News

Friday, 30 June 2006 - The Portencross 6th Annual Art Exhibit enjoyed a "first", in that the weather was glorious on both days!  Just over £2,300 was raised at this fundraiser for the Portencross Castle Fund...thanks to the ever-supportive public and to the enthusiasm and hard work of all of those who made the event tick along smoothly!  This amount surpasses that of just over £2,000 which was raised at the 4th Portencross Art Exhibit in 2004.  Again, we must express our gratitude to Bobby and Margaret McKee, who provided the venue and their hospitality here at Portencross.

Monday, 05 June 2006 - We wish to thank all of the donors to the Portencross Castle Fund (at her funeral services, as expressly requested by the late Sadie Douglas).  To date, the donations total £710.  Even under these sad circumstances, Sadie reached out to the civic causes and activities which she held close to her heart.  Protecting Portencross Castle for the heritage  of Scotland and for future generations was a goal about which she felt passionately.  Frequently, she and her childhood friend, Olive, came to have their tea  near the castle in order to enjoy the vistas and the aura of serenity and  history surrounding the castle. Words are inadequate.   For everything...thank you, Sadie.

Wednesday, 10 May 2006 - The following is extracted from the Obituary page of The Herald of Wednesday, May 10, 2006:

"Douglas, Sadie.  Peacefully, at Crosshouse Hospital, on Sunday, 7th May, 2006.  Sadie Naomi Ridgway Douglas, M.B.E., loved friend and mother.  We will miss you forever.  Funeral service at Overton Church, West Kilbride, on Saturday, 13th May, at 9am, thereafter to Holmsford Bridge Crematorium, by Dreghorn KA11 4EF at 10am to which all friends are respectfully invited.  Family flowers only, please.  A retiral collection for Portencross Castle preservation will be taken at the church, if desired."

Sunday, 07 May 2006 - Very early this morning, Sadie Naomi Douglas, MBE, passed away in her sleep while undergoing treatment at Crosshouse Hospital.  Sadie, who was 83, has been suffering from debilitating illness for some time.  She leaves a history of total involvement in civic affairs.  As of late, she was the Chairman of the West Kilbride Amenity Society; a director of the Friends of Portencross Castle and a director of the West Kilbride Initiative Group.  As soon as there is any news concerning funeral services, we will post them on this website.  We will miss her very much.

Sunday, 30 April 2006 - The weather could not have been more glorious for yesterday's first coffee morning fundraiser of 2006!  A steady stream of guests raised just over £560 !  We thank each and every one of you who have supported the effort to ensure the future of Portencross Castle...please continue to do so since now the fundraising aspect of making the castle structure safe intensifies.

Thursday, 22 December 2005 - "A Castle for Christmas!" - to quote one of our directors. On December 22nd, 2005, the title to Portencross Castle was transferred from British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL) to the Friends of Portencross Castle (FOPC), a locally based Scottish charity. A formal transfer will take place, at Portencross, on a date yet to be specified. Further details will be announced as they become determined during January 2006. As we enter 2006, with the responsibility of stewardship of the future of Portencross Castle, we wish to extend our most sincere appreciation to all who have supported and encouraged us in pursuing our goal of maintaining this Ayrshire ancient monument and its foreshore in the public's interest. We ask for your continued support. The major endeavour will now be in seeking funds to stabilize and maintain the structure.

Wednesday, 21 December 2005 - The December 20th joint fundraiser, "Carols by Candlelight", successfully raised almost £300. Festive voices were contributed by attendees, while accompanying music was provided through the courtesy of the West Kilbride Overton Church. Thank you all for your participation and generosity...and Happy Holidays!

Monday, 05 December 2005 - Once again, we extend our thanks to all who made the Morning Coffee Fundraiser on Saturday, November 19th a success! We enjoyed a clear, but very cold day, but the warmth exhuded inside South Banks House was gratifying! Thanks to all, we managed to raise just over £500! We also noticed some first-time attendees among the long-time supporting stalwarts! We hope to see you here again. In the event we don't have the opportunity to see some of you again before the New Year, have a wonderful Christmas and a very safe and Happy New Year!

