Latest News

September 2024

Let there be Light!

The electricians have been busy throughout the building but we thought you would like to see how the main hall is looking now that the lights have been fitted. It will be a wonderfully well-lit space.

And just for nostalgia’s sake we have dug out a photograph to show how well lit it was in its early years.

We hope many of you will recognise your younger selves in this photo that shows what the hall has been all about in the past, and will be again once the regeneration is complete.

The renovation has been a much longer journey than we had anticipated but it is worth reminding ourselves of how far we have come since it all started.

October 2023

When our chair (Angie McCallum) lived in Bath, she regularly got involved with the Golden-Oldies Charity. Goldies (as they are more fondly known) provide Sing&Smile sessions, not choirs but fun daytime social groups where people love to chat, reminisce and sing-along to the popular hits of the 50s onwards. The charity’s founder, Bath musician Grenville Jones, recognised how singing and music brightened the lives and wellbeing of many people.  Since founding the charity back in 2007 it has expanded to have around 150 monthly Goldies Sing&Smile sessions across England and Wales, attended by over 1800 people every month.  Grenville said “I wanted to grab the atmosphere of fun and friendship and bring it to older isolated people through daytime ‘singalongs’ of the memory-evoking hits of the 50s and onwards”. 

In contacting Grenville and also their Operations & Fundraising Manager, Emma Shearman, Angie was delighted to hear that they would be pleased to support us with a gift of songbooks and for us to become one of Goldies charity partners.  The aim is to use these for musical projects at the Town Hall next year (watch this space). This particular charity has grown exponentially but Angie has kept in touch with them since she moved to Millport. If you’d like more information about Goldies, you can visit their website www.golden-oldies.org.uk . Oh and just to let you know, they also have Sir Cliff Richard OBE as patron!  

December 2022

The Millport Town Hall Musical Advent Calendar

Today we offer you another chapter in the story of Millport Town Hall. Throughout its history it has played a huge part in the life of the community and hosted countless fantastic events. More than five years after its closure, the revitalised Town Hall is approaching completion and what a gift that will be for our community in 2023.

Imagine the future Christmas parties, concerts, fayres, festivals and events that will be held there - perhaps featuring some of the performers who are part of this soundtrack, all of whom are part of our community. Thank you to Angie McCallum,Sonoro choir, members of the Rainbows and Brownies, Paul Hart, Pamela Fleming, Scott Watson, Cumbrae Primary School, Rhona Gourley.

Thank you everyone and hope you enjoy this compilation.

Cumbrae Lottery e-vouchers

Christmas is just around the corner and this year you have the option to buy a Lottery e-voucher for your friends and family to play Cumbrae lottery which is managed through Unity Lottery.

Millport Town Hall will receive back half of your payment!

Lottery e-vouchers can be purchased via our online e-voucher system. The purchaser will have the choice of buying 1 or 2 weekly entries in either 10, 20, 30 or 50 draws. If you buy 1 weekly entry over 10 draws this will cost £10. There is a minimum spend of £10 and a maximum spend of £100 per e-voucher.

Once the e-voucher has been redeemed online the entries will be entered into the next available draw and every draw thereafter until the credit runs out.

The person buying the e-voucher will have the option to add a personal message to the voucher and either send it directly to the receiver or to print or forward on at a later date.

18 October 2022

What will we use this fantastic space for?

If you have any ideas you might like to discuss please email judith@millporttownhall.co.uk for assistance/advice.

Thank you

9 October 2022

Our mission is to save this historic building and turn it into a vibrant and sustainable community asset.  This will be run by the community, for the community and there is widespread support for this project.  The Town Hall was closed two years ago due to lack of basic maintenance and repair.  This had a big impact on groups who used this building and since then the Island has been struggling with the lack of a suitable large venue.  Residents have been asking what is to happen and why not save what is a large building which could be turned into an asset for the Island with some renovations, alterations and creative thinking.  There have been many ideas put forward and support so far has stretched right across the globe to Australia and New Zealand.

