2002 has been a better year than 2001 for Friends of the Ochils and for the Ochils themselves. There has been no major crisis along the lines of the foot and mouth outbreak, and normal service has been resumed on the hills. Walkers, workers, overseeing councils and land agencies have been able to pursue their interests and agendas in a far less fractious atmosphere than during 2001.
Also, despite the membership of FotO having suffered a slight drop during 2002 (including the sad loss of our Clackmannan friend Ken Oakley), the group has found a sharper focus than in the rather uncertain couple of years around the turn of the century. Having been faced with real issues to resolve has helped enormously in this - and in objecting to the proposed mobile phone mast on Dumyat, and feeding into the planning process for the Glen Sherup tree planting, we have found a sense of purpose (and a sense of achievement) that had been noticeably absent of late.
Members will be aware of the mast saga, and its resolution seems to have left all parties content - although this is one to keep an eye on. The mast will now be located away from the hills, and the campaign served to let the landowner and mast-builder know that they couldn't just 'develop' the hills in any way they liked. The objections also pulled together a wider group of activists. I recently bumped into some neighbours on top of Ben Cleuch. who said that the FotO letter in the local press prompted them to put in an independent complaint. This sense of FotO being a locus for concern about the Ochils is exactly what we should be aiming for, and via our actions rather than by our theorising.
As for the tree situation in the east, there is an element of realpolitik about this. By no means everyone wants to see the bare-hills feel of the high Ochils disrupted, but the practicalities of the land market and the farming economy mean that when an area such as Wester Glensherup comes up for sale, it's likely to interest tree-planters in one form or another. In this respect, while FotO might not be in total accord with the whole of the Woodland Trust's philosophy, it's surely better that they bought this chunk of the Ochils for natural woodland than the alternative of seeing it swamped by the ubiquitous sitka, as happened some years ago with the northern side of Innerdownie.
FotO was really only an observer in the Glensherup purchase. but we soon became actively involved by commenting on the planting scheme and persuading the Trust to modify its plans. Our on-the-ground knowledge helped enormously, preventing the high-level traverse from acquiring an intrusive tree-corridor at the east end of Maddy Moss. We asked that the Trust move their saplings back a respectable distance from the path, and this they agreed to do.
The other things to note here are that FotO was the only organisation to raise concerns about the planting scheme, and that the whole process has been conducted amicably and constructively on all sides, with a couple of joint Trust-FotO site visits proving enjoyable and worthwhile. This is surely the way forward. FotO has to be an informed, engaged, active and above all independent group keeping an eye on these hills we love, able to chip in with comments and suggestions where appropriate, offering criticism and credit in due measure.
We are in the process of changing the 'accounting period' to the year ending 31 August. The 'year' reported here is therefore a short one of about 49 weeks. The only effect of this upon the accounts is the low amount of bank interest received since our main deposit account with Standard Life Bank pays interest annually in early September.
Nonetheless, there was a small surplus of £29.32 in the 'year'. This was helped by the belated payment by the Inland Revenue of Gift Aid - tax reclaimed on members' subscriptions - for the year to April 2001, giving us two years worth of Gift Aid in the present accounts.
As I indicated last year, and have done for some years, the financial resources of Friends of the Ochils could support an increased level of activity. The constraint is time, with a very small pool of active members. Volunteers are always welcome!
Membership slipped slightly. A new publicity and recruitment leaflet will be published in the coming year.
| Membership category | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
| Life | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 |
| Family | 26 | 25 | 28 | 27 | 27 |
| Individual | 41 | 43 | 44 | 46 | 44 |
| Concession | 45 | 40 | 39 | 41 | 39 |
| (Total personal members*) | (153) | (148) | (154) | (154) | (150) |
| Community groups | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 (1) | 6 (2) |
| Corporate | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
* Family counted as two members.
(1) One Community Council paid late.
(2) Payment by one Community Council pending, continued membership assumed.
| 2001/02 | 2000/01 | |
| INCOME | ||
| Subscriptions | 645.50 | 603.00 |
| Donations | 61.50 | 96.25 |
| Gift Aid (3) | 100.13 | - |
| Bank interest | 5.12 | 144.35 |
| 812.25 | 843.60 | |
| EXPENDITURE | ||
| Projects (4) | 549.38 | 127.79 |
| Newsletter | 182.88 | 174.88 |
| General administration | 45.67 | 26.90 |
| Other (5) | 5.00 | 0 |
| 782.93 | 329.57 | |
| Surplus for year | 29.32 | 514.03 |
| ADD balance at 22 Sep 2001 | 3385.71 | 2871.68 |
| BALANCE AT 31 AUGUST 2002 | 3415.03 | 3385.71 |
| REPRESENTED BY | ||
| Bank of Scotland | 681.57 | 652.25 |
| Standard Life Bank | 2733.46 | 2733.46 |
| 3415.03 | 3385.71 | |
| LIABILITIES | - | 528.00 |
| NET ASSETS | 3415.03 | 2857.71 |
(1) Accounts prepared to show actual income and expenditure within period.
(2) With agreement of 2001 AGM and the Scottish Charities Office the end date of the financial year is being changed from 21 September to 31 August. These accounts show a transitional year of c. 49 weeks.
(3) Gift Aid for two years. To April 2001 £43.86; to April 2002 £56 27.
(4) Publicity - websitc setting up and maintaining website.
(5) Repayment of double-paid subscription (error by member's bank).
David S Gordon, Honorary Treasurer
Dunblane: 11 October 2002
Examined and found in accordance with the Hon. Treasurer's books and records.
Alan R Wright, Dunblane, 11 October 2002