Thursday, 25 August 2005 - The Annual Portencross Summer Garden Tea fundraiser at South Banks House was again blessed with beautiful weather!  The three-hour event netted nearly £700 pounds for the Portencross Castle fund.  Again, we wish to thank all of our supporters for participating and displaying their continuing encouragement and approval of FOPC goals.  Our appreciation to all of the FOPC members who generously donated their time and effort in making this day a "shining" success!

Sunday, 10 July 2005 - The 5th Annual Portencross Harbour Art Exhibition made its debut on Saturday, July 2nd, 2005. For a change, it was a beautiful, sunny day. Attendance was high, sales were good, - and the Fates noticed that things were going altogether too smoothly! That night, or I should say early Sunday morning (about 2:15 AM), a strong gust of wind lifted the marquee off of its centre poles and the entire structure came down in a very unceremonious heap! By 2:30 AM, FOPC hands were exercising damage limitation. Of approximately 138 paintings, only 7 sustained broken glass in their frames. Amazingly, none suffered any other damage. Some of the display boards suffered minor damage, but were subsequently repaired by Alastair and John McLachlan. The damage to the marquee is extensive, and we are still obtaining quotes for possible repair. An initial estimate is for £500 - £600. Even if we do have the marquee repaired, we have already decided not to use it for the Art Exhibition again.

Thursday, 16 June 2005 - We wish to thank all who supported us before, during and since the BBC Restoration Programme, which we did not win. There was a considerable amount of time and effort expended, and the FOPC board and our supporters paused over the Holiday Season to take a deep breath and continue with the business of negotiations with BNFL and grant-giving agencies. BNFL has supported our activities and made it known to us that they proposed to transfer title to Portencross Castle and two remaining plots of property at Portencross to FOPC. The target date for this title transfer was December 31st, 2004. To meet this date, certain formalities and agreements had to be reached. Fundamentally, there was (and still is) agreement between BNFL executive management and the FOPC Board. Details were given to respective legal representatives to work into a viable agreement. To avoid boring everyone with a plethora of detail, suffice it to say that the sense of urgency to conclude the turnover by the initial target date failed to trickle down to some of the legal help. Since then, there have been a series of delays, with the latest target date of June 30th, 2005 mentioned. We will strive to keep you apprised. We were informed by Brian Wilson, MP, that in his communication with the head of BNFL, it was reiterated by BNFL that they urged early completion of the transfer as well as preparing to donate the sum of £50,000 for subsequent use in Portencross Castle preservation work at the transfer of title. Hopefully this positive attitude will translate into a greater sense of urgency to their legal representatives. We look forward to see forward movement. In the meanwhile, our staff continues to pursue tedious, but necessary, actions with grant-giving agencies and to pursue other fundraising activities. Again, we sincerely wish to thank all who have, and continue, to support our goals.

Tuesday, 15 February 2005 - The first fundraiser coffee morning of 2005 brought old friends out of hibernation and provided the ability to catch up on local gossip (I was going to say "news", but let's call it what it really is!). Smiling faces and full tummies were a good indication that the coffee morning was a success! This was confirmed by the fact that over £500 was raised that morning. We wish to thank all who were concerned in the preparation and conduct of the coffee morning,...and a sincere "thank you" goes out to all of you who either managed to attend or sent contributions to cover their non-attendance.

Sunday, 01 August 2004 - The Annual Summer Garden Tea at South Banks House was again blessed with beautiful weather! (We must be doing something right!) Thank you all, participants and staff alike, for all of your goodwill and support. The afternoon fundraiser succeeded in raising over £1,300 for the Portencross Castle Fund.

Saturday, 31 July 2004 - strong>BBC – Restoration Results - As you are all well aware by now, Portencross Castle did not fare well in the Scottish heat voting results. Now, we can put that behind us and apply ourselves in continuing to develop funding through other sources. To all of our supporters, who for the past five years have steadfastly encouraged FOPC to pursue our goals, we wish to extend a very sincere, “Thank you!”. We need and look forward to your continuing support.

