Annual Report 2007

Overview

The Sutherland Trust has had a busy, exciting and productive year. It is an organisation which has increased its public profile over the year and is currently composed of twelve trustees drawn broadly from the areas of health, education and social care. In terms of office bearers two trustees share the role of convenor, supported by a vice-convenor and a treasurer. A new development worker commenced in 2006 and has substantially increased the activities of the trust by imaginative marketing and proactive new ventures.

Since the AGM in 2006, there have been a number of significant events which have served to spread the key messages of the Trust, including:

two lectures which have drawn very large audiences from across many disciplines
relationships with the Scottish Institute of Human relations which are mutually beneficial and have included planning a course to be delivered by the Centre for Counselling Studies in the School of Health in Social Science of the University of Edinburgh. This is entitled Beyond the Couch: Sutherland in the 21st Century, and is due to commence in September 2007
two ‘Conversations” at which central dimensions and principles of the Sutherland legacy were debated.

Changes in Trustees

During the year, the Sutherland Trust was sad to lose the contributions of Dr Steve Tilley who has made a considerable impact on the thinking of the organisation, has acted as co- convenor of the awards sub-committee and played significant roles in previous lectures. His wisdom, scholarship and personal presence will be missed.

We were fortunate to recruit two additional trustees during the year. Dr Christopher Holland was appointed in November 2006 and Dr Gavin Miller in December 2006. Both have entered enthusiastically into the spirit and work of the activities of the Trust.

Two vacancies currently exist and it is hoped that there may be prospective candidates from primary or secondary education who can complement the skills and expertise of the current members.

Additional Patrons

The trustees were delighted to learn that Joanna Wood and Professor Alexander Broadie have both agreed to become patrons. Over the year there have been a number of suggestions concerning how to involve patrons more actively in the planning of events.

Finances

Much of our success depends on the generous support of the Gordon Small Trust and we remain heartened by their contribution to our development and by their continuing interest in our work. Primed by their backing, the notable success of the lectures and increased donations from the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, the Tekoa Trust and others, the financial situation of the trust is robust and thriving. In terms of Awards, the Swan Mountain Trust increased its contribution and we received help from Mary Hartnoll. Due to careful planning and monitoring by our treasurer Brian Atwell, the financial health of the organisation is sound. We are very grateful indeed for all the financial support we have received.

Events

The planning teams which selected the speakers and topics for the two outstanding lectures by Dr Una McCluskey and Professor Colwyn Trevarthen with Judith Fewell are to be congratulated for their astute choice and skill in anticipating the impact of each presentation and planning accordingly. The innovative flair with which the events were marketed, organised and executed by Jo Hilton, our development worker, deserves continuing recognition and thanks. Any financial surplus goes directly to the Awards Scheme

Awards Scheme

This is an important element of the activities of the Trust and while two long-standing members stood down from the committee, Dr Anne Claveirole and Margaret Daniel joined it. In similar fashion to the Trust itself, there are now two co-convenors who will split the workload.

The sub-committee worked hard to strengthen the criteria for giving awards and over the year seven very different applicants were successful in their applications for financial assistance.

Governance activities

The activities which commenced in the previous year have continued and trustees have familiarised themselves with the requirements of charity law and the duties outlined by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. This has been a vital consideration as the trust moves into different forms of activity.

Profile of the Trust

Without question, the public impact of the Sutherland Trust has steadily increased and this will be augmented in the new design of the website. Work on this has started and will continue over the next twelve months.

Future possibilities

Planning for future lectures is well under way. We look forward to another exciting event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, initiated by the Trust with the Scottish Institute of Human Relations, focussing on John D (Jock) Sutherland’s psychodynamic thinking on self and society. It is hoped that the course at Edinburgh University will attract a viable and enthusiastic student group, and there is at least one future event planned for a Glasgow venue. In addition, there is a new oral history project planned by means of which the legacy of Jock Sutherland will be further explored.

As our previous convenor (now our treasurer) has observed, the aspirations of the organisation can sometimes outstrip the realistic energy or available time of committed trustees. Our attempts to deal with this are demonstrated by spreading the workload involved in the business of the Trust across the whole body of trustees, including both sets of co-convenors and the vice-convenor, the awards sub-committee, the planning groups and the working groups. Nevertheless, we are conscious that the bulk of the organising, proactive thinking and attention to detail is entrusted to our indefatigable secretary, June Nelson, who works tirelessly on our behalf to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the Sutherland Trust: in psychodynamic terms, June ‘holds’ the organisation.

Our grateful thanks are given to June, to all the trustees for their commitment over the year, and in particular to our treasurer Brian Atwell, our vice-convenor Lesley Boyd, and our development worker Jo Hilton.

Sheena E. E. Blair

Colin Kirkwood

Co-convenors

May 2007.

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