A steering group was set up following members of the community coming forward with a united aim to make this building an asset which will benefit the Island, its residents, visitors and economy. The group compromises currently of 18 members with representatives from all major groups, residents and local business owners.   This is a truly representative group who will forge a new united way of working going forwards with a view to enabling an asset owned by the community and run by the community.

We are currently undertaking a feasibility study to ensure if we go ahead with this project it will indeed be a viable asset for the future.  We are indebted to the support we are being given by Highlands and Islands, the Architectural Heritage Fund,   Development Trust Association Scotland (DTAS) and North Ayrshire Council.  We are also grateful to Cumbrae Community Council who are acting as our umbrella body until we become a Charity in our own right.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

1.  The CUMBRAE LOTTERY has been set up by the Friends of Millport Town Hall.  By signing up to this lottery from as little as £4.34 per month, you are donating money towards our cause.  The odds are good - there is a top prize of £25,000 each week along with many other smaller prizes.  You can cancel your membership at any time and should the Town Hall prove not to be a feasible project then proceeds from the lottery will be given to local groups - AS DECIDED BY THE COMMUNITY.  Sign up at www.unitylottery.co.uk and search for Cumbrae Lottery.

2.  If you wish to make a donation please email us on info@millporttownhall.org and we will give you our bank details.  THANK YOU !!

3. There will be many volunteering opportunities and we are very hopeful there will also be some paid employment available.

CONTACT:  info@millporttownhall.co.uk

14 August 2022

What a great day for the Millport Raft Race!  Many thanks to the organisers and congratulations to the winners.  Big shout out for the Millport Town Hall team coming in second and winning the Best Dressed trophy.  Thanks to Alastair and Rena Taylor McIntyre for their help with creating such a fabulous raft. Thanks to our rafters Judith Barbour Lisa Christie Lyndon Smith Stevie Christie.  😄

July 15th - an afternoon Parents and Kids Party + in the evening, Millport Cinema Memories Disco (see below)

June 2022 Update

Funding -

We are very happy to announce a donation to Millport Town Hall of £1,000 from the Arnold Clark Community Fund. Arnold Clark Community Fund was launched to help groups and charities affected by the coronavirus pandemic. We are grateful for their kind donation to help us meet some of our running costs.

We are delighted to announce that we have received £15,000 Revenue funding from the Garfield Weston Foundation. Established over 60 years ago in 1958, the Garfield Weston Foundation is a family-founded, grant-making charity which supports causes across the UK and, in the most recent financial year, gave over £98 million. Since it was established, it has exceeded donations of more than £1.3 billion, of which well over half has been given in the past ten years. Their kind donation will go towards running costs for the first year of operation while our anticipated income streams start to flow and we identify additional revenue source.

May 2022 Update

AGM is Tuesday 12 July – 7 pm by Zoom - AGM packs will be sent out by 22 June to allow the two week notice required

Nomination of any Elected Charity Trustee, who shall himself or herself be (or be eligible to become) an Ordinary Member, shall be in writing by not less than any two Ordinary Members delivered to the Registered Office not less than 7 days prior to the date of the AGM in question and wherein the nominee shall confirm his or her willingness to act as an Elected Charity Trustee if elected

Delighted we have one nomination so far, we need others!  Will get out a few posters/FB etc  and something in the press hopefully.

Trustee Recruitment - As per our Constitution dated 02.02.22 we can have eight Trustees and 2 Co-opted Trustees. We currently have 6 Trustees and 2 Directors of our dormant Trading Company.

Funding -

MTH to be beneficiary of Country Festival for raffle and auction – good news!

Total raised by Judith for the Kiltwalk - £930

Events - Friday 15 July -

Afternoon – Kid’s Party – questionnaires for parents re Town Hall uses.  Lara Crossan, Tiffany Colnan and Rena doing great work here with games etc.  Morrisons providing free refreshments.  Millport Pipe Band and Millport Dance Troop putting on entertainment.  Working on reminiscence of Fireman’s Party so oranges given as they leave as a nod to the past. 

