Note of the meeting of the North Tolsta Historical Society at the Schoolhouse, North Tolsta , on Monday, 7 April 2008, at 8pm.

PRESENT: M Murray; M Maciver; J.A. MacIver (Cllr); D.Murray; R.Murray; A.Murray; A.MacLeod, A. MacKenzie; S. MacIver; AA Smith.

APOLOGIES: C M Smith

CHAIR: D.Murray

1.   Note of the Last Meeting

The Note of the last meeting was approved.

2. Matters arising

Genealogy project : nearing financial completion – some small works still outstanding.

Archiving and Digitisation: the possibility of funding of £10k had been followed up with Mark Elliot at Museum nan Eilean, but not pursued because it required a ‘partnership application' and it was not possible to get a sufficient number of partners together in the timescale to make an application for the minimum amount of £10k.

3.   Financial Statement

Financial Statement deferred until the next meeting.

It would be useful to check the current inventory for insurance purposes, etc, and it was agreed that Alex Angus, Anna and Rhoda would deal with this.

4.   Voluntary Action Fund

Notification of a funding workshop on 11 April 2008 at VAL in Stornoway. Two to three year grants up to £35k per year available; one year grants up to £35k for pilot volunteering activities in new settings; or small grants up to £5k. Hopefully some members would be able to attend.

•  An Caidreachas

Sarah Egan (Hebridean Connections) appointed as Secretary of An Caidreachas.

6.   Web Site training

Anna, Rhoda and Innes Maciver had a training session with Taylor Edgar and, as decided at the AGM, Rhoda and Anna would deal with the basic updating and Innes Maciver could be called on for more complex tasks. The chairman would monitor as necessary.

7.   Access to the Comann Eachdraidh

The school had been embarking on a number of projects in and around the school grounds and there had been some conjecture as to whether this would impinge on the Comann Eachdraidh's joint access with the pre-school group, as per the existing lease with the Comhairle, i.e. the road leading up from the main road to the school house.

It was clarified at the meeting that these school projects would have no impact whatsoever on the joint access. There are proposals to create a new car park with an adjoining access route behind the school that everyone could use. This was in the interests of safety as the current school access at the community hall entrance was hazardous to the children.

•  Date of next meeting No date was set for the next meeting.