JOIN THE FRIENDS!

The Friends of Hugh Miller is a registered charity (SC 037351), which was founded in April 2006, to build more public support and understanding for the life and work of Hugh Miller, and the Cromarty museum dedicated to him. It has well over 80 members. It has raised £10,000 from the Awards For All scheme towards the £70,000 cost of the garden behind the museum, Miller's Yard, opened in 2008. It also hosted the geology conference, Hugh Miller: Local Hero that year. In 2009/10  it is raising funds to help the National Trust for Scotland to keep the Museum open, and it is contributing some £4500 to the redesign and replanting of the Birthplace Cottage garden. 

If you would like to become a member of the Friends, please scroll down the page, to where you will find our Constitution, and forms for joining the organisation.

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Please see Autumn 2009 Newsletter just out: Click on it at the foot of this page.

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HOW TO JOIN THE FRIENDS - AND WHY!

Dear Sir/Madam

“FRIENDS OF HUGH MILLER” MEMBERSHIP INVITATION

I have pleasure in inviting you to consider subscribing to a charity, named The Friends of Hugh Miller, to support the Hugh Miller Museum & Birthplace Cottage.

The Friends’ annual subscription has been set at £10 per person. We have an initial target of 100 members, contributing a revenue stream of £1,000 pa to the museum’s budget. We will also seek donations from time to time in aid of specific projects. Among the exciting projects which may be the subject of future appeals are: A natural sciences-themed Garden at the rear of Miller House; re-publication of Miller’s geological masterwork, The Old Red Sandstone; temporary exhibitions, and “Living History” events in the museum buildings and grounds.

Subscribers will receive a Membership Card, a copy of the constitution, a periodical newsletter and an annual report. The organisation will be run by an NTS staff-based Management Committee, supported by three distinguished Patrons (see below).

I look forward to welcoming you as a Member of the Friends, a very worthwhile new venture which I am sure will generate significant benefits.

Yours sincerely

Martin Gostwick

Secretary

(See contact details below)

PS: Please make your cheques payable to “The Friends of Hugh Miller”, and, most importantly, include an email address, if you have one. Thank you.

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CONSTITUTION OF “THE FRIENDS OF HUGH MILLER”

1.0 NAME

The organisation shall be known as “The Friends of Hugh Miller”, hereafter referred to as “the Friends”, or “the organisation”, as appropriate.

2.0 AIMS

The objects of “the Friends” shall be to advance the education of the public concerning the name and work of Hugh Miller in the fields of Scottish science and literature, and to advance interest in Scotland’s heritage by supporting the Hugh Miller Museum and Birthplace Cottage, Church Street, Cromarty IV11 8XA, Ross & Cromarty, Scotland.

The subsidiary objectives of the organisation will therefore include:

1.1 Endeavouring to enrol and maintain a subscription membership whose role will be assist the custodians of the museum, namely the National Trust for Scotland, in pursuing the above aims.

1.2 Encouraging and assisting in attracting as many visitors to the Hugh Miller Museum as possible.

1.3 Furthering all the organisation’s aims by encouraging others to become Friends.

1.4 Fund-raising in support of the museum buildings, its aims and activities.

3.0 MEMBERSHIP & SUBSCRIPTIONS

Membership is open to all who wish to see the achievement of the organisation’s primary and subsidiary aims. The Friends as an organisation will encourage those who have not yet done so, to become members of the National Trust for Scotland.

There shall be a single membership category of Friends, with an annual subscription of £10. The Financial Year of the organisation will run from 1^st April to 31^st March of the following year. The first year begins from 1^st April 2006, and subscriptions will be renewable from the 1^st April of each following year, payable within 30 days, after which membership automatically lapses.

3.0 FINANCE

The funding of “the Friends” shall consist of the membership subscriptions, donations, and any funds raised for specific projects. A bank account will be opened in the name of “The Friends of Hugh Miller”, whose signatories shall be the Secretary and Treasurer. Accounts shall be kept by the Treasurer to show income and expenditure. The accounts will be presented to the Friends as part of an annual report, made at the end of each financial year.

4.0 STRUCTURE

The Friends will have three honorary patrons. The administration structure shall consist of a Management Committee of four members. The museum Property Manager will serve as Secretary, responsible for the overall administration of the Friends charity, and the NTS Highland and Islands Regional Finance Manager will serve as Treasurer, managing the accounts and presenting an annual financial report, as above, which will be independently audited by a qualified examiner.

