Barony Centre Update May 2009

West Kilbride Community Initiative Limited was again celebrating a round of successes. The latest project to develop the Barony Church into a contemporary Craft exhibition and activities centre is attracting attention from both the local community and national funders.

The Barony Project Team was formed as a response to an unexpected vacancy within the Initiative occurring early in 2008. This initial set back gave an opportunity for more local people to join and for volunteers to regroup. SInce then, everyone has pulled together to ensure a productive future for this much loved church.

Thanks must go to our most recent local fund raisers Ruth Donaldson (Fashion Show), Gary Hamilton (Paris Marathon) and Janet Martin (Blues Brothers Evening). These members of our village community arranged events and collected much appreciated funds towards the developments.

Thanks also goes to Maggie Broadley our Craft Town manager who has just completed a major application to the Big Lottery. This proved to be an enormous amount of work and involved the Barony Project Team in many extra hours.

The Barony Project Team welcomes further fund raising ideas and would ask that contact should be made in the first instance with Eddie Wood who is Chairperson of the Initiative or with Maggie Broadley (01294 829179) who remains as the key player in craft town developments.

Other members of the group include Kay Hall, Angus Kerr, David Mann, and John Purves. All these members are also happy to accept invitations to give updates about the project and to support fund raising events.

Barony Project Team May 2008

- Ronald M. Bell, Chartered Accountant: WKCIL Treasurer

WKCIL responsibilities: Maintain accounting records, financial reporting including statutory and regulatory requirements, forecasting and budgeting.

Professional experience: 19 years as Company Secretary and Accountant in a privately owned company whose trading activities were ship owning, quarrying, hauliers and road surfacing contractors. Since 1991 has been employed in a similar role at a privately owned Joinery manufacturing and contracting company.

- Kay Hall BA Educational Consultant: Area Officer with the Association of Headteachers and Deputes in Scotland: WKCIL Chairperson of Environmental Group, Member Barony Development Project Team

WKCIL responsibilities: Chairperson of the WKCIL Environmental Group and brings considerable knowledge of the local community. Her professional mentoring expertise has provided support to the WKCIL Directors and Kay is also involved in facilitating more efficient and democratic management systems. Her wide experience of the schools ' curriculum allied with her recognised skill in the delivery of arts education within the school system will be of value when organising our craft education programme.

Professional experience: Significant experience and expertise in policy development and planning at both local authority and school level with considerable expertise in promoting quality and improvement using national performance measures including HGIOS 3 and inclusion quality indicators. Involvement in a range of recent development work nationally, internationally and for local authorities and in schools. Varied advisory role in supporting promoted colleagues through grievance and disciplinary procedures and professional difficulties with the GTC, HMIe, SPPA and Local Authorities.

- Angus Kerr BArch (Hons) RIBA FRIAS, Retired Architect Director: WKCIL Barony Development Project Team

WKCIL responsibilities: Angus is lead member of the Barony Development Group and is advising on all aspects of the reuse and refurbishment of the church, including building design, construction, costings and client/architect consultations. He will also act as an advisor to the Craft Development Manager when developing the educational programme.

Professional experience: Helping develop the most respected large practice in Scotland, growing the Studio from 5 to 85 architectural staff, producing some of the nation 's best, and most innovative work. Contributions range across roles including Architect Director, Health and Safety Director, Personnel Director and Administration Director. Professional recognitions include Royal Institute of British Architects Award; Civic Trust Award; Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Award; Glasgow Institute of Architects Design Award; Regeneration of Scotland Award; Architecture Scotland Award; Scottish Design Award; British Construction Industry Award; British Urban Renewal Association Award; Gulbenkian Prize/ Arts Fund Prize (shortlisted ); and World Festival of Architecture Award (shortlist)

- David A Mann MBA, Operation Manager The Scottish Maritime Museum: WKCIL/Barony Development Project Team

WKCIL responsibilities: David is one of the lead members of the Barony Development Group, advising on business planning and all aspects of running and marketing a Visitor Attraction. In addition to this role, David is also working with the Company Secretary on the re-organisation of the business and management structure across all areas of WKCIL operations.

Professional experience: 25 years experience in running a wide range of leisure based operations including a 4 star hotel and a 13 million pound Millennium Attraction. Currently Operation Manager of the Scottish Maritime Museum. Also held the post of Chief Executive of Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Local Tourist Board. Currently Chair of Ayrshire and Arran Visitor Attraction Association.

- John Purves, WKCIL Director, Vice Chairperson, Property Convenor, Barony Development Project Team

WKCIL responsibilities: John brings experience of the local community as an active member of several local groups outside WKCIL. He also brings significant skills in HR and forward planning strategies.

Professional responsibilities: Background as an Engineer in the Electricity Supply Industry, both in conventional and Nuclear Power Stations. Laterly at Hunterston, he was responsible for the management of the day to day operations and forward planning of the fuel route. John has been a volunteer Session Clerk at St. Andrews Church for sixteen years, a past Treasurer, and current Secretary, of the West Kilbride Music Club.

- Edward D Wood, Proprietor "Pats", Wool Shop and Haberdasher: WKCIL Chairperson, Scarecrow Festival Committee, Barony Development Project Team

WKCIL responsibilities: Since moving to live in West Kilbride, Eddie has assisted his wife in establishing and running their retail business whilst still 'on the road '. He has a range of business management and sales skills which he has brought to the board since becoming involved with WKCIL, with a strong line of communication to the other independent retailers operating in the town.

Professional experience: Eddie has over 50 years experience in the Retail Sector, having rapidly worked his way up from Retail Assistant in the fabric department of a busy Glasgow City Centre Store to the position of overall Manager. He used the expertise gained whist working in the Fabric Department when he moved on to working as a representative for a large textile manufacturer. Travelling across Scotland and the rest of the UK, Eddie built up a portfolio of clients and eventually handled several very valuable accounts.

- Maggie Broadley, Craft Development Manager joined the organisation in 2004 and is the sole paid employee of Craft Town Scotland

WKCIL responsibilities: Maggie is responsible for all aspects of the management, development, promotion and administration of the Craft Town project.

Professional experience: As an Honours graduate of Glasgow School of Art in 1997 Maggie brings expertise and credibility as a professional maker who has exhibited throughout the UK and in Europe. She has experience of leading craft education workshops for senior pupils and also pupils with challenging behaviour.
Maggie has experience of the creative industries and of operating as a sole trader, having worked as a Freelance Consultant and Contractor within the commercial interiors sector for 5 years ("Invirons" 1999-2004). She brings particular skills in the selection and arranging of exhibitions - "The Gallery" was one of the few independently run galleries in Scotland to be highlighted as one of the "places to see" contemporary craft. (Scottish Arts Council supported "The Cutting Edge" Exhibition catalogue 2007).
Her experience and contributions to date have seen Maggie acknowledged within the sector for commitment to craft development and promotion, with invitations to contribute to several national consultation studies on the future development of contemporary crafts within Scotland.