Life-size wooden sculpture tours The Glenkens throughout May
A wooden life-size figure has been crafted to sit on the new picnic bench at the top of Waterside Hill. Before she is installed on the hillside, she will tour the Glenkens through May 2026, igniting discussion and storytelling activities for all ages!
We will host the wooden figure inside the village hall on Friday 8th May – PLEASE WEAR GREEN WOODLAND STYLE CLOTHES to make her feel at home – wood themed soundless fore the night and to celebrate we will have home baked pizzas and bring salads and puddings – a donation is very much welcomed to cover costs but free entrance to all.
Press release…
The ‘Woodlands Plus’ project has been working on a variety of sites in the region to explore how social, economic and ecological benefits can be added to local woodlands.As part of this, new interpretation boards were installed on Waterside Hill in 2025 that revealthe history of the area, and a new picnic bench was installed near the summit.
In addition to this, a life size wooden figure has been crafted to sit on the picnic bench –an artistic installation encouraging visitors to enjoy the view and consider the Glenkens, both past and present.
The figure will be unveiled on Waterside Hill in a short ceremony on 31st May. Before then, the wooden sculpture (on a replica picnic bench) will tour the Glenkens, appearing at different locations. This tour is partly for the sheer joy of it but also to introduce the project to the wider public, including those that might not be able to meet her in due course at the top of Waterside Hill.
Several of these travelling appearances will be accompanied by Anne Errington, local storyteller, giving a new way to engage with our heritage.
The sculpture forms part of the ‘Woodlands Plus’ Project, led by Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands. For more info about the project and aims, visit: https://dgwoodlands.org.uk/woodlands-plus/.
The sculpture has been made by Robert Lawrence (www.ingrainedculture.co.uk), funded by the Glenkens & District Trust. The tour of the Glenkens is made possible thanks to the support of GCAT’s Cultural Glenkens project (https://glenkens.scot/cultural-glenkens) and a range of partners. Install on Waterside Hill is possible thanks to the particular support of Earlstoun Estate, landowner, and the ongoing support of the Southern Upland Way Rangers.
McNabb Laurie, Manager of Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands, said:
“It is simply impossible to be next to this figure and for it not to provoke discussion… This sculpture – part-artistic installation and part heritage engagement opportunity – has been lovingly created to form a feature of anyone’s walk along the Southern Upland Way. The tour of the Glenkens in May is only possible thanks to the support from a wide range of partners, thank you to all involved. If you see her out on her travels, please do say hello.”
Robert Lawrence, creator of the sculpture, said:
“In Scotland there are only a small number of public statues depicting female figures. If you take Queen Victoria out of the equation a handful of examples remain. Even fewer from modern times. So it has been a great privilege for me to produce a figure to my community led brief of ‘an appropriate female image’ and ‘an image for all women’. Have I achieved it? I’ll leave you to decide…”
Anne Errington will be leading Storytelling sessions with the sculpture (as detailed below), and said:
“As Cormac mac Cuilennáin may have said of her, ‘She is the listener in the woods, she is the gazer at the stars ….as described by name of pet and fate!!’”
Jo Jackson, Cultural Glenkens Project Officer, added:
“Cultural Glenkens are delighted to be working with D & G Woodlands to welcome the wooden sculpture to the Glenkens. We hope that as many people as possible will have the chance, through her mini tour, to meet and interact with the figure before celebrating her final destination on Waterside Hill at the end of May”.
May 2026 Sculpture Tour Dates:
Fri 1st May – Launch at CatStrand 3.00-3.45pm (inc. Storytelling)
Fri 8th May – Mossdale Village Hall Bar and Music 7.30-10.00pm (inc. Storytelling)
Mon 11th May – LING Lunches New Galloway Town Hall 12.30-2.00pm
Sat 16 May – Carsphairn Bairns Banter (inc. Storytelling)
Tues 19 May – Dalry Library Garden, 2-5pm
Sat May 23rd – Balmaclellan Village Hall & Plant Sale
Sun 31st May – Unveiling on Waterside Hill 11.30am (inc. Storytelling)
For more information about Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands, follow them on social media, visit the website www.dgwoodlands.org.uk or sign up for the newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/iAlL6k. Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands is registered in Scotland as a SCIO, number 052525.
Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands is a membership organisation. If you’d like to join as a member, visit the website. For any further info, please contact mcnabb.laurie@dgwoodlands.org.
