• Bowling Club – booked for Tuesday night
• Charity shop -- Cathie would like us all to try to get volunteers for this as she and George are currently covering all the dates.
• Agree future dates
  Monday 26^th March – Youth Committee Meeting, Port Elphinstone Community House, 7pm
  Sunday 8^th April – Tutors and Youth Workers Meeting, Chalets or SAGS (TBA)
  9^th-13^th April – Easter Gaitherin
  To be confirmed Sunday 29^th April – Gaitherin Committee Meeting, Port Elphinstone Community House, 7pm
• Appendix
• Gaitherin – update 23 March 2007
  Emails. It would appear that the new group email address is not getting to everybody. It is really important that everybody knows what is going on. We have suffered in the past from “private” conversations, so please try and make your communications about the Gaitherin as open as possible and copy in others where appropriate.

• Website. Unfortunately we have lost the gaitherin.org address. This means that not only the old website address does not work but mails to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it which appears on all our literature are being lost. Please take every opportunity to promote the www.gaitherin.com address. Email enquiries can be directed to Cathie.
• Venues. The main venue for the Easter Gaitherin has been confirmed as Inverurie Academy. Steve Brown, the janitor has been really welcoming and helpful. Ellie Ingram will do the catering. Kemnay Bowling Club still to be confirmed. SAGs is confirmed for the week but not yet for Sunday for the pre-meeting. Chalets at Boatleys are booked.
• Tutors. Ali has confirmed the following: Pipes & Whistle - Fergus Mutch, Clarsach - Declan Hegarty, Piano - Jane Slater, Electric Guitar - John Coletta, Fiddle - Gillian Chalmers, Dance – MC, Drums – Scott Niven and Fiona MacAskill, Guitar – Caroline Fowlie, Drama - Tina Olsen. We also have Lizzie Hawkey assisting with drama and shadow tutors (to be confirmed): Jo Assiter, Eilidh Robertson and Matthew Harker.
• Youth Workers: Residential: Jackie; Deco; Erin; Chrissie; Gail and Tony; Day - Ellie Barrow; Gregor Jamieson; Fiona Webb; Kirsten Jack and Lucy Hinnie? Penny is organised to do Arts and Crafts. At moment 'shadows' are likely to be: Catriona; Ellyn; Steph; Tiggy; Kali (?) Owen; Callum; Mathew; Hamish(?) Lewis Maddock(?) Finlay Wallace (?) Callum Forsyth (?) Lucy McLeod (?). Catriona Hood has also offered to help. Jackie has agreed to be youth work coordinator for Easter and Deco will do October.
• Clarsachs. These are booked from the Clarsach Society.
• Transport. The Huntly bus is booked. Four minibuses have been tentatively booked and will need to be collected from Inverurie, Oldmeldrum, Fyvie and Methlick. Biff is hoping to arrange for 4 drivers from the Rotary to share runs from Alford and Pitmedden, Cathie and George can then do the SAGs runs. We need to identify asap any shadows requiring transport.
• Tuck Shop. The “restricted” selection on offer at October seemed to have a good effect, so this will be repeated. Cathie will check if Jan Guild would help with collecting stock. Lucy and Hannah have offered to help and will be asked if they will do the tuck shop again.
• Technical. We’re hoping Stuart McCutcheon will drive the new sound desk, still to be confirmed. Lights are available in the hall at Inverurie but we need to find out who can operate them. Ben is going to do some video work during the week. Lights for Tuesday – we may possibly hire one set from Leisurelend to save the double trip to Turriff.
• T-shirts. There was no time to prepare a new design for printing so we’re going with the “dictionary definition” but with the new website address.
• Lunchtime options. In addition to Arts and Crafts, we are possibly looking at: ceilidh on Thursday (Lorna?), storytelling, circus/clown – Biff is exploring this.
• Other things. Cathie to arrange for badge making machine, extra folders and order ice cream for Friday.
• Registrations so far...