Dunbar Harbour Trust – Dunbar Harbour Trust

An incorporated charity

Dunbar Harbour Trust was established by the Scottish Government in 2004.

It is a charity registered with the Office of the Scottish Charities Regulator (OSCR).

The purposes of the organisation are laid down in law –

(a) operating the harbour for the benefit of all its stakeholders including both port users and the local community;

(b) maintaining and improving the harbour facilities;

(c) attracting new uses of the harbour and new business to the harbour;

(d) advancing public education concerning the harbour; and

(e) providing facilities in the interest of social welfare for recreation and leisure-time occupation.

Directors

Dunbar Harbour Trust is managed by up to twelve volunteer Trustee/Directors. Each director is appointed for a three year term and can serve up to twelve years.

The Harbour Trust is always interested in receiving expressions of interest from those who would like to give back something to the community.

Please e mail office@dunbarharbourtrust.co.uk if you would like an informal discussion on the role of trustee, or talk to the harbourmaster about it.

The current Directors are –

ALASDAIR SWAN – CHAIRMAN

Alasdair is a Chartered Accountant now retired from the Logistics Industry. He is married with four children and nine grandchildren.

His interests include the management of the Dunbar East Beach Seaside award, and the regeneration of the Shore and Harbour neighbourhood area. He has been Treasurer of Dunbar Community Council and Dunbar Civic Week Committee since 2015. He has been a trustee of Belhaven Surf Centre Ltd and Dunbar Dementia Network SCIO since 2017 and 2018 respectively. He was Treasurer of the Dunbar Sea Cadets between 2015 and 2022.

Alasdair is responsible for the general administration at the harbour and joined the Harbour Trust in 2012.

PAUL INGRAM – VICE CHAIRMAN

Paul Ingram is self employed and is an active member of the harbour community.

He is currently Treasurer of the Dunbar Rowing Club and is a member of the Sailing Club.

He is a qualified RYA Sailing Instructor, enjoys diving and surfing, and has recenty taken to fishing.

Paul joined the Harbour Trust as a director in 2015 and leads the Trust’s Health & Safety programme.

JAMES BISSET – DIRECTOR

James joined the Trust in 2022. He has been an active fisherman at Dunbar for many years and currently operates three boats out of the harbour. He serves on the Harbour Management Committee where he has been active for over a decade.

Among his many activities, in recent times James has stood in voluntarily for the harbourmaster where necessary.

James is Chairman of the Dunbar Fishermen’s Association. His wife Cheryl runs the Kittiwake Cafe at the harbour.

KENNY MAULE – DIRECTOR

Kenny has been a Harbour resident 10 years, spending only 30% of time in Dunbar, but now semi-retired thus in future 80% in Dunbar. Living above the slipway at Custom House Square gives Kenny & Pamela superb views over the Firth of Forth & an view of harbour life.

He has been involved with the sea as a surfer, lifeguard, sailor, rower and currently sailing & skiffing from the Harbour. Kenny was born in Fairlie,near Largs, teen-years in St. Ives, Cornwall, and thence has lived mainly overseas in Barbados, Hong Kong, Switzerland, most-recently in France working as an airline-pilot air-examiner on mainly Boeing & Airbus aircraft.

Married with children & grandchildren, so a busy life. Dunbar Harbour’s history is fascinating & its future is vital for fishermen, sailors, tourists & children. Kenny joined the Trust Board in 2014.

ANDY PRINGLE – DIRECTOR

Andy moved to Dunbar in 2013 and is keen to understand, preserve and develop the unique environment this town offers. It combines history, natural beauty and thriving commercial businesses, as well as access to the rest of the UK and beyond. He joined the Trust in 2023 and hopes to apply some of his experience gained in working life in the ‘high tech’ industry to benefit the Harbour and the Trust.