Present: Sam, Becky, Lynn, Lisa, Jim, Paul, Carmina, Jonathan, Helen
• Apologies:
Patti and Risto
1. Matters Arising from Previous Meeting
Painting Session and Improving the Coffee Seating Area: Dalry shop fund £600 for the coffee sitting area improvement – Paul to get paint and rollers/brushes and other bits we need – Set up will include a working area with printer, sewing machine and shelves for books and things – Call out for rugs, one cosy seat
100 club money
2. Financial Report
Current Balance: £8527.17
Recent Income: £485
GCAT – £45.00 – Dark Skies Event
Patti £65.00 – Art Classes
Eithne £30 – Yoga
Band £175
Social event £170
Recent Expenditure: £930 (£469)
Air conditioner £461
Paul S £226.39 (wine for Sheenas event) – see further plan below…
Scottish water £50 & £23.93 (maybe look into a meter)
Music licence £170
3. Hall Maintenance & Operations
Need a repair and paint afternoon to do the sitting area and clear gutters and put up the display board and lights etc – date 1st May Friday late afternoon onwards
4. Bookings & Events
May 8th – Wooden visitor evening -with wood themed music – pizzas – wine – bring a salad – cake etc we already have loads of wine and fizzy drinks so no expenditure for drinks – it will have to be the same again as we don’t have a license so voluntary payments – will be publicised next week once it goes official but basically its for us as a village
Ongoing bookings – Yoga – Tuesdays 6pm – Naturally Smart Permaculture every fortnight 27th next gathering – Band Thursday 6pm
5. SCIO Application Progress
Submitted March 18th nothing to report as yet
6. Correspondence
Request from Kells Community Council to host meeting on the 8th June @ 7pm – Paul is away so perhaps someone could meet and greet etc?
7. Applications for funding
Submitted
D&G Climate Hub
Climate Ready Communities Fund 2026–2027 £12,800
8. Any Other Business (AOB)
National savings account check up found an old account want to see if its live
Set up tent on 1st May – pizza oven – bag of pellets for pizza oven – pizza oven -green event – wear green things or a green costume – disposable cups and plates and knives and things Sam and Jonathan using Bookers Card for stuff
The April GCSN Citizen Science event takes place at 7pm on Thursday April 24th, in Dalry Town Hall.
The event combines a screening of Riverwoods, a spectacular documentary highlighting the interrelationship between our forests and the life cycle of the salmon, and a briefing on how to take part in The Big River Watch, a national citizen science initiative which takes place between the 24th and 30th April. We have a number of free sampling kits to distribute, which will enable participants to assess the health of a waterway in their area, and Niki Inglis will brief attendees on how to take part in this project.
We would like to share this event as widely as possible, to support people across the area to assess the health of their local waterway, in order to help us to build up a picture across the broader Glenkens. I would be very grateful if you could share this email with your local networks.
Booking is essential so that we can ensure that we have sufficient kits made up to distribute to attendees at the event.
Dalry shop fund kindly gave us £600 for the coffee sitting area improvement so we are about to act on that and make a nice sitting and working area in the hall.
Set up will include a working area with printer, sewing machine and shelves for books and things
Call out for rugs, one cosy seat do anyone who knows the whereabouts of any such items going free let us know.
Attendance: Eithne, Lisa, Carmina, Paul, Jim, Paul
Apologies: Annie, Sam and Beccy, Adele, Sheena, Patti and Risto
Meeting Notes
Item 1: Sheena’s Planned Evening
Discussion notes: March 6th 7-9.30, Licensed bar is booked Paul C will print the license when it arrives from D&G council, need to rethink the idea of price as its putting people off, need to send details far and wide to get people to come
Decisions / actions:
Paul S has edited the poster and sent it to Annie, Jo for Glenkens Hub, and circulate to the village people
Free on door (donations welcomed) spend the money at the bar
Paul S to buy wine x20 – we already have some fizzy drinks and a few beers, Paul C will also get some beer and then we will have the makings of the bar
Item 2: Painting Session and Improving the Coffee Seating Area
Discussion notes:
Dalry shop fund £600 for the coffee sitting area improvement
Decisions / actions:
Paul to get paint and rollers/brushes and other bits we need – then painting day FRIDAY 13TH March 1pm onwards
Set up will include a working area with printer, sewing machine and shelves for books and things
Call out for rugs, one cosy seat
Item 3: Plans for SCIO
Discussion notes:
Paul C shared latest update – had needing about an alternative way to set up the hall as a social funding committee and having a second meeting to see what it offers before we go ahead – next meeting this will be shared
Decisions / actions:
next meeting this will be shared
Item 4: Star Gazing Session Next Week
Discussion notes:
Next week Tuesday 17th 7:00pm an evening star gazing and a talk by one of the trustees of the Proposed Clatteringshaws Dark Skies Centre
Decisions / actions:
Come along for what looks like a great evening. Donations on the evening.
