Dear All
It has been a roller coaster ride since my arrival onto the Rame Conservation Trust in the Autumn - and here we are at Spring already.
With over five hundred members, it is difficult to know everyone and I am sure that even with the aid of modern communications such as the internet and the even more effective local “grapevine“ there may be a few of you who are unaware of the changes since Olly set off in pursuit of fame and fortune over in Munchen.
We are all in debt to Olly for the great job he did to steer the Trust through some very difficult waters, and with the handover of the Chairmanship from Olly to Piers last summer and then to myself in the Autumn, very little has changed about our general direction of travel.
We are all about being a viable, vibrant, Social Enterprise that serves and sustains all aspects of the Rame Peninsula that has been entrusted to our care.
I am a member, tenant and now a Trustee; so as Chairman, I recognise that duty of care and want you all to share a little about what I have learned about the Trust since being elected at the AGM back in December.
It has had a rich a chequered past, but throughout its life, there has been a constant theme that recognises Maker Heights as more than just a collection of old buildings scattered around the hills and fields of the Rame Peninsula.
It is apparent to me that the Trust is a vital part of the community and that Maker Heights has been a perpetual thread upon and around which there has been immense change. In Napoleonic times the peninsula was an essential part of the defence against the threat of invasion. In better times, it has been a refuge for families and children whose lives were constrained by privation and the smog of early industrialisation. When my mum was a girl living in Plymouth, it was once again part of the ring of fire – this time against the tyrannical menace of Hitler’s Nazi war machine. Despite the barrage balloons and anti-aircraft batteries stationed here, Plymouth suffered terribly during the Blitz. The flat that my Nan, mum and here sisters lived in was hit by incendiary bombs and they had to be evacuated out to the countryside and my neighbour, Viv Holman, who passed away last year, told me of families who were forced out by the bombing to live in tents on Whitsand Bay.
So Maker is no stranger to change and has certainly swung between peril and delight.
Today is no different.
We live in challenging times – our place on the planet is in jeopardy, the recent and current economic turmoil is impacting everyone and the Trust itself continues to need succour of every kind.
Despite all of the endeavours of its many volunteers, the financial circumstances of the Trust had developed to such a point that a significant restructuring of its debts was essential in order for it to continue to develop and remain an essential part of the community and infrastructure. That is well underway and we hope to build upon the business plan that we have put to potential funders. That plan is essential for us to be able to develop the true value of Maker Heights
Over the last few months, we have had to work hard to ensure that the achievements of the last few years are built upon. There is a now a rich community of artists, artisans and embryonic ventures established in and around the main barracks. These provide a regular core income to the Trust.
The Random Arms and many of its related social activities are another vibrant source of activity and funds, as well as providing the ever needed injection of youthful exuberance and enthusiasm.
There are also, of course, the many continuing endeavours around the regeneration of the woodlands and the revealing of the many structures in our care.
So this is what is happening now. What of the future?
In the short term, there is a Celtic Festival scheduled that will draw together some of the history outlined above, with military re-enactments and music from different periods in our recent history, including some of our local bands. This is a departure from the Maker Sunshine festival and we are all hoping that it will be a great success. There are other exciting events planned - watch out for news of the Pirate Party in particular.
The Rame School of Art is another embryonic undertaking and we have high hopes for its success. The first outing will be at the Westcroft Gallery in Kingsand over the May Bank Holiday, so please tell your friends that they heard it here first!
For those of you who know me, you will be aware that I am particularly keen to ensure that the message about sustainable communities is widely broadcast and understood. Sustainable does not mean standing still. It does mean something that lasts. When I use the word sustainable in the context of maker Heights, it applies not just to the fabric of the edifices, but to the wider environmental, economic and social aspects of our inspirational isthmus.
The dangers that I outlined above are real and present, so it is incumbent on every one of us here to play our part in working together towards the evolution of the Trust, its purpose and goals. We are in a very privileged position and mustn’t let complacency steal back the progress made over the last several years. I therefore appeal to every one of you to continue to support us in whatever way you can. Maker Heights is yours, and whether your help is directly as a volunteer or through a donation; or indirectly as a user of the facilities or simply as an ambassador it is equally valued by myself and the rest of your Trustees.
Finally, I want to appeal directly to you to see the fantastic opportunity we have to take advantage of these changing times. We can use Maker and all of its assets as a model for transition from the days of a selfish and energy hungry world to a more caring, sharing and sustainable community.
