Margaret was a very fine artist and also loved doing craft work. She contracted Rheumatoid Arthritis in January 2004 and was doing really well against the disease until May 2005, when she suffered a massive stroke and passed away on May 18 2005 after fighting for her life for nine days.

The trust was formed in June 2005 as a memorial to her artistic skills and before she became ill she was a very fine swimmer, hill walker and cyclist.

She loved doing art and craft work with children as she easily saw their potential so, the aim of the trust is to promote art and craft in classes one and two in the primary schools along the Ochil Hillfoots from Muckhart, Dollar, Tillicoultry, Coalsnaughton, Alva and Menstrie. We hope to expand the areas to the rest of Clackmannanshire, Stirling, Auchterarder, Comrie, Muthil, Crieff and St Fillan’s by Loch Earn in 2008.

The children are invited to submit artwork or craft work to be judged and they will receive a prize and certificate for their particular skills. The art and craft work we receive from them will be used in a twelve page calendar which will go on sale to raise more funds each year which started with the 2007 issue. The 2006 winners were very, very pleased that their art and craft work was included in the calendar. Each area will have a calendar of their own winners' art and craft work.

We also present the “Young Artist of the Year” and “Young Craft Person of the Year” awards each year and they receive engraved trophies to keep for one year. The presentation takes place before a variety concert usually around mid October depending on school holidays, when we promote local music, song and dance artistes who perform free of charge to help raise their profile in the local area. We raise funds on the night which ranges from over £1000 to £3,400 by way of ticket sales and raffles prizes. Our first variety concert on February 4^th 2006 was a great success as we raised £1200 for the fund.

We have promoted Lauren Paterson of Tillicoultry, Andrea Wilson of Alloa, Alloa Bowmar Pipe Band, Kirsty Docherty who won the Xmas Factor in 2006, George McLean of East Kilbride, Lauren Robertson of Tullibody who are all wonderful performers. Alloa Ballet Company were performing their skills at the ABBA tribute concert we held on September 29^th, 2007 which was a very good shop window for the ballet school and their principal Ms Heather Shrimpton. We have also promoted many other fine song and dance artistes.

Trying to establish yearly fund raising sporting events which are fun, enjoyable and at the same time a challenge is very rewarding. We want to promote all types of sport as Margaret loved all her outdoor activities, when she was in good health.

We organised the first Sherrifmuir Challenge on Sunday, August 20^th 2006 and we were supported by The Sherrifmuir Inn, Blackford Farms and Highland Spring Ltd as well as Scottish Athletics Ltd and many other local businesses and individuals in the surrounding area. We receive a lot of help from local businesses and we ran it again in 2007 to a great response from the runners as it is the only eleven mile road race in Scotland so we have an exclusive!

We raised £1012 in 2006 and £1100 in 2007.

We have arranged with Muckhart Golf Club to hold a fund raising Tri-Am golf tournament in their centenary year of 2008.

The St Fillan's Mountain Bike Challenge was held for the first time on Sunday, July 15th, 2007. Permission was granted by Lady Willoughby of Drummond Estates, Muthil to hold it in the beautiful hills north of St Fillan’s, Perthshire. We would like our fund raising sport events to become yearly, on the sporting calendar.

Ms Kathleen O’Neill who is the Creative Links Officer with Clackmannanshire Council, has been a wonderful help in setting up the charity, Kathleen is our Charity Adviser. Her experience is exceptional. We have also been in contact with Ms Kirsty Duncan of Perth & Kinross Education Department to initiate the program in West Perthshire in 2008.

Our Press Officer is Hamish Hutchison who works with Alloa Advertiser and does a brilliant job of our publicity.

Our official Photographer is Mike Day of Dollar who creates some wonderful photographs of all our events

If you wish to contact me my telephone numbers are 01259 743850 or mobile 07913 706 256.

The Trust e-mail address is This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

The trust has gained a very high profile and requires more volunteer staff to execute its very fine work.

John R Gordon

Chairman