Each year the Loaningdale Trust awards over £100,000 in grants to local organisations and young people in need within the Clydesdale area. Our funding base was established through the sale some years ago of the Loaningdale House (formerly a so called ‘List D’ School) and was then boosted by the sale of associated land in Biggar which now has been developed for housing.

Who runs Loaningdale Trust?
A small group of local people form a management board of trustees to oversee our activities ensuring that we meet meet our objectives, manage our finances for current and future generations and that we follow relevant rules and regulations governing charities. In practical terms for Loaningdale this involves attending six board meetings a year to decide on grant applications, decide on policies and procedures and manage our finances. Meetings last about 2 hours on average. There is no payment for being a trustee, but reasonable out of pocket expenses can be paid for example for travel to meetings.

We are looking for new trustees!
We have lost several long-standing trustees over the last few years and we’re looking to refresh our board. We want to ensure that our trustees come from all over Clydesdale. At the moment our trustees come from Biggar, Carnwath Law and Douglas Water and we would like have people from other areas. At the moment all our trustees are men over 50 which we know is not ideal. We definitely want to have women trustees and a wider spread of ages represented on our board. We’d particularly welcome younger people and people with disabilities to give us better insights to the needs of the community we serve.

What Skills and Experience Do Trustees Need?
No specific qualification or experience is needed to become a trustee but local knowledge, youth work experience, and previous involvement in community organisations are all helpful. Above all, enthusiasm for young people, and an ability to work as part of a small team of trustees, is key no matter your background.

Why Become a Trustee?
It’s an opportunity to learn about running a charity and its finances – experience that might be useful to some people in their career development or as a practical way of applying skills you may have acquired in a different context for the wider benefit of our local communities. 

How to Apply
We’d love to hear from you if you’re ready to take on a meaningful challenge and work alongside a dedicated team.

Keep an eye on our website and social media channels for updates about the application process. Together, we can create a brighter future for our community. In the meantime, if you would like to find out more about the charity, please send us an email at admin@loaningdale.org.uk.