ERIC ROBERTSON – DIRECTOR

Eric Robertson is a harbour resident and runs his own design business in Dunbar.
A member of Dunbar Sailing Club and East Lothian Yacht Club he enjoys sailing dinghies and yachts.
A former commodore of East Lothian Yacht Club he organised many of the club’s successful national sailing events.
Eric has a particular interest in the future development of Dunbar harbour.

ALISON WILSON – DIRECTOR

Alison Wilson grow up in Edinburgh and has recently moved to Dunbar.

“I sailed around the world on Clipper Around the World yatch 9-10 race. I am a member of the Royal St. George Yacht Club, Dún Laoghaire in Co Dublin from my time living in Dublin. I am a member of the Dunbar Sailing Club. I volunteer in the RNLI Dunbar high street shop. I love adventure and have completed the 3-peak challenge, Killamanjaro and Machu Picchu.

I work for an international softeware company as a VP of Operations with a global team. I am learning to surf and love paddleboarding around Dunbar.”

Alison works for an international software company as a VP of Operations with a global team. She is learning to surf and loves paddleboarding around Dunbar. She joined the Trust in 2022.

JOHN WILLIAMS – DIRECTOR

John joined the Harbour Trust in 2020. John takes a keen interest in the conservation and development of Dunbar Castle.

TANIA KING – SECRETARY

Tania joined the Harbour Trust in 2021. She takes a keen interest in the environment of the harbour and its natural life.

MARIE-CLARE JAMES – DIRECTOR

I fell in love with Dunbar many years ago when traveling round East Lothian. In a strange twist of fate I ended up moving to Dunbar 2 years ago to run Belhaven Smokehouse for the new owners. I have worked in the Seafood industry for the last 15 years starting with Seafood Scotland and their education project Seafood in Schools moving to George Campbell in Perth and then to Belhaven.

I was really excited to join the board of the trust to help in anyway I can to preserve, maintain and continue to promote the harbour not just as a place of work but also as a great place for people to visit to understand the towns heritage and links with the sea.

FEARGHAL KELLY – DIRECTOR

Fearghal is a former teacher and now works as a Civil Servant. He is an experienced white-water kayaker but following an injury in 2004 is now mainly found paddling on the sea. He has lived in Dunbar since 2010 and regularly paddles out from Dunbar Harbour either on his own or with his family of kayakers. Fearghal joined the Trust in 2023 and is interested in supporting the development of the Harbour as an integral part of the Dunbar community.

J-R EUNSON

John-Robert (JR) is a Chartered Engineer and O&M technician, working in the energy industry. He has lived in Dunbar since 2014 and is a regular harbour user through his volunteering with the RNLI.

JR recently joined the Trust in October 2023 and is looking forward to working with everyone involved in the harbour to help maintain, support and develop the harbour both for today and the years ahead.

Management Committee

The Dunbar Harbour Management Committee (DHMC) is a sub-committee of the Harbour Trust and exists for the purpose of overseeing the day to day running of the harbour.

The committee meets monthly to discuss a wide range of topics including maintenance, repairs, Health & Safety and any other matters to do with the routine business of the harbour and publishes reports of it’s meetings.

The committee also has it’s own small budget which it can spend as necessary and largely without reference to the Board.

Committee membership includes the harbourmaster, directors of the trust and representatives of the harbour users and the members at present are

Chairman Eric Robertson harbour resident and DHT Director
James Bissett – Fisherman, Chairman of the Dunbar Fishermen’s Association, DHT Director
Tania King – harbour resident and DHT Director
Robin Hamilton – former DHT Director
Kevin Keillor – Fisherman
Neil Brunton – Fisherman
Ian Combe – Boat owner
Johnny Blyth – Harbour resident
Fiona Kibby – Harbour Master

The Harbour Management Committee are anxious to represent the interests of all harbour users and would welcome additional members from outside the Trust.

Anyone interested in joining can apply by contacting the Harbour Master or through any of the committee members.

How to see what is happening

Dunbar Harbour Trust has always provided full visibility of its activities. Minutes of Board Meetings and the latest published accounts are available to view below –