Friends AGM 2008-2009

The Friends of Kinneil AGM

Registered Charity

Charity Registration Number

SC038368

Annual report for 2008-09

Welcome to the AGM

Bruce Henderson, Chairman

The Friends of Kinneil

Key activities for The Friends

• Raising the profile of the Park

• Increasing awareness of Kinneil House and Museum

• Forming partnerships to promote/improve Kinneil

• Delivering member events

• Developing a strategy for the estate

Raising the profile of Kinneil

In 2008/09,we:

• Actively promoted Kinneil Estate through the media,

linking into key events – such as the announcement of

World Heritage Status for the Antonine Wall, which runs

through the estate

Raising the profile of Kinneil

• We also built up strong relationships with new media

outlets – such as s1boness.com. We also featured on

BBC and independent radio.

• We used print publicity to promote key activities – using

posters, for example, to publicise our events at

neighbouring tourist attractions.

Raising the profile of Kinneil

• We have continued to develop our website –

www.kinneil.org.uk

• The website now includes video, audio clips and even

downloadable instructions for Satellite Navigation

devices.

• We have also started the development of online videos

to promote the estate, via our own website and through

channels such as YouTube and Vimeo.

Raising the profile of Kinneil

• We worked with Historic Scotland to produce a new

guide for Kinneil House.

• This is now on sale at Blackness Castle and at future

House open days.

• The guide was launched in April 2009.

Increasing awareness

• We ran five open days at Kinneil House – attracting

around 1400 people for the year ending April 2009

• This was down slightly on last year.

• We worked with Historic Scotland to offer free entry and

guided tours of the House.

• This, in turn, boosted visitor numbers at Kinneil

Museum.

Increasing awareness

Open days are themed:

• One at the end of June – to tie in with the Bo’ness Fair

• An opening as part of the Kinneil Heritage Day in

September

Increasing awareness

Open days were themed:

• A Hallowe’en event – complete with fancy dress

competition. This proved popular in 2008.

• And a Homecoming event in April this year – complete

with a visit from “Duchess Anne” herself. This was

organised in conjunction with Historic Scotland.

Forming partnerships

Forming partnerships

• We continued our successful partnership with Step

Forth to encourage them to run three-times-a-week free

health walks around Kinneil Estate.

•The walks now run every Monday, Tuesday and

Thursday, leaving outside Kinneil Museum

•Details available from the Museum or from our website

Forming partnerships

• We also worked in partnership with

Bo’ness Community Council, Deanburn

Primary School and Bonnie Bo’ness to

run litter picks in Kinneil Estate.

• Nearly 100 bags were collected over

the two events, run as part of a national

clean-up campaign in April 2009.

Forming partnerships

• We built up better links with other groups such as

Central Scotland Forest Trust – bidding to win new cash

to revamp the woodland at Kinneil – and Falkirk Council’s

Ranger Service.

• Our open days now feature in the Rangers’ outdoor

events diary.

Delivering member events

• We ran a trip to Lennoxlove in November. The Duke of

Hamilton’s estate opened up out of season to give The

Friends a special look around their amazing art

collection.

Delivering member events

• We ran a Christmas party for all members – and also

invited guests who had helped the Friends.

• We also ran an internet evening in March this year to

show off improvements to our website – and the work of

one of our members to create a virtual tour around

Kinneil Estate.

Delivering member events

• We also ran a special member event in September

2008 – asking archaeologist Geoff Bailey to talk about

his work along the Antonine Wall.

• Plans are now in hand to create a “Big Roman Week” to

further publicise the Wall.

Delivering member events

• We have communicated with members by email, letters

and through our website.

• We also continued to develop a non-member email list

to reach other supporters.

• As of May 2009, there were 67 individual members and

1 corporate member.

Developing a strategy

• The Management Committee built on our 2006

park/museum survey to brainstorm ideas for the future

development of Kinneil.

• We have now set short, medium and long-term

objectives.

Developing a strategy

• We welcome ideas from members.

• Email us at: [email protected]

Other highlights

• UNESCO announced World Heritage Site status for the

Antonine Wall – which runs through Kinneil in July 2008.

• The UK and Scottish Culture Ministers visited the

Estate in March 2009 to visit the Roman Fortlet.

Other highlights

The UK and

Scottish Culture

Ministers visited

the Estate in

March 2009 to

visit the Roman

Fortlet.

Other highlights

• The Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway featured in the big

BBC Christmas drama, The 39 Steps

• Falkirk Council named Kinneil as one of 3 strategic

parks, alongside Callendar Park and the Helix in Falkirk.

Consultation on its new parks strategy is getting

underway.

Other highlights

• In January 2009, Clydesdale Bank unveiled the design

of its new £50 note – featuring Kinneil’s Roman Fortlet.

• The Bank of England is to issue its own new note,

promoting James Watt – a character linked with Kinneil.

• The history of the estate is also featured in new videos

made by the Forth’s Timeline project.

• See these online at www.kinneil.org.uk/videogallery

The future

Our future plans include:

• training for Kinneil House guides

• a fundraising dinner in October 2009

• a Duchess Anne event in January

• a Roman Week – possibly linked into the

Kinneil Heritage Day

Thank you

The Friends of Kinneil AGM

Registered Charity

Charity Registration Number

SC038368