Covering the year since our last AGM to the AGM on 2 September 2026
It’s been an interesting year for Bo’net.
I’m pleased to present this report on behalf of the committee, covering our activities from last summer through to this year’s AGM.
As ever, our focus has remained on supporting community groups across Bo’ness and Blackness, sharing local news and funding opportunities, and promoting our town as a place to live, work and visit.
Trustees and governance
This has been a challenging year on the governance front.
Our last AGM in June 2025 saw just three people come forward to serve on the committee, myself as Chair and the existing Secretary and Treasurer.
Under our current constitution this left us inquorate. It was agreed that, as a matter of urgency, we should recruit new trustees and volunteers and look at our constitution.
We began the year appealing for new committee members and event volunteers, recognising that Bo’net needed fresh faces to keep the organisation sustainable.
We gained front page publicity for this on the Bo’ness Journal and follow-up coverage in the Falkirk Herald. We also devoted a new section on our website – www.bonet.org.uk – to our appeal for volunteers.
Despite this, and further efforts through the year, recruitment of new trustees met with limited success, and this remains one of the most pressing issues facing the charity.
The committee has also used the year to review and modernise our governance. A revised constitution has been drafted to reflect changes in Scottish charity law, introducing a number of governance improvements, and this will be put to members for approval at the 2026 AGM.
Any updated constitution will also need to go before the regulator OSCR for final approval.
I would ask all members to reflect on the trustee recruitment issue and to consider, or encourage others to consider, joining the committee.
A small charity like ours depends entirely on volunteers giving their time, and without new trustees coming forward, the range of activity we can sustain will inevitably narrow.
Keeping members informed
Regular communication with our members and the wider community has continued to be a core part of what we do. Newsletters have gone out through the year covering local funding opportunities — from Tesco community grants and the National Lottery’s Glasgow 2026-inspired community fund, to CVS Falkirk’s Funders Fayre and free volunteer ‘thank you’ certificates — alongside local news such as the Glebe Park bandstand restoration project, the Antonine Wall trail, and events at Kinneil Estate.
These newsletters, together with our Facebook page, remain one of the most valued services Bo’net provides, helping local groups find funding and stay connected with what’s happening around the town.
Promoting Bo’ness and the Antonine Wall
We’ve continued to develop the website to promote Bo’ness as a place to visit.
New content highlights the Roman Antonine Wall — including the new digital walking trail running from Bo’ness to Old Kilpatrick — encouraging visitors to explore our area’s Roman heritage and, in turn, support the local economy. This sits alongside a broader ”Visit Bo’ness” section of the site showcasing the town’s wider attractions. This reuses material orginally produced as a leaflet by Bo’net some years ago, with suitable updates.
Supporting groups to look ahead
Recognising that many community groups and charities are stretched for time and resources, we published articles encouraging the use of artificial intelligence as a free or low-cost tool for local groups, and a popular “26 ideas for 2026”, article giving Bo’ness groups practical suggestions to try in the year ahead.
Post on our website were also shared on social media.
Thanks to office bearers
Due to our lack of volunteers, our spending was low in the past year, taken up by bank charges, renewing our website domain, and a small amount to cover teas and coffees at last year’s AGM.
I want to express my thanks to the Food @34A for hosting last year’s meeting at no charge. Committee members also hosted further meetings in their own homes during the year – again saving money.
Committee members went to various meetings and events at their own cost and didn’t charge expenses.
I want to thank Stuart McMartin, our treasurer for his support, and Jim Ford as our external examiner.
I also want to thank Adrian Mahoney, who has just stood down as Secretary to concentrate on a new job.
Adrian has been central to Bo’net’s work, not least in developing and maintaining our website and driving much of the content that keeps our members informed.
Beyond his committee role, Adrian gave generously of his own time — and his own money — to promote Bo’ness. Last year he attended a community heritage event on the charity’s behalf, and represented Bo’ness at the Hadrian’s Wall Conference, again travelling at his own expense to raise the profile of our town.
Recently we also saw our former Secretary, Maria Ford, honoured by Bo’ness Community Council for all her community work, including her time with Bo’net. A special “chatty” bench was installed in the town, encouraging people to sit down and have a chat – something Maria has actively encouraged over the years.
Looking ahead
As we move into the coming year, we need to re-establish our priorities and see if Bo’net is still able to deliver its work in the years ahead. I would welcome the conversation at our AGM and beyond.
Madelene Hunt,
Outgoing Chair, Bo’net (Bo’ness Networking Group)