Saturday, 17 July 2004 - The “Castle Fun Day” was highly successful, what with the participation of the Cumbrae Legion Pipe Band, a fabulous Punch and Judy show, and the support of all who attended and made the event a truly enjoyable day!

Saturday, 26 June 2004 - Chants and incantations notwithstanding, we again had terrible weather to accompany the 4 th Annual Portencross Harbour Art Exhibition! There were many pairs of thoroughly soaked shoes! Never mind,…the enthusiastic attendance and participation of artists and the public alike attested to this annual art exhibition's popularity. With a display of 216 paintings, 37 were sold! Between commissions on sold paintings, raffle tickets and the sale of coffee/tea and home- baked goods, over £2,000 was raised for the Castle Fund! We can only humbly say, “Thank you for everyone's efforts and support!” (Questions have been asked concerning the representative paintings submitted by visiting Russian artist, Aleksey Pyanitsa. These were promptly sold. There are still paintings of his to be seen at the Enigma Gallery in West Kilbride, where he is exhibiting until July 31st under the auspices of the West Kilbride Initiative Group.)

Monday, 21 June 2004 - On Friday afternoon, June 18th , a most interesting event was held at the base of Portencross Castle. An invasion by a group of children from Primary 2 of the West Kilbride Primary School, who had just completed their study of “Knights and Castles”. Dressed in “medieval” garb, they performed around the castle. The event was an excellent example of a community bringing life to that aspect of education which awakens a deeper appreciation of heritage. It is also a strong argument for the preservation of our ancient monuments in a manner to benefit the public now,…and for future generations.

Saturday, 29 May 2004 - On a cloudy and murky afternoon, as one begins to expect of a Saturday, FOPC held a “Not-Yet-Open Day” at the base of Portencross Castle. A surprisingly large crowd gathered to hear speakers address the significant history, unique architectural qualities of this castle, and its historical influence on the area. As it frequently happens at our events, the sun broke through and streamed onto the gathering! (Doesn't something like that leave you wondering?) After the brief presentations, the participants were treated to tea and home baking in a marquee set up for them in an adjoining property, beneath the cliffs of the South Banks. The event was filmed by a team representing BBC Restoration, and all finally wound their way home a bit more informed and full of nice things to eat,…and a feeling of ever-growing community cohesion and support.

Thursday, 06 May 2004 - At the FOPC EGM, the membership agreed to the proposal that the Board of Directors continue coordinating with BNFL toward the goal of transfer of title to Portencross Castle by the end of December 2004. Other matters included: The presentation of "Portencross Castle Guardianship" certificates, and commending the Company Secretary, Ann McLachlan, for the development and administration of this program which provides the castle fund with a modest sustainable revenue. We encourage your participation in this program to demonstrate your support of FOPC goals in a painless, but meaningful, manner. The FOPC Website was designed and is maintained by one of our FOPC members, Gordon Scott. Gordon has continuously, selflessly,...and patiently guided the FOPC Vice-Chairman (who is the website administrator,...and pretty much of a technophobe!) through a morass of "do's, dont's and how to's". Gordon's professional expertise is recognised and highly appreciated. Additionally, he has donated his time and effort in assisting in virtually all FOPC-related fund-raisers and related activities. To Gordon, a well-deserved thank you!

Saturday, 03 April 2004 - The coffee morning fundraiser had a surprisingly active turnout, considering the inclement weather. It was good to see so many familiar faces and a number of new ones! Welcome and thanks to all! We raised £551 at this fundraiser,...and kept the coffee growers of the world gainfully employed! Again, thanks to the FOPC members for their generous contribution of time and effort in making this coffee morning a success! For those guests who find themselves missing small items after the event, please call (01294)823949,...we may have it among the "lost and found" items.

Tuesday, 23 March 2004 - BNFL and FOPC are accelerating plans for a Portencross Castle title transfer. Currently, attention is focused upon the formulation and refinement of the Heads of Agreement, detailing respective responsibilities and time frames for both parties.