Evening - Cinema Memories Disco:    

Fancy Dress with Cinema theme – best dressed prize

Disco with some Film Themed music thrown in

Hopefully Robert Wilson will have a reminisce on stage re cinema

BYOB, just popcorn on tables

Short quiz re 20 cinema theme tunes.  Teams of 4 as prize = family ticket for 4 to Screen Machine

Approaches have been made for other prizes to Cinemas, Theatres etc.

Costs - It is going to cost £2,304 to chop off a section of the wheel to allow correct space for fire escape route.  It would cost even more to completely try and remove it.

Water rates success - whereas Angie had been summoned to attend a hearing by the Ayrshire Valuation Board in Ayr, after sending copious information and pictures they are now happy to give us zero rating for bills until the building works are complete.  

April 2022 Update

Thank you to all for your generous contributions to our Easter Event held on 9 April - this has raised £2,029!!

March 2022 update

9 April (11:00-15:00) - Town Hall Easter Event at The Garrison grounds - Prizes, Fun, Laughter - Community together!!

10 March - We have been told by National Lottery that they will be sharing the good news that our project is one of almost 500 across the UK that have received National Lottery funding from the Together for Our Planet programme.  We are delighted with the funding and would like to say thanks to NationalLottery players for funding our project, part of The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland's Together for Our Planet programme. With the £10,000 awarded for the purchase of LED lighting we are excited to be able to help our community to build a legacy of ongoing climate action. OneStepGreener

February 2022 update

Thanks so much for donations from the Glasgow Kiltwalk - £160 so far!

Great news that our new Blairs timber conservation windows are in - as per planning regs. Total costs for these windows £49,200 funded by Scot Gov Islands Community Programme: thank you! 🙏. 

And in clearing other parts of MTH, some interesting finds this month!Click through each photo for more details 💙

January 2022 update

Happy New Year Everyone!

We were delighted to receive during the Christmas break funding from the William Syson Foundation of £28,800.

December 2021 updates

A Christmas gift for Cumbrae!

We are extremely happy we can tell you that additional grant support from the Scottish Government Regeneration Fund has been made with an uplift award of £364,478  to Millport Town Hall Charity.  The project has faced increasing challenges this year due to the context of the external and political climate, the complexity of our funding partnership, the Covid pandemic and the resultant increase in material prices. Grateful thanks are extended not only to the Scottish Government but to North Ayrshire Council, Local Councillors and the Locality Partnership for their continued support and encouragement.

This uplift to our funds is a wonderful way to start the New Year.  We are really looking forward to working with individuals, groups and organisations to make sure that the building offers what the community would like and need.

Merry Christmas one and all!

October 2021 updates

On 13 October 2021 we successfully raised £33,803

MILLPORT TOWN HALL CHARITY CROWDFUND LAUNCH - **Winners**

Louise Douglas - 3-Night holiday for 2 to 4* Hotel in Paris - or - 3* Hotel in Venice

Helen Hogan - 3-Night stay in The Bothy @ Figgtoch Farm

September 2021 updates

28 September - Building work has begun - see our Building Works Update page

VACANCY - **CLOSED** – Friday 22 October 2021

COMMUNITY LIAISON OFFICER

**CONTRACTOR NOW APPOINTED**

It’s all systems go!

We are delighted to announced we have appointed McLaughlin Construction to undertake our works.

Further details will be provided when available.

**PRIZE WINNER** - Louise Douglas

**Win a 3-Night holiday for 2 to 4* Hotel in Paris - or - 3* Hotel in Venice**

As it says on the tin - courtesy of our wonderful patron, Garry Wilson (CEO of Easyjet Holidays).

Pledge for your chance to win a pair of tickets for a holiday to 4* Hotel in Paris - or - 3* Hotel in Venice!

Draw tickets are £25 each and are limited to 150.

