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Shambellie House Trust, New Abbey, Dumfries. DG2 8HQ

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Home | The Trust

About the Shambellie House Trust

Shambellie House was the home of the Scottish National Museum of Costume from 1982 to 2013.  On closure of the Museum, the Shambellie House Trust was created to develop a sustainable future for the house and grounds. A registered charity, in 2019 it also became a Community Benefit Society. It is managed by a Board of Trustees. 

Shambellie House Trust Charitable Objectives

  1. To arrange for the buildings and grounds to be used for the advancement of arts, heritage and culture. 
  2. Providing facilities for the arts and providing heritage benefit to the community by preserving the listed building of Shambellie House (including any outbuildings or associated buildings and grounds).
  3. To arrange for the buildings and grounds to be used for the advancement of education, in particular arts, culture and the environment.

Trustees

The Trustees currently meet quarterly, in person, at Shambellie House. In addition to a role on the Board of Directors, Trustees support the work of the Trust by volunteering for duties during workshops and exhibitions at the House. Roles and Responsibilities are governed by the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014.

Meet the Shambellie House Trustees.

JOHN G STEWART (CHAIR)

John is a member of the Stewart family who built Shambellie House. Born and educated in Edinburgh, holidays were mostly spent in New Abbey. He obtained a veterinary degree from Cambridge University and was a practicing vet in Surrey and Hampshire for thirty years. For the past fifteen years he has followed his interest in horses’ feet and their problems and continues to work as an equine podiatrist. In 2012 he was inducted into the International Equine Veterinarian Hall of Fame of the American Farriers Journal and his book ‘Understanding the Horse’s Feet’ was published in 2013. In 2016, he returned ‘home’ to New Abbey from the USA and quickly became involved with the Shambellie House Trust.

Ann Hill BEM (Vice Chair)

Ann is a Shetlander now living in the small village of Mouswald on the outskirts of Dumfries.  She moved to the Scottish mainland in 1981 when she married her husband David who is a consultant radiologist at the Dumfries hospital.  They have four children and eight grandchildren.  Until her retirement she was Chief Executive of the Scottish School Board Association working with all levels of educational personnel. She has been a member of the Scottish Qualifications Authority, is the Scottish representative for the Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles and Quilter in Residence at Alzheimer Scotland.  She has received an American Citation Award from the Mayor of Annapolis for her charity work through quilting for dementia, she was honoured to carry the Queen’s baton for the Commonwealth Games and was awarded a Point of Light Award by David Cameron, Prime Minister.  She recently received an award from Alzheimer Scotland for raising £100,000 for the charity through covering Hampden Park Football Stadium with 5,012 quilts.  She was awarded the BEM in the 2020/21 New Year’s Honours.  With her team of quilters Ann set up ‘Shambellie Quilters’ and organised the first Dumfries and Galloway Quilt Festival at Shambellie House in 2019.

Glynne Shackleton

A Chartered Architect with a family background in haulage and quarrying, and a wide architectural practice experience.  He was based in North Wales, with commissions as varied as Windsor Safari Park and the cafe at the top of Snowdon.  He came to The Stewartry Council in 1980 as Chief Architect progressing to Depute Director of Technical Services, developing the Council’s Health and Safety (Construction) Policy before taking early retirement in 1996. The following period has been taken up with private practice.  Apart from a general enthusiasm for old buildings he also brings experience from a commission similar to that which the Trust propose at Shambellie.

Jo Kemp

Jo was born in Dumfries and educated in Dumfries and Perthshire.  Her first employment was in the Education and Training department at ICI Dumfries.  On marriage she moved south and while her children were young, she worked as a volunteer, notably being elected chairman of a committee running a hostel for single mothers when she was involved in mentoring the young women.  On moving to Derbyshire she joined the WRVS and with a team of volunteers, ran the local Meals on Wheels service.  For ten years she was the Administrator in a care home complex.  On returning to New Abbey nineteen years ago, she started a small livestock business keeping Dexter cattle and coloured Shetland sheep and is still running the farm.  She was a Trustee in the Dexter Society for six years and was appointed as Chair for two of those years.

Alan McNeish

Alan has been a photographer for 20 years.  He has experience in a number of types of photography.  He took the plunge & went back to college after 30 years and completed his HND in photography in 2015. Alan is a member of the Royal Photographic Society (RPS & the Society of Wedding & Portrait Photographers (SWPP).  He gained his Licentiate distinction in 2016 and is now working towards his Associate distinction.  Three years ago Alan decided to start up as a full time professional freelance photographer, doing studio style, location portraits & product photography.

Arona Allan

Arona was born and educated in Dumfries, living there until around 10 years ago when she moved to New Abbey. She is a member of the Shambellie House Art Group.  After leaving school she trained as a seamstress and then turned her attention to retail and retail management.  She has an HND in Business and Office management.  After having her son she decided to turn her hobby and passion for art into a living, returning to college and getting a HND in Art and Design.

Susan Gibson (secretary)

Sue recently returned to Dumfries from Germany where she worked for 20 years designing and providing English language and soft skills courses for apprentices, middle and senior managers in the private sector, in further education and the third sector.  She has also been a Cambridge English Language examiner since 2011.  Before moving to Germany, she had been marketing and communications manager for a large multi-national company in Dumfries having worked there in various development and brand management roles since graduating in 1985. In her spare time, Sue loves to bake and she makes scones, cakes and other delicious bakes to share with the Shambellie House Trustees and Team members. Lucky us!

David Miller BSc FRICS

David was born in Dumfries and educated at Dumfries Academy and Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh.  David returned to Dumfries in 1976 and as a Chartered Surveyor worked in the Construction Industry for over 40 years, prior to retirement in 2019. He was Senior Director in McGowan Miller, Construction Consultants which he set up in 1990, a firm with a presence all over Scotland, as far north as John O’ Groats, as well as the North of England.  For over 10 years David was involved with the Princes Foundations’ work in the Development of Dumfries House and the surrounding Estate, as well as outreach projects in Braemar and at the Castle of Mey.  David is married to Norma with two children and, to date, two grandchildren.  David is also at this time a Trustee and Chairman of the Dumfries and Galloway Befriending Project and is a Past President and now Assistant Secretary of the Burns Howff Club in Dumfries and also a Past President of the Dumfries and Galloway Burns Association through which he is involved with the organising of the Robert Burns School Competition, which is held annually for all schoolchildren based in Dumfries and Galloway.  David also sits on the Heritage Committee of the Robert Burns World Federation.

Laura Hudson MackaY

Laura Hudson Mackay is a professional photographic Artist living in New Abbey, Dumfries and Galloway. Laura completed an Advanced Diploma in Illustrative Photography at Glasgow Metropolitan College and a Diploma with Distinction in Art History at London Art College. 

Laura is an Associate Member of the Royal Photographic Society and an award winning Food Photographer and Stylist, she works from her studio on Dumfries High Street. Laura is passionate about building bridges and promoting understanding between people. She is the Founder of ‘Confluence The World’ a grassroots initiative born out of a longing to use two of her favourite art forms, photography and storytelling, to bring people from different cultures together.

Laura is the Lead at ‘Photographers of Shambellie House’ (PoSH). 

 

Our Workshops

Relax, Learn and Enjoy.

Shambellie House is a creative centre for arts, heritage and environmental courses, workshops and events. Find out what’s on.

 
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