Saturday, 20 March 2004 - Contrary to belief, hibernation was not on the books this winter! A number of developments have occurred which necessitated close attention on the part of the FOPC Board. While we are restricted from disclosing the details of these developments at this time, allow us to direct your attention to the beginning of May 2004 for an announcement, which will not only have an important bearing on FOPC goals,…but will also involve some action on the part of every one of you. Consequently, please keep your eyes on this space. [By the way,…did all of you watch the excellent BBC Restoration program series last year?]

Saturday, 06 December 2003 - The last Portencross Castle Coffee Morning Fundraiser was held on Saturday, December 6th, 2003. The weather was abominable,...but the coffee morning was highly successful! Thanks to all who attended and those who organized it and made it run, over £600 was deposited to the account. Since all of the raffle tickets for the Maxton painting were sold, the drawing was held that morning, and was won by a lucky ticket holder from Fairlie,...congratulations! For now, we wish all of you a wonderful Christmas and a most Happy Hogmanay! We'll be back with you in 2004!

Friday, 19 September 2003 - The two-day 2003 Portencross Harbour Art Exhibition fundraiser enjoyed quite decent weather (much better than last year!) and excellent participation and attendance. Over 200 exhibits were displayed, with 51 sales! Between commissions on these sales and the proceeds from the sale of raffle tickets (drawing in June 2004), cards, teas, home baking and snacks, this fundraiser generated over £1,500 for the FOPC Portencross Castle Fund! Our thanks go out to all of the volunteers who worked hard to make this event possible,…and to all of the participants and guests who displayed a marvellous level of support and made this event a successful one. There is an obvious increase in the level of professionalism and competence in the submissions from a broad spectrum of artists, and we look forward to the 2004 exhibition! In the meantime, there will be another fundraiser coffee to be held at South Banks House, Portencross in the beginning of December. Watch this website for more details. The Guardians of Portencross Castle program is off and running! For further details as to how individuals can support our activity and concurrently gain benefits through this program, please click onto the FUNDRAISING AND CONTRIBUTIONS page.

Sunday, 07 September 2003 - Press Release - Portencross Castle gets conditional support from BNFL At the annual general meeting of Friends of Portencross Castle (FOPC) held at South Banks House, Portencross on 7th September it was announced that the castle owner, British Nuclear Fuels Ltd has given conditional approval to proceed with its plans to find funding for the proposal to consolidate the castle. In May of this year FOPC submitted a feasibility study with a series of professional supporting documents for consolidation work and re-roofing of the castle to BNFL's estates department. In his reply, Peter O'Donnell, estates manager for BNFL said "I support in principle the proposal to transfer the castle to FOPC subject to FOPC having sufficient funds to offer a sustainable future. However, I cannot make a firm and binding commitment to this proposal, I can only make a recommendation to my Board." In welcoming this move, FOPC chairman Alastair Glen, explained that a number of conditions had to be met before the BNFL Board of Directors could be expected to give its final approval. "We need to persuade Historic Scotland and the Lottery Fund that the work on Portencross Castle is important for our heritage, locally and nationally - a task made easier by King Robert II's close association with Portencross and the interesting architectural history of the castle. In turn, BNFL must be assured that FOPC can successfully engage professionals with the ability to turn plans into action." He pointed out that "FOPC remains fortunate in having remarkable public support for its plans to retain public access to the castle and has an energetic team to sustain fundraising efforts. FOPC is been encouraged by an early donation of £1,500 from the W M Mann Foundation and the promise of a donation from the Moffat Charitable Trust if the project goes ahead, having secured the remainder of the necessary funding. We are also grateful to the Architectural Heritage Fund for their advice and grant support of the feasibility studies. Further work is required but we now have clear way ahead to secure the castle for future generations." How can you help? Click the FUNDRAISING AND CONTRIBUTIONS page for more information.

Sunday, 07 September 2003 - The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Friends of Portencross Castle (FOPC) will be held at South Banks House (Portencross) at 4:00 pm on Sunday, 7 September 2003. The agenda will include the Chairman's Report, the Financial Report and the confirmation/election of directors and office bearers. The business plan and feasibility study concerning the future of Portencross Castle have been completed and submitted to British Nuclear Fuel Ltd (BNFL) for their board approval. The FOPC board will now seek the approval of FOPC members to proceed with the preparation of grant applications for the funding of Castle repair.

