About
North Berwick Trust Ltd (NB Trust) is a local charity working to help make North Berwick a great place to be!
– more sustainable, resilient, vibrant, inclusive and equitable.
North Berwick Trust is managed by 11 volunteer Trustees from within our community, supported by 2 part time employees
Working in partnership with others, NB Trust uses its resources to help meet identified community needs and improve the quality of life of the residents of North Berwick. We work to ensure that a ‘North Berwick Forever Fund’ is available to benefit the North Berwick community in the long term.
Through our grant-giving program, we support individuals and organisations in need living or operating within North Berwick. These include –
- Supporting and enhancing recreational, cultural and sporting activities and facilities
- Supporting and enhancing educational and lifelong learning opportunities
- Conserving and enhancing the historic and built environment of North Berwick
NB Trust also offers an annual Young Person’s Scholarship scheme for residents age 14-25 years old and a programme to provide funding support for large scale development projects in North Berwick.
In addition to its grant programmes, NB Trust is also proudly developing and maintaining 20 hectares of land in the town, for the benefit of the community.
Annual Report
As a registered charity, the Trust submits accounts annually to the office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. You can download a copy of the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2023 here.
Board Meeting Dates
The North Berwick Trust Ltd meets quarterly.
Board meeting dates for 2024 are:
Monday 18th March
Monday 10th June Thursday 22nd August Tuesday 24th September
Thursday 26th September
Thursday 21st November
Who’s Who in North Berwick Trust?
Meet the people who run and govern the North Berwick Trust
Sir David Tweedie (Chair)
David was educated at Edinburgh University (BCom 1966, PhD 1969) and qualified as a Scottish Chartered Accountant in 1972. After teaching at Edinburgh University he became Technical Director of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) in 1978. In 1982 he was appointed national technical partner of Thomson McLintock & Co and later of KPMG. He was appointed to the UK’s Auditing Practices Committee as its Vice-Chairman in 1986 and became its Chairman in 1989. In 1990 he became the full time Chairman of the (then) newly created UK Accounting Standards Board and in January 2001 was appointed the first Chairman of the International Accounting Standards Board. He then led the Board for ten years, retiring in 2011. He is a visiting Professor of Accounting at Strathclyde University and the Management School of Edinburgh University. He has received honorary degrees from nine British universities. He served on the Advisory Board of Cambridge Judge Business School. He was knighted in 1994, awarded the International Federation of Accountants inaugural Gold Service Award in 2011 and was inducted into the Accounting Hall of Fame in 2013. He was President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland in 2012-13, and was Chairman of the International Valuation Standards Council from 2012 to 2019 He chaired the Royal Household Audit Committee for the Sovereign Grant, for which he was appointed CVO, and was also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Scottish Charities, Leuchie House and the ICAS Foundation. He has published four books and over 60 articles, lectures and contributions to books on financial reporting.
Where is your favourite place in North Berwick?
The harbour
Dr Libby Morris (Vice-Chair)
Libby was born and raised in North Berwick and attended primary school and high school in the town. Libby has many happy memories of her childhood, including attending Brownies and Guides and country dancing classes, one of the highlights of which was performing on the stage of the former cinema on North Berwick high street. Libby remembers learning to swim in the open-air swimming pool at the harbour and the fun she had there at galas and socialising as teenagers.
Libby left North Berwick for further education in Edinburgh and became a doctor in 1981. Libby returned to her hometown to work as a trainee with Dr Jean Walinck, and also worked at East Fortune hospital for several years before moving to the Borders as a GP. Libby spent the rest of her career as a GP and also worked for the Scottish Government as an advisor in informatics.
Libby grew up in the town when it was still run by the North Berwick Town Council, who were responsible for everything. In 1974 local government was reorganised and the council taken over by the regional East Lothian Council. Libby remembers the discussions at the time about what to do with the land at Mains Farm owned by the town council. Many years later she was interested to find out more about this asset. Libby was interested to join the Trust and was keen to be part of the next phase of its development.
Since moving back to North Berwick 10 years ago Libby has been a member of North Berwick in Bloom and is now its chair. Since retiring, Libby enjoys spending most of her time gardening and working on community projects.
Where is your favourite place in North Berwick? The East Beach.
Keith Anderson
Keith was born and brought up in Dunfermline, graduating from Edinburgh University in 1978 with a BCom and qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1982. After qualifying Keith worked in Zimbabwe. Following his return to Edinburgh in 1985 he spent the rest of his career specialising in Business Recovery and Insolvency with a number of professional firms.
Keith moved with his wife to North Berwick in 2019. On retirement Keith has taken up golf joining the The Glen East Links Golf Club and has indulged his love of the sea by joining the North Berwick Rowing Club. Keith joined the Trust in 2021 as a member of the Finance Group and was appointed to the main board in 2023.
Favourite place in North Berwick? The top of the Law for the extensive panoramic views of the Forth, East Lothian and Fife.
Alan Nisbet
Alan is a rural chartered surveyor having qualified in 1982. He and his wife Isabel first stayed in North Berwick in the 1980s and both daughters attended Law Primary School.
Following a move to the Borders and latterly Dumfriesshire, he and Isabel returned to North Berwick in 2018. Both are active in the community and Alan is a founding member and past chairman of the Bass Rock Community Group.
A keen golfer Alan is presently captain at The Glen East Links golf club.
Since 2019 Alan has been an advisor to the Estates Group of the North Berwick Trust and was invited on to the main board in 2023.
Favourite place in North Berwick: standing on the elevated tee at the 18th hole at the Glen looking back over the town.
