The Melville College Trust (MCT) is an independent charity SC002074 which was constituted in 1976, a few years after the merger of Daniel Stewart’s and Melville College (formerly known as Edinburgh Institution).
Trust Purpose
The main purpose of the Trust is to promote the advancement of education through the provision of bursaries and grants, in order to perpetuate the memory of those former pupils of Edinburgh Institution and Melville College who lost their lives in the two World Wars. This includes the upkeep of memorials and grants to Daniel Stewart’s and Melville College and The Mary Erskine School and their scholars. Over the years, additional generous funding has come from Former Pupils of Melville College.
The Trust awards bursaries annually to the Erskine Stewart’s Melville Schools (ESMS). Funding is provided from income derived from the Trust’s capital assets. The Trust also awards grants to fund extra-curricular and school related projects which would not otherwise receive funding and which benefit a large number of pupils.
Trust Operation
There are nine elected Governors, currently all are from the alumni of Melville College, Daniel Stewart’s College, Stewart’s Melville College and The Mary Erskine School. In addition the Merchant Company Education Board appoints two Ex-officio Governors. Governors participate in regular training events for Charity Trustees.
The Trust’s activities are managed by two main committees – ‘Chair’ and ‘Investment’ – with sub-committees formed, where necessary, to aid the workload and utilise expertise.
Many pupils have benefited from the Trust through bursaries and through support to individual school projects. The Trust now operates a five year strategy which is agreed annually at the Annual General Meeting of the Trust. The purpose is to progress and preserve the longevity of the Trust whilst retaining the memory and traditions of Melville College.
In the last four years MCT has achieved much, despite the frustrations of the Covid-19 pandemic and, as our Chair Stephen Paterson described in MCT’s annual report, the Trust remains in “robust health despite the challenging times we are going through”. The Trust’s priorities include protecting and maintaining investments, maximising bursary support for pupils and the funding of school projects to a maximum of £10,000 per annum. As we look to the future, stronger links are being made with The Former Pupils’ Guild of The Mary Erskine School.
Since 2018, the Trust has provided funding for bursaries to 57 pupils at SMC, 53 at MES and 2 at the Junior School, and supported 33 projects including a diverse range of school activities. These include a Marimba for the MES Music Department, new books and materials for the Science Book Club, and the Tommy Memorial Statue which overlooks the Poppy Memorial Garden at Dean Church.
Great Grandson of Thomas McNaughton
Occasionally the Trust supports other projects: recent examples include the provision of a defibrillator for the Inverleith Clubhouse, restoration of the memorial headstone for Thomas McNaughton, a former headmaster of Edinburgh Institution, and installing a plaque on the old School buildings of Melville College in Melville Street.
Trust Communication
The Trust continues to strengthen communication with stakeholders and increase its profile. Alan Veitch, former chair of MCT, has been committed to managing and enhancing the MCT website and other forms of media on Facebook and Twitter. Communication with Former Pupils of Melville College is paramount, to share in memories of the school on the website and in organising reunions of Former Pupils. A Melville College Trust Newsletter is issued biannually.
The Trust looks forward to this coming year with renewed vigour now that we are able to meet again in person. This was valued greatly at the AGM in November 2022, particularly when hearing from the new Principal, Anthony Simpson and the Bursar, Barry McMaster.
For further information on the Trust and its activities please go to our website https://melvillecollegetrust.uk/
MCT is grateful to the Master for this opportunity to inform the Company, its members and other readers of the role the Trust plays in supporting ESMS.