Checkout our Crowdfunding Campaign

COUNCIL LEADER VISITS MILLPORT

The Council Leader visited Millport Town Hall on the Isle of Cumbrae to learn more about the Friends of Millport Town Hall charity’s ambitious renovation plans for the Island’s landmark location

Watch the video to find out more

Read the latest news article

MILLPORT TOWN HALL CHARITY CROWDFUND IS NOW LIVE!

The Millport Town Hall Crowdfund has officially launched! The campaign will be running for 5 weeks, from September 8th - October 13th.

Spread the word, show your support and help us revive the Town Hall into a community asset for years to come.

You can visit the Crowdfund Campaign Page here: Crowdfunding Campaign

August 2021 updates

MILLPORT TOWN HALL CHARITY CROWDFUND LAUNCH

Millport Town Hall Charity Crowdfund is launching on September 8th!

Whatever you give will be gratefully received – every penny helps us to make something special to create a sustainable future for our beautiful island.

 We are nearly there – please help us get past the goalposts!

 To keep up with the Crowdfund, please consider signing up for email updates via the following link - Crowdfunding Campaign

Funding of £4,000 from Kelburn Wind Farm Trust

The Kelburn Wind Farm Community Fund is a Scottish registered company limited by guarantee. It has been established to provide financial support to community based projects which contribute to the wellbeing of the local areas of Largs, Fairlie and Cumbrae. The funds are restricted to projects in these areas only.

TOWN HALL GIN

If you’ve been on one of our tours and tastings, you will have met our 2 lovely stills, Maura and Veya. Veya, our two-litre still, is a working still and critical for our recipe development.

YES, we’re working on a new recipe for TOWN HALL GIN! Dating from 1878, the Town Hall is a key building for the community. In 2012, Millport Town Hall closed its doors to public uses and in 2018, a group of amazing locals formed Friends of Millport Town Hall in an effort to regenerate and bring the building back to life. In January 2021, Millport Town Hall was awarded £1.5 million from the Scottish Government Regeneration Capital Fund (RCGF) to repair and renovate the site and turn it into a thriving and sustainable community facility.

Many exciting things are ahead for Millport over the next year with the rebuilding of the Town hall. And there are many efforts still to be made and funds to raise. We are super excited to help celebrate the Town hall with the development of a brand new gin, which will contribute to those efforts. We will be sharing its development with you over the next months as well as announcing an exciting opportunity for an artist to create the new label…and win a year’s worth of gin!

You can follow the Town hall rebuilding efforts by following them on Millport Town Hall

July 2021 Updates

Funding of £26,498 received from the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund

The Scottish Landfill Communities Fund (SLCF) is a tax credit scheme, linked to Scottish Landfill Tax that encourages landfill site operators to provide contributions to Approved Bodies, who can then pass the funds onto community and environmental projects.

This money is to pay for the Millport Town Hall community kitchen.

June 2021 Update

Funding of £111,361 from the National Lottery Community Led Fund

This funding aims to support communities to improve the places in which they live and the wellbeing of those most in need.

This money is for:

£50,000 for Millport Town Hall roof

£61,361 for revenue

May 2021 Update

Funding of £54,500 received from the Adapt and Thrive Programme.

Adapt and Thrive is part of the £25m Community and Third Sector Recovery Programme announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government on 2nd September 2020. The programme forms part of the wider Scottish Government Third Sector response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This money is to pay for a building Clerk of Works and a one year post for a Fundraising/Marketing Officer (further details of this vacancy will be announced in the next couple of weeks).

April 2021 Update

(1) **PRESS RELEASE**

Scottish Charitable Organisation SC049279  www.millporttownhall.co.uk

The asset transfer of Millport Town Hall from North Ayrshire Council to the Millport Town Hall Charity has taken place. This has been made possible by the Community Empowerment Act which recognises that communities can respond to local challenges by taking greater control of the land and buildings where they live as they are best placed to know their own strengths and weaknesses and what will work in their own location.

