About the Trust
The Port Bannatyne Development Trust was created in December 2020 and the Steering Committee was formed on 16th January 2021.
The committee is made up of a cross section of the village with long term residents and newcomers all taking an active role and using their skills and knowledge to further the development of the Community Hub.
David McNee
Chair
I am a mining engineer, originally born and raised in Wemyss Bay and schooled in Gourock and Glasgow. I have spent thirty two years overseas, mainly in Africa, with a number of different mining companies, and for the last twenty years have managed the operations of a number of gold, copper and zinc mines in seven different countries, and also managed the construction of two gold mines. I returned permanently to Scotland in early 2021, and moved to Ardbeg in June 2021
I have been co-opted onto the committee since June 2022, predominantly to assist in the management of the building works, and recently have become more involved in the operation of the pub and hub, including line management of our front line managers, the Bar Manager and the BDO.
Jon Sear
Vice-Chair
I'm an ecologist by training but for the past 20 years most of my work has been around setting up or project managing community-led projects. These have included a new community centre on a council estate with no facilities, a community-led new build eco-housing scheme with a workshop/events space element in a refurbished Mill building, and a village hydro energy scheme funded by a £1.4M community share issue. All the projects have had a strong environmental ethos, and in between I've had various environmental policy roles.
I came to the Port in 2015 and have a small property letting business here (including bringing three flats that were completely derelict back into use in the village). I also have some ongoing work down in Lancaster, including managing the University's Bus Partnership. I am a founder member of the PBDT Management Committee.
Peter Niven
Treasurer
I have family connections with Bute going back to the 19th century and most of my living relatives are here. I spent all school holidays and two years of primary schooling on the Island and returned permanently on retirement in 2014 to the place I have always regarded as 'home'.
Now retired I spent most of my working life in accounting/administrative roles and latterly ran two cafes in Western Australia, discovering I had a liking for catering!!
My involvement in the formation of the National Policy for Student Funding in Scotland in the late 90s resulted from an appointment at Inverness College (later part of UHI) and expanded my experience of officialdom which has stood me in good stead since. (I note with a little pride that the current Policy still contains many familiar phrases!)
Over the years my community activities have involved the treasury and chair of a primary school board, membership and treasury of Inverness West community Council and I currently serve as treasurer of the Port Gala Group. I am a founder member of the PBDT Management Committee
Garry Charnock
I’ve lived in Port Bannatyne since 2017. I’m an engineer and journalist by background and ran my own technical publishing business for 30 years in Cheshire. Just over 15 year ago I instigated the Ashton Hayes Going Carbon Neutral project in my Cheshire village. The residents voted to try to become England’s first carbon neutral community. Since then, the community has worked together to lower its carbon footprint and be more sustainable. The village has been very successful, and now has a community owned energy company, shop and recreation field. It is in the process of buying the village pub. We also won over £750,000 in grants.
I left the project in the hands of younger people when I came to Scotland – part of our project strategy of becoming sustainable over the longer term. My volunteering in the Ashton Hayes community led to me being given an honorary Doctor of Science by Chester University for community engagement. I am a founder member of the PBDT Management Committee.
Jude Ahearn
Following a day visit in 2012, to see where my father-in-law was born, we fell in love with the Isle of Bute and moved to Rothesay permanently in 2017.
I was a Deputy Headteacher in a Sheffield Secondary School and have over 25 years experience of working with teenagers, having taught Mathematics throughout my teaching career. My role included writing and implementing funding bids within the Specialist Schools Trust and the National Literacy Programme.
In December 2017, I joined a Steering Group which implemented the Incredible Edible volunteer programme and continue to contribute to the development of the many sites now across Rothesay.
I enjoy outdoor life and have recently completed the West Island way. We own a boat berthed at Port Bannatyne Marina and enjoy fishing through the summer months. We have recently purchased a kayak and love to get out on the water to see the island from a different perspective.
We joined the volunteer parties tasked with getting the Anchor Tavern ready for re-opening in 2022 and met lots of like-minded people. Following the successful launch, I am now keen to engage further in the future development of the community project.
Carissa Neill
Although I don't live full time on the island, around 5 years ago I purchased a flat in the Port, which my husband and I visit as often as we can. We are involved in bringing benefit to the community by being members of the Port Gala Team - our aim is to put on the Port's Gala day as well as taking responsibility for the Christmas Lights event. This also involves other fundraising activities throughout the year.
I have worked as a secondary school technologies teacher for 13 years. Previously I was teaching at a large mainstream school and after deciding that I needed to support children develop life skills I now work in an ASN High School in Falkirk. This is both challenging and rewarding in equal measures! Currently I am involved with our School fundraising committee as well as being a centre lead for the Young Enterprise Scotland programme. I am a founder member of the PBDT Management Committee.
Audrey Mackie
Myself and husband John have lived in Port Bannatyne since January 2021 after retiring. Prior to that Port Bannatyne was our 2nd home as we both lived and worked in Corby (little Scotland). We used to spend as much time as possible on the island, bringing John's mum with us to her beloved Bute.
I qualified as a State Registered nurse in July 1986, initially working in the Paediatric field then working in Rhodes for a year after which my dad informed me that "a nurse was needed for the Ambulance Room". I started work for British Steel (now Tata Steel) as a shift nurse and after a few promotions and more training the Head of Occupational Health Services role was mine and I absolutely loved it and stayed for 32 years!
My role involved Health promotion and education, mental health and well being and associated Counselling, risk assessment and risk management, sickness absence management and case management. Teaching First Aid courses, presenting Health and well being seminars, travel Health and health screening. I still miss my extended work family.
Now I love to spend time with my family and friends and want to travel more as there are so many places I've yet to see. I love walking (still exploring this beautiful island),cycling, swimming, gardening and reading.
Doreen Hislop
I am a business management graduate and have worked in both the further and higher education sectors. Latterly, I was Programme Leader for the BA(Hons) Rural Business Management degree at SRUC Edinburgh. Currently I tutor on the University of Aberdeen global MBA. I am interested in all areas of business but particularly marketing.
I have a lifelong love of the Isle of Bute. We have had a family home in Port Bannatyne for the last 40 years. (My father was a Brandane). We now live in Port Bannatyne for a majority of the year. I enjoy walking, golf and yoga. I am interested in rural business and think it is important to see the local community thrive. I also believe that business should give back to the community if possible.
I am keen to contribute my academic and marketing skills for the benefit of the Anchor Pub and to see this remarkable community business continue to prosper.
Duncan Lyon
I have lived on Bute most of my life. On leaving school I went home to work on the family farms Drumachloy, Kildavanan and Auchavouliag. My father retired in 1984 and myself and my brother took to running the farms up until 1991 when we split the business. I took on Drumachloy milking 150 cows.
Along the way I have always enjoyed getting involved in organisations. I was on the committee of the Bute Agricultural Society and went on to become the Chair. I also chaired the local National Farmers Union. Whilst being involved with them I worked closely with Sepa to help clean Ettrick Bay and achieve blue flag status. In 2016 I sold the dairy cows and in 2019 I came out of the farm to “retire“.
I now do different jobs including green keeper and labourer. I am heavily involved with Butefest where I joined the committee in 2017 and became apprentice site manager in 2018. I am now the site manager which involves hiring all equipment to build the festival, building it and taking it down and leasing the land and storage.
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