Douglas Sinclair
Douglas is originally from Aberdeen and moved to Edinburgh for University in 2000 before making the move to just outside North Berwick 8 years ago. He has two children at Law Primary and enjoys spending time out and about in the countryside and coast around the town.
Douglas is a solicitor and chartered tax advisor. He is partner in the law firm Shepherd and Wedderburn and deals mainly in the areas tax, trust and succession.
Gordon Moodie
Gordon is Chair of the Trust’s Finance Group. Gordon was born in India to Scottish parents and moved around considerably before returning to Scotland. He has lived in North Berwick for over fifteen years. For most of his working life he has been in senior financial roles with a number of commercial companies. Towards the end of his career he carried out several short term financial roles with the Welsh Rugby Union, the Lawn Tennis Association, the Scottish Qualifications Authority and several other firms in Edinburgh.
He is retired for ten years now and fills his time with a variety of interests including golf, travel, learning Gaelic and local history. He has been both Chairman and previously Treasurer of the Coastal Communities Museum. He has been a Community Councillor since 2015.
Favourite place in North Berwick?
Beach from Elcho Green westwards because of the fantastic views and good exercise.
Ben Palmer
Ben is a Landscape Architect who takes a professional and personal interest in what makes a unique place. He graduated from Edinburgh College of Art in 2000 and has been a practicing Landscape Architect since, working on projects across the UK and overseas. Through this experience, Ben has designed and delivered many landscape and public realm projects, often involving a range of clients, stakeholders, and engagement with community groups.
Ben moved to North Berwick from Edinburgh with his family four years ago, with all feeling very settled and proud to call the town home. With Ben’s children now attending both Law Primary and North Berwick High, he has a direct insight into what they need from the town. Through his professional work however, he understands the need to listen to a diverse range of community members, ensuring their views are represented and can truly influence the future of North Berwick.
Ben’s favourite place in North Berwick is pretty much anywhere when sat on a bike, standing on a paddle board or enjoying a cup of coffee.
Linsey Shields
I have worked in the third sector for 20 years in both fundraising and grant management for private trusts. I currently work full-time for Change Mental Health as Director of Fundraising and Business Development, driving forward their mission that no one faces mental illness alone. Before that, I worked as an independent fundraising consultant supporting a variety of organisations, creating strategies and delivering on those plans. I first moved to North Berwick in 1984 and attended NB High School, I then moved to Edinburgh to complete a BA in Accountancy and returned to the town in 2006 with my husband and two children, who have attended the local schools . I love being outdoors and I’m a member of the local coastal rowing club, enjoy CrossFit at Foxlake and generally enjoy everything our wonderful town has to offer.
Lottie Flood
Lottie is Chair of the Trust’s Grants Group.
Originally from Perth, and after living in Edinburgh for many years, Lottie Flood moved to North Berwick during the Covid pandemic, and lives in the Law Gardens development.
She is currently a senior solicitor with the City of Edinburgh Council and has worked for a number of other local authorities as well as an international law firm. Lottie specialises mainly in public planning and roads law.
By joining the Trust, Lottie hopes to play a part in shaping future opportunities for the town and is looking forward to getting started!
Favourite place in North Berwick? The parkland owned by the Trust, where she goes for walks every day!
Jane McMinn
Having experienced many happy memories of growing up here on extended holidays, Jane McMinn finally settled in North Berwick, joining her two brothers, about 20 years ago.
Jane graduated from Glasgow University in 1977 with a BSc in Pure Science and was the first sabbatical President of the Queen Margaret Union.
Jane worked for IBM for about 20 years starting in Glasgow, then Edinburgh with a couple of assignments in San Jose California. Latterly Jane worked in technical support for large mainframe storage management and recovery, and also authored two manuals.
Due to health and with a love of being on the water, Jane decided to change direction and qualified as a Commercial Coastal Yacht master. Jane was also Director of Wildgull Charters Limited, running Braveheart boat trips out of North Berwick Harbour. Jane really enjoyed this role on the water, seeing the wildlife with no two visitors or boat trips the same.
In 2006 Jane became a founding member of local charity North Berwick Harbour Trust (NBHT) and is now Chair. NBHT operates and maintains the B listed harbour, supports stakeholder activities and applies for grants for conservation, maintenance and development of facilities.
In 2010 Jane helped found The Firth of Forth Lobster Hatchery, which is an educational and conservation charity. The hatchery nurse eggs through to juveniles and subsequently release them into the Firth of Forth to restock the lobster population. This process gives them a higher chance of survival in the wild.
As a keen sailor, Jane has enjoyed adventures in warmer climes including two Atlantic crossings, a couple of months in Caribbean and also the Med. Jane also enjoys golf and photography, has participated in the rowing club and can be often found sea dooking – a less energetic form of swimming. Jane has two bulldogs, a large blue and gold macaw and two beautiful grown-up daughters.
Jane hopes through the Trust to help as many as possible to thrive and enjoy being in North Berwick. She would like to encourage more folk to invest their time and skills in NB to secure its future and heritage.
Where is your favourite place in North Berwick? Lucas Ice Crean van at the harbour, after lobster and chips and the sea for company.
David Petrie
David has lived in North Berwick for 19 years, having previously lived in Glasgow, Nottingham and Edinburgh.
David is a chartered surveyor and has worked within property for some 30 years, having been active in all sectors of the industry including brokerage, asset management, development and bank refinancing. David currently runs a residential and commercial development company active across Scotland.
David has a love for all things to do with the sea, especially surfing, swimming and sailing, as well as being a keen golfer. David has a great enthusiasm for the town of North Berwick, and by joining the Trust he hopes to be able to contribute the future success of the town and the well being of the people living there.
Favourite place in North Berwick : The West Bay on a busy sunny day.