As the charity take the keys and look forward to the site redevelopment they would like to give a huge THANK YOU to the following funding bodies who are supporting the capital works programme:

Scot Gov Regeneration fund, North Ayrshire Council and their associated funding strands, the CARS scheme, Hugh Fraser Trust, the Land Trust, the Islands Green Recovery Programme, Sir Boyd Tunnock  and Magnox/NDA socio-economic fund.

Over the last 3 years many grants have assisted to deliver activity and project development and Millport Town Hall would like to thank the Scottish Land Fund, the Architectural Heritage Fund and North Ayrshire Council for this.

Helping our team of volunteers and volunteer Trustees through the journey of development to present day has been possible with fantastic support from individual donors and our wonderful community and local businesses.

Many local groups have already expressed an interest in using one of the spaces in the Town Hall.  There is the main hall, the front room and the rear Community Hub which used to be the Lesser Town Hall. This will be a place for residents of all ages, a place for support groups, social groups, parties and events big and small with a new commercial kitchen available. We hope for badminton, table tennis, amateur and professional performances events. Maybe classes in dance, art, music, poetry, literature, unemployment club, tea dances, whist drives, fish and chip nights – it is up to the community to develop what they would like.  A planned Heritage and Conservation Centre in the basement will protect and preserve the all important Millport Memories.

Angie McCallum Chair of Trustees commented – “ This is a very exciting and positive day for Cumbrae.  It is a testament to all the hard work that has got us so far – astonishingly over 2000 volunteer hours have been spent over the past three years.  I don’t know where this quote comes from but it sums up Millport Town Hall – ‘Old buildings – their wonkiness and the narrative they weave. The romance of the past mixed with the hope of the future.’ The future is certainly looking bright for this historic building.”

A launch to join the free membership of the charity is planned later on in the year and people are encouraged to get in touch at   info@millporttownhall.co.uk to put forward their ideas and offers of help.   

The charity is seeking someone who would take on the role of Volunteer Secretary.  The building is now owned by the community charity and next year the doors will open.

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(2) Formal offer from Scottish Government received.

(3) Planning approval granted for air source heat pumps.

(4) New cost plan for phase one shows additional £80K increase in costs.

(5) Applications gone in to Kelburn and National Lottery now we own the site.

(6) Our warrant application was submitted on 28 February - The regulations changed on 1 March and it now looks as though we have to install fire sprinkers in the flats at an additional cost - tbc.

(7) Received bill from Fergus Duncan, solicitor for purchase.

(8) Total Insurance costs have been paid

(9) Meter readings have been taken - we are now responsible for any bills/standing orders

(10) Clearance of the basement by NAC almost completed - remaining items to be cleared by volunteers.

Please visit our Building Works Update page.

This money comes from the Scottish Government Regeneration Capital Fund and arrives after a three year campaign to save this building which was built in 1878.

The Isle of Cumbrae are very grateful for this award and the other funds already pledged. We are now able to complete our asset transfer from North Ayrshire Council and get on with the work!

The Trustees would like to give a huge THANK YOU to the funding bodies who have helped us reach this point, to North Ayrshire Council and our Local Councillors, to the organisation and agencies like DTAS who have given us so much knowledge and last but not least to our wonderful supporters and volunteers who have kept us going. 

Remember this building is going to belong to the community and be run by the community.  Communications are difficult at the moment – please pass on this news to everyone you know and watch this space.

Milestones

September 2020 - Planning Approved!!

June 2020 - Planning application has been submitted.

September 2019 - North Ayrshire Council have approved in principle the Asset Transfer of the building to the community

April 2019 - Feability Study completed and a sustainable future has been shown for this project.

January 2019 - Our consultants and architects start the feasibility study

December 2018 - We have been awarded funding to undertake a feasibility study

Bill Paterson supports the cause …

Thursday 22 August 2019 - Scottish actor Bill Paterson is visiting in the afternoon! Bill spent many childhood summers in Millport and is keen to support this project.