Summary of 2017 Chairman’s Report
The key points from Grant Macrae, Chairman of the Melville College Trust, report at the Annual General Meeting of the Trust in December 2017.
The Trust Fund Bursaries –
- We continue to use investment income to support the school with £230,000 of support for bursaries.
- In 2016/17 there were 30 awards, 17 to pupils in SMC and 13 to MES pupils. These were at different percentages of tuition fees with several at 100%. In 2017/18, 31 awards have been made 15 at SMC, 15 at MES and one in P7 of the Junior School. We are very aware that the number of applications for support towards fees continues to rise which is the main reason we seek donations & legacies to be invested to allow us to provide support to more pupils in the future either as bursaries or in cases of hardship.
Other awards –
- Our grant of £10,000 for equipment, together with unspent funds from the previous year held by the school, resulted in almost £15,000 used on 15 different projects across all three schools. These included a theatre for P5 puppet making club, orienteering equipment, four tenor drums for the pipe band, equipment for the newly established Comic & Anime club and equipment for the Coding club. In light of the increased numbers of boys as well as girls playing hockey we provided Hi-POD performance monitoring equipment for use across the schools.
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Sir Fraser returned as a speaker at Founders’ Day in June 2017 and presented the Sir Fraser Stoddart prize to the first two winners Andrew Ricketts & Anthony Hughes of S4 which comprised a commemorative certificate to each pupil signed by Sir Fraser together with a book token.
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Sir Fraser also presented The Melville College Trust Prize for Outstanding Contribution to the School which was awarded to Leo Johnston of S5.
Other activities –
- Over the past year we have continued to develop our strategy for the future sustainability of the Trust by publicising our activities on our updated web site and encouraging donations and legacies. To help us keep up to date with best practice, Trustees have again attended training sessions on current challenges facing charities. This will all be reflected in further focus on long term strategy going forward.
- Last year I reported on a successful tour of our old school premises in Melville Street during which we welcomed Mrs McKelvie to her old classroom. I’m sorry to report her death in Spring 2017. A number of her former colleagues & pupils attended her memorial service.
- The process of gaining permission for listed building consent, planning permission and conservation area consent for the plaque outside our old school premises in Melville Street continues.
- Most of us remember the “Ferryfield Gates” which were relocated to Inverleith following the sale of Ferryfield.. During the past year these required refurbishment which the Trust has paid for on the basis that the school has now taken over responsibility for all future maintenance.
- In December 2016 Sir Fraser Stoddart became the first former pupil to be awarded a Nobel Prize. Immediately after receiving the award in Sweden he came to the school to talk to senior chemistry pupils and a few guests including Miss Christie. During that visit and in conjunction with the current Principal we discussed with him a suitable way for the Trust to recognise this achievement. The decision was taken to award a prize for collaborative research in Chemistry by a team of two pupils or more.
- We also congratulate former pupil G Arthur D Christie (brother of Margot) on being appointed Chevalier de L’Ordre National de la Legion d’Honneur by the President of France in recognition of his contribution to the liberation of France in 1944.