Item 5: Any Other Business (AOB)
Discussion notes:
Eithne has got hold of two compost bins for the back yard.
Lisa suggested we need to get recycling bins (as part of the upgrade plans)
Carmina is going to set up a free cycle Mossdale group on the chat
Eithne is to repeat the 6 week yoga series
Paul S is to get hold of the 100 club money and transfer it into the account so we will then use it for the kitchen floor improvements.
Paul presented the proposed Three Tier Access Model:
TIER 1 – Village Residents (DG7 2N):
– Free access with voluntary donations welcomed or equivalent in kind
TIER 2 –
Village involvement but also external users: Voluntary donations requested to cover heating and lighting costs per session
TIER 3
No village involvement: £15/hour mandatory charge as already exists
In 2026 there will be leasing contracts issued for events so that we have the appropriate documentation for there SCIO process in place – this will begin in Q2 2026
Discussion:
The reason this needed reviewing was because of earlier uncertainties about purpose and process, we need to have it in place as it will be included in the SCIO proposal. After some discussion regarding how to phrase the modification, we agreed on the following which will be reviewed annually or earlier if it proves difficult to manage.
MOTION: “That Mossdale Village Hall adopts the Three-Tier Access Model as presented, providing free hall use to all village residents (DG7 2N postcode area) with voluntary financial donations welcomed or benefit in kind, requesting donations from external users when village involvement exists to cover heating and lighting and basic maintenance costs, and charging £15 per hour for external commercial use with no village involvement, effective from 05/01/2026.”
2. Implement the sitting area painting and tidy and make it comfortable as we now have the £600 from Dalry Shop which we were awarded in December – need to sort out a date for action
3. Prepare bid for regeneration of the building and potential for extending the kitchen side
In making the planned move to a SCIO we can substantially restructure the idea of committee and change the way the hall is managed. The approval to do this was presented earlier in 2025 and we can now move to elect THREE trustees, who will be in post in readiness for the move to SCIO status. This makes the management group smaller to meet with requirements, and enables us to then hold regular meetings which are open to anyone in the village to attend and participate, with the intention to set up when necessary small working groups for buildings, or land activity or to lead an event.
Current Trustees:
Paul, Jayne, Eithne, Jim, Lisa
Resignations/Retirements:
Jayne, Eithne
Nominations Received:
Jim, (nominated by Risto and Paul) Paul (Carmina and Patti), Lisa (Eithne and Paul S)
Elections Held
Trustees Elected/Re-elected:
Jim Slattery, Paul Clarke, Lisa Chamberlain
The new trustee body was confirmed with 3 trustees serving these are three year appointments without prejudice, meaning that they can resign at any time during their period in office with notice to the monthly meetings. The Trustees have final executive oversight of the activities of the hall and hold legal responsibilities for its good governance and management on behalf of the village hall.
Paul S to come back with a suggested quiz night theme and date
Paul and Jim to finalise AGM minutes and reports and submit to the website
Sheena to come back with a plan for open mike ‘Concert by Candlelight’ social event
Appendix A: Hall Report
AGM – 5 January 2026
I am pleased to present the Hall Report for Mossdale Village Hall, covering the period since our last Annual General Meeting in January 2025.
From Stewardship to Strategic Direction
Since January 2025, our priority has been to stabilise and strengthen the operational foundations of the hall. This has included holding regular community meetings, improving clarity in decision-making, reviewing our record-keeping, and undertaking a thorough review of policies and procedures to ensure we meet our legal, ethical, and operational responsibilities.
Over the course of the year, however, it became clear that stewardship alone is no longer sufficient. Community halls across Scotland are increasingly being asked to play a broader role — as places of resilience, wellbeing, learning, enterprise, and connection. In response, we have taken the deliberate step of moving beyond short-term management towards longer-term strategic thinking.
As a result, we have begun to articulate a clear and shared direction for the future of the hall. This work culminated in the draft Mossdale Plan (2025–2030), submitted for consideration in May 2025. The plan sets out a structured, realistic, and ambitious framework for how the hall can evolve as a vital community asset over the next five years.
The Mossdale Plan provides a clear roadmap for development through to 2030. It is not a fixed blueprint, but a living framework designed to guide decisions, attract funding, and give the community confidence about the direction of travel.
At its core, the plan sets out a simple vision:
A vibrant, multi-use community hall at the heart of Mossdale life — legally sound, financially sustainable, and welcoming for all.