4.1 NOMINATIONS & ELECTIONS. In the organisation’s first year, Friends will be asked to approve NTS nominations for the two non-staff Committee members. Thereafter, members will be invited to nominate two Friends to the Committee, the elected being those who have secured the highest number of nominations .

4.2 INFORMATION & MEETINGS.The Committee will issue a periodical newsletter reporting on the organisation’s activities, and an annual report, including financial report (as above). An annual meeting will be held in Cromarty, and a fee will be charged to those attending, in order to cover costs.

5.0 BENEFITS

The primary beneficiary will be the museum itself, through the generous support of the Friends. New subscribers shall be entitled to a membership card, and thereafter the periodical newsletter, and annual report referred to above. The annual meeting will provide an event of note promoting the focus on Miller and the museum. A Friends book will be kept on the premises containing a subscribers’ list, and record of donations, and other forms of support given.

6.0 REVIEWS

All aspects of the Friends’ constitution and administration shall be subject to review and change, on the initiative of the Management Committee, and/or on the basis of proposals from Friends placed before the annual meeting. Items of future consideration may include the subscription rate, meeting attendance charges and other financial factors. All suggestions made by Friends for the development of the property and for events and activities will be considered by the Committee.

6.1 DISSOLUTION. The Friends may be dissolved as an organisation in the event of a failure for whatever reason/s to sustain itself as an active body. A winding up would be effected by a Management Committee recommendation to the existing membership at the time, which recommendation would require acceptance by at least 50 per cent of those responding. Following wind-up, any remaining assets would pass to the National Trust for Scotland.

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BANKER’S ORDER

To The Manager

Bank name___________________________________________________________

Bank address__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

____________________________Post Code__________

Please pay to The Royal Bank of Scotland, Inverness Chief Office, 29 Harbour Road, Inverness IV1 1NU (Sort Code 83-23-10) for the credit of Friends of Hugh Miller, Account No. 10285618, the sum of:

£__________ amount in words________________________

Please note: The Friends annual subscription is £10, but if the member wishes to contribute above that sum, please state accordingly.

Annually, commencing on_01/04/2010______________ until_________ or Until Further Notice.

Note: The next annual date is 1^st April 2010.

Please charge my Bank Account No________________________________________

Sort Code_____________________________________________________________

Signed_______________________________________________________________

Title ______________ First Name(s)_______________________________________

Surname______________________________________________________________

Address______________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

______________________________Post Code_______________________________

ONCE THIS FORM HAS BEEN COMPLETED PLEASE RETURN TO: MARTIN GOSTWICK AT HUGH MILLER MUSEUM, CHURCH STREET, CROMARTY IV11 8XA FOR ADMINISTRATION, AND NOT TO YOUR BANK.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUERIES REGARDING THE COMPLETION OF THIS FORM PLEASE CONTACT MR GOSTWICK ON 01381 600245 OR E-MAIL mgostwick@nts.org.uk

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GIFT AID FORM

TO: THE FRIENDS OF HUGH MILLER

I wish the charity registered as The Friends of Hugh Miller to treat as Gift Aid all donations, including subscriptions that I have made since 1^st July 2007, and all donations and subscriptions I make from the date of this declaration until I notify you otherwise.

Notes:

1. Since your declaration covers donations you may make in the future

+ Please notify The Friends if you change your name or address while the declaration is still in force.

+ You can cancel the declaration at any time by notifying the Friends – it will then not apply to donations you make after the date of cancellation or such later date as you specify.

2 You must pay an amount of income tax and/or capital gains tax at least equal to the tax the Friends reclaims on your donations in the tax year (28p for each £1 you give in the year).

3 If in the future your circumstances change and you no longer pay tax on your income and capital gains equal to the tax that the Friends reclaims, you can cancel your declaration.

4 If you pay tax at the higher rate you can claim further tax relief in your Self Assessment tax return.

5 If you are insure whether your donations qualify for Gift Aid tax relief ask your local tax office for leaflet IR113 Gift Aid, or ring/email the Friends treasurer, Mrs Sheona Leonard on 01463 732625; sleonard@nts.org.uk.

PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM TO MARTIN GOSTWICK, SECRETARY, THE FRIENDS OF HUGH MILLER, C/O HUGH MILLER MUSEUM, CHURCH STREET, CROMARTY IV11 8XA

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Download our Summer 2006 newsletter in .pdf form by clicking here

Download our Autumn 2009 newsletter in .pdf form by clicking here