Newsletter, November 2008

It's possibly a reckless statement to make out loud, but at long last it seems likely that the major repair work to allow Portencross Castle to be safe for public access and to survive for future generations will start early in 2009.

Since the last newsletter, we have been grateful to receive donations towards the project from the Bottomley Family Trust and Clydeport, and have had a further award of £32,000 from North Ayrshire Council Landfill Community Fund. For your interest, the funding package to date is made up as follows:

Heritage Lottery Fund - £510,000
Historic Scotland - £367,442
NAC Landfill - £58,600
Architectural Heritage Fund - £13,470
Moffat Charitable Trust - £28,000
W M Mann Foundation - £5,000
Dalrymple Donaldson Trust - £3,500
Bottomley Family Trust - £500
Clydeport - £500
FOPC - £55,327
FOPC volunteer labour - £5,000

Funds committed to the project costs now stand at £1,047,339.
Since the formal HLF Permission to Start date (8th April 2008), detailed design work has been completed, and tenders issued and received. The preferred tender has been selected. Not unexpectedly, although this was the lowest tender, it is still about £35,000 more than the original estimated costs of £1,045,327. In part this is due to some additional items, such as windows in the Great Hall, but the greatest underestimate has been in the cost of the extremely difficult scaffolding required. The nature of the site, particularly the north elevation adjacent to the harbour, and the requirement of Historic Scotland that there must be no attachment or bracing to the building, has proved very expensive.

FOPC is continuing to seek funding for this shortfall (and will be grateful for any advice in this direction) but at the same time has instructed the professional advisers to identify items which could be omitted for the moment, and areas where specification could be reduced, which will not jeopardise the desired outcome of the project. With the agreement of the major funders, this should allow the contract to be signed before the end of December. We are very grateful to the entire professional team who have guided us through this process, but particular thanks are due to George McNeill, Project Organiser with the ability to bring calm to any storm!, and Peter Drummond, the architect who knows Portencross Castle better than anyone, and who has been involved since the beginning.

During the summer months, GUARD completed as much as was possible of the archaeological survey and we await their report with interest. Work also started on the education and interpretation aspects of the project under the guidance of new director Frank Crawford, Portencross resident and a Chief Inspector of Education for the Scottish Government. Frank is aided by an impressive team of volunteers with a wealth of experience in all aspects of education to take this important area forward.

North Ayrshire Council has been very supportive and encouraging of the project. Although everyone knows that straightforward financial assistance from local authorities is difficult in these straitened times, NAC has been very generous in the award of funds from Landfill Tax Credits, and has agreed to guarantee an application for a working capital loan of £70,000 from the Architectural Heritage Fund. This type of loan is essential to most conservation projects as grant instalments generally lag behind contractual payments. NAC is also making available part of Portencross car park for the construction site, and is giving very valuable 'in kind' support and advice through Building Control and Education Services. We are extremely grateful for this.

Fund raising during the summer has been very successful. The coffee morning, car boot sale, Art Exhibition, and Music Evening were all the best ever! Many thanks are due to Audrey Kolon, Fundraiser in Chief, but also to everybody who helps, too many to mention here, without whom these events would be impossible. On this occasion I would like to particularly thank Anne Brooks, who took charge of the hanging of the Art Exhibition, came back to help pack up, and then turned up again to sing with 'The Banned' at the music evening. (They were great this year!). Many thanks also to all who supported these events. Please keep coming.

The number of Guardians continues to grow, with Moira McKinnon becoming the 100th Guardian earlier this year. The support of the Guardians, which has greatly assisted our grant applications, will become even more necessary in the future, when no grants will be available for ongoing maintenance of the castle, staff wages, refreshment of educational resources, etc. So thanks to all the Guardians, and others who donate in various ways. (One of our generous regular donors moved abroad recently, and contributed his 'change and foreign' drawer. Fortunately the bank was quiet when I went in with notes from many countries and lots of coins! So far nearly £400 has been added to the funds and I'm still offering small change for Euro notes!)

There will be a coffee morning at South Banks House on Saturday 22nd November, 10.30-1.00. This will also be the first opportunity to buy the new cards, 'Portincross' by William Young, available as a blank card, Christmas card (both 50p) or postcard (35p) and - a new venture - the 2009 Portencross Calendar, compiled by Audrey, on sale for £7 each. FOPC will also have a table in the entrance hall at the West Kilbride Craft Fair on 29th and 30th November. As usual I am happy to post or deliver locally.

May I add my usual plea for email addresses if available?

Best wishes to all for a happy Christmas and peaceful New Year and thanks to all who have helped FOPC reach this stage.

Ann McLachlan, Company Secretary, FOPC
Auldhill Cottage, Portencross, West Kilbride, KA23 9QA
01294 823799
port_n_x@hotmail.com
http://www.portencrosscastle.org.uk/