Minutes of the meeting of The Gaitherin Board of Directors

Port Elphinstone Community Flat - Sunday 3^nd February 2008, 7pm

Present: George McLeod, Cathie McLeod, Jackie Massie, Sue Richardson, Biff Barrow, Fiona Harker

1. Welcome.

2. Minutes of last meetings Approved with some corrections. Fiona to email minutes of Board meetings 9/11/07 and 2/12/07 and Special meeting 2/12/07 to Colin and Lorraine Grant with note that minutes have just been approved tonight. There was no board meeting in January due to illness.

3. Matters arising

• MK4 - Fiona will contact Caroline to ask her to purchase 6 violins (suggest 2 of 1/2 size, 2 of 3/4 size and 2 of 4/4 size) 10 drum pads and 20 tin whistles using MK4 funds. Must be done by end of June. Jackie offers to be liaison between Board and Caroline and to keep Board informed of MK4 activities and developments.

4. SAC letter - Thanks to Sue for completing communications with SAC successfully. Cheque for monies to be returned prepared tonight.

5. Aberdeenshire Council - Those present agreed that as a voluntary organisation with limited internal capacity we are not able to devote time to developing a business plan for the Gaitherin. At this time we need to focus on what we can realistically achieve with regard to the running of the organisation. We retain the vision that we may be able to grow our organisation in the future but currently need to build internal capacity and focus on our key events. We have therefore decided to return the monies remaining in the development fund to Aberdeenshire Council. George will email Lorraine to say that we have met and made this decision. Cheque prepared tonight.

6. Bank account - Addition of Sue and Fiona as signatories underway.

7. GRA payment management - Payment process is not currently clear or effective. Sue will contact Alan Busson again to discuss.

8. Easter Gaitherin

   • Bookings already approx 50

   • Shadow for MC suggested by him, supported by Mum, only 13 yrs?

   • DVD of last Easter (professional quality) to be advertised via email to last Easter’s cohort at £5

   • Shadow training - view of the board is that this should be mandatory. Reward is T-shirt.

   • Deco to be asked for draft list of youth workers and shadows within 2 weeks. To be sent to Fiona ASAP for disclosures to be processed. Cathie will provide him with lists of interested / unavailable people.

   • Tutors – John Coletta has booked MC, Jane Slater and Caroline Fowlie and is waiting to hear from Scott Niven, Dave Martin, Declan Hegarty and Jeanna Leslie. We need to ensure he understands about the need for shadows and higher number of tutors needed. From booking numbers we may need to combine tin whistle and chanter again.

   • T-shirt design. Jackie will track down design. In addition to T-shirts for participants we will offer adult T-shirts to parents at £8 and to staff at £5 (approx cost). T shirts will be ordered as thank you gift for core shadows / those shadows who attend training.

   • Minibuses – Pat Walker, Sorley Johnston

   • Craft worker – Penny need to discuss feedback from October and ask for smaller projects/ daily activities.

9. MIDAS - Cathie was asked by Aberdeenshire Council for opinion on new MIDAS training for minibus drivers. Cost to individual or organisation £60 with renewal every 3 yrs. Her opinion is that this will be a financial strain for some organisations and will discourage volunteers. Those present agree that this can be put forward as the opinion of the board.

10. Date of next board meeting - Sunday 2nd March 7pm PECH