Dear Friend,
Thank you for your continued support and encouragement which is greatly appreciated and to all those who were able to attend the public meeting at Cardross Golf Club.
The idea of a Community Trust became a focus of discussion with the NTS. It is apparent  that the NTS model for a community trust and that of the Friends are very different.
The NTS would like to hand over the entire property to a community trust apart from the two front fields. The community trust would be required to restore the house, attract more visitors and increase the income to the garden.
In requiring a community trust to achieve what the National Trust for Scotland was
either unable or unwilling to achieve we felt that the NTS was burdening the community trust with unachievable goals and abrogating its responsibility.
We think that a community trust might succeed if:
• There is a true partnership between the parties.
• Visiting NTS members subscriptions contribute financially to the garden.
• The NTS contribution to the house is sufficient to put it into a good state of repair.
• The community trust is supported and given time and help to build up its capacity.
• Assets are only transferred when funding is in place.
• There is agreement on the scope and purpose of the Economic Assessment.
At the public meeting there was unanimous agreement on the course that the Friends are currently pursuing and that we should continue our negotiations with the NTS.
With Best Wishes
Allison Hillis

Events: Garden History Day – Saturday 26th May
A day of discovery on the history of the garden at Geilston including a guided garden
walk and light lunch: see details above. Please come and support the Friends of Geilston:
only 25 tickets now left.
Tickets (£15 for NTS members and £20 for non NTS members) available from
Shooftie on West Clyde Street, Helensburgh.
Linda MacDonald Jewellers, Cardross.
Stewart MacDonald – kirktonhouse@aol.com – 01389 841951

More Dates for your Diary:
Geilston Garden Open Day – Sunday 10th  June 2018 1pm – 5pm
Geilston Garden Wildlife Day – Saturday 1st September 2018
Geilston Art Workshops
Tutor – Julia Gurney – Wednesday 23rd May (this workshop is now full)
Tutor – Carol Moore – Wednesday 4th of July
Tutor – Carol Dewart – Wednesday 15th of August
For more information about the above workshops please contact Anita Gaw by email
at geilstongarden@nts.org.uk or Allison Hillis at allisonhillis17@gmail.com

Calendar Competition
We would like to repeat our very successful Geilston Calendar. This year we are running
a competition and are looking for photographs of Geilston taken by our members
throughout the year on their visits to the garden. So, please get busy with your
cameras – more details to follow on how you can support the garden.