Saturday, 12 July 2003 - Many thanks both to guests and the organizers (workers!) of this Summer's Garden Tea, held at South Banks House in Portencross on Saturday, July 12th. This fundraiser for the Portencross Castle Fund was able to bank over £750 from this event,..."well done!" to all!

Sunday, 01 June 2003 - The Portencross Carboot Sale was successful, although the weather was not as wonderful as it was last year for this event. This fundraiser's total came to £531, with £245 derived from the sale of teas and snacks, £151 from the sale of raffle tickets (see EVENTS for further information), and £135 from car entry fees. Once again, we wish to thank the organizers for their generous contribution of time and effort and the public for their participation. Please continue this display of your support,...every bit helps!

Wednesday, 30 April 2003 - The FOPC Business Plan with its supporting Feasibility Study and other pertinent documentation concerning the future of Portencross Castle were submitted to BNFL. Now, we draw a breath and await BNFL's decision. Watch this space! Another successful afternoon on Friday, 11 April 2003. Audrey and Ann organized and sold coffee/tea and snacks at the Portencross parking area, raising £90 within three hours for the Portencross Castle Fund. Many thanks, ladies! Please keep supporting us, it's really appreciated!

Saturday, 29 March 2003 - The first fundraiser coffee morning of 2003 had an Easter theme. Just over £500 (net) was raised from donations and the sale home-made baking, preserves, chutney, gift boxes of tablet, flower baskets, greeting cards and paintings. Heartfelt thanks to all who made the event possible and to all who attended. From all reports, an enjoyable morning was had by all.

Saturday, 15 March 2003 - Our appreciation is extended to the W.M. Mann Foundation (of Glasgow) for their generous gift of £1,500 to the Portencross Castle Fund.

Monday, 10 March 2003 - The draft feasibility study was completed and submitted to FOPC for review and comment. After adjustments are made, it will be consolidated with the business plan, published and submitted to BNFL with our option recommendation.

Saturday, 23 November 2002 - The fundraiser coffee morning was very successful. A total of £475 was raised from donations and sale of home-made Christmas gifts. This money goes directly into the FOPC - Portencross Castle Fund. Many, many thanks to all those ladies who made this possible,...and to those who attended. The above amount does not include an additional £480, which was raised through the sale of the West Kilbride Amenity Society's new publication, "West Kilbride, Seamill, Portencross,...and thereabouts".

Friday, 08 November 2002 - FOPC Board approved purchase of Portencross Castle (in winter) Christmas Cards for sale as fundraiser. Place your order now (10 cards for £5) by calling 01294-823949 or 01294-823799.

Wednesday, 28 August 2002 - Portencross Castle (in the winter) Christmas Cards are now in stock. Order now to avoid being disappointed! (01294-823799)

Thursday, 22 August 2002 - Draft text for FOPC website submitted for Board review prior to website going on line.

Thursday, 22 August 2002 - FOPC Board directed initiation of feasibility study under lead of APLorimer Architects of Ayr.

Tuesday, 20 August 2002 - Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) approved £7,500 grant for conduct of feasibility study. Thank you AHF!

Thursday, 08 August 2002 - FOPC Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at South Banks House, Portencross. New members welcomed.

Wednesday, 07 August 2002 - Board Directors met with Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) to discuss possible grant to support conduct of castle feasibility study.

Sunday, 04 August 2002 - Afternoon Garden Tea Fundraiser (another glorious, sunny day!) at South Banks House, Portencross raised over £700 for Portencross Castle Fund.

Saturday, 29 June 2002 - Portencross Harbour Art Exhibition Fundraiser successful (despite inclement weather!) in raising over £900 (over £400 in sale of teas and home baking). Over 120 paintings by local artists exhibited in marquee,...35 sold!

Sunday, 12 May 2002 - Car Boot Sale at Portencross on a beautiful, sunny day raised nearly £400 for the Portencross Castle Fund. Over £240 of this amount was from the sale of teas and home baking, ... thank you, ladies!

Saturday, 27 April 2002 - Coffee Morning at South Banks House, Portencross raised over £300 for the Portencross Castle Fund.