The plan identified 2025 as a foundation year, with the primary objectives of establishing the legal and organisational structures needed for future growth, and generating reliable data on usage and demand for the hall’s services.
We now have a revised application ready for submission to become a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). We hope this will be validated during 2026 and will strengthen governance, improve transparency, and significantly increase our eligibility for external funding.
Governance, Transparency, and Readiness
A major strand of work over the past year has been preparing the hall for this next phase. This has included:
• Reviewing and rewriting the constitution
• Establishing clearer financial systems and reporting
• Moving towards regular, transparent accounts
• Improving administrative and digital infrastructure
While much of this work is not immediately visible, it is essential. Without strong governance and compliance, future ambitions — including funding applications and capital investment — would not be possible.
Community Life and Activity
Alongside this foundational work, we have remained committed to the hall’s role as a living social space. The Mossdale Plan groups activity into five themed areas: Resilience, Wellbeing, Arts & Culture, Community & Social Life, and Local Economy & Enterprise.
Many activities are already underway or planned, including yoga, arts sessions, pop-up café and shop initiatives, games nights, music, and workshops. These are not isolated events, but part of a deliberate effort to build evidence of use, participation, and impact — all of which will be vital in securing future support and funding.
Financial Oversight and Sustainability
In 2025, we made two intentional financial decisions. First, to encourage and increase community involvement, we offered free access to the venue within Mossdale community boundaries. Second, we revised hall fee arrangements to align with current legal requirements relating to bookings and liability management.
Both of these decisions will be reviewed and, where necessary, refined during the coming year, in line with SCIO requirements and best practice.
Income and expenditure have been monitored closely throughout the year, and spending has been controlled in line with available resources. From 2025 onwards, the Mossdale Plan sets out a staged financial pathway, moving from modest, community-funded activity in the early years towards larger development and capital funding as the project matures.
This reflects our commitment to sustainability — growing only at a pace that the hall, the trustees, and the wider community can realistically support.
Looking Ahead
Looking forward, our priorities are clear:
• Completing the SCIO transition during 2026
• Embedding transparent financial and reporting systems
• Expanding regular community activity
• Strengthening the hall’s digital presence and communication
• Beginning structured planning for future refurbishment and redevelopment
The ambition is not change for its own sake, but to ensure that Mossdale Village Hall remains relevant, resilient, and genuinely useful to the community for decades to come. The hall has played a valuable role in Mossdale for many years, and we now need to think carefully about how it will continue to serve the community into the future.
Thanks and Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the entire Mossdale community for their time, commitment, and thoughtful engagement over the past year. The work involved in planning, governance, and community development is substantial and often unseen, but it is fundamental to the hall’s future.
Thanks also go to hall users and to the wider community who continue to support the hall and contribute to its life and energy.
Closing
In closing, since January 2025 we have moved from maintaining Mossdale Village Hall to actively beginning the process of shaping its future.
I look forward to the year ahead as we turn our shared vision into practical and visible progress.
Each month rolls forward correctly the previous one. The end-of-year balance is internally consistent but we started the year in May because it took ages to get the new bank account established.
• Opening balance (01-May-25): £11,642.42
• Closing balance (end of year) 01/12/25: £8,633.64
• Net movement: −£3,008.78
This exactly matches total expenditure minus income (see below).
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2. Expenditure vs income summary
Gross expenditure (positive figures)
• May: £298.88
• Jun: £689.42
• Jul: £1,255.70
• Aug: £554.25
• Oct: £14.25
• Nov: £888.49
Total gross expenditure: £3,700.99
Income / credits (negative figures)
• Sep: £144.77
• Dec: £547.44
Total income: £692.21
Net spend for the period
• £3,700.99 − £692.21 = £3,008.78
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3. Monthly pattern observations (strategic view)
• Highest burn month: July (£1,255.70)
→ Likely a one-off or seasonal cost spike.
• Two income months: September and December
→ These materially softened the annual drawdown.
• Low-activity month: October (£14.25)
→ Suggests discretionary control is possible when needed.
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4. Average burn rate (useful for forecasting)
• Net average monthly spend (May–Dec, 8 months):
£3,008.78 ÷ 8 ≈ £376 per month
At that rate:
• £8,633.64 gives roughly 22–23 months of runway if nothing changes.
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5. What this tells us operationally
• The account is stable, not leaking.
• One or two planned income injections per year materially extend runway.
• Containing July-style purchasing spikes (footy goals, hoses, hoover etc one offs basically) is more impactful than trimming small monthly costs.
We will now begin to return accounts each quarter to the hall meeting and put them onto the website.
