THE MACROBERT TRUST
Long-Term Plan 2008 – 2012
The MacRobert Trust is recognised as a Scottish charity by the Office of
the Scottish Charity Regulator under the Reference: SC031346
Focused on Providing Public Benefit
Approved by Trustees on 14th March 2008
“Not for self but for country”
On Sir Alexander MacRobert’s death in 1922, the original Baronetcy title passed in succession
to the three MacRobert sons. Finally, on Sir Iain MacRobert’s death in action in 1941, the Court
of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms awarded Lady MacRobert the signal honour of bestowing on her
the right to carry the Coat of Arms of the Baronetcy of MacRobert. To establish this right, the
Lord Lyon changed her title from Lady MacRobert of Cawnpore and Cromar to Lady MacRobert
of Douneside and Cromar. In recognising the scope and nobility of her plans to preserve the
house of MacRobert by the formation of the original MacRobert Trust in 1943, the Court of the
Lord Lyon again granted a unique honour in 1950 in the bestowal of a Coat of Arms for The
MacRobert Trust. On these Arms appear three winged tigers’ heads representing the flying
record of the three MacRobert sons and symbolic of courage and Sir Alexander MacRobert’s
connection with India. A pile driven into the top of the MacRobert Arms showed for the first time
the flying wings in heraldry.
ORGANISATION AND STRUCTURE
Chairman:
Sir Garth Morrison KT, CBE, CEng
Trustees:
Mrs. S. Campbell (from October 2008)
C.D. Crole, Esq, MA
Mrs. C.J.B. Cuthbert, DL (retired March 2008)
K. Davis Esq, BSc, CEng, FICE, MCIWEM
J.D. Fowlie, Esq, ARAgS
J. Mackie, Esq (retired March 2008)
Group Captain D.A. Needham, BA, RAF (Retd)
C.W. Pagan, Esq, MBE, TD, BA, DL
A.M. Summers Esq, BA (Cantab) (retired March 2008)
Mrs J.C Swan, BVM&S, MRCVS
H.B. Woodd, Esq, BA(Econ)
Principal Office
Cromar
Tarland
Aboyne
Aberdeenshire
AB34 4UD
Administrator
Air Commodore R.W. Joseph, CBE, BSc, RAF (Retd)
Auditor
Scott-Moncrieff
Chartered Accountants
17 Melville Street
Edinburgh
EH3 7PH
Bankers
Bank of Scotland
54 John Street
Aberdeen
AB25 1LL
Legal Advisers
Turcan Connell
Princes Exchange
1 Earl Grey Street
Edinburgh
EH3 9EE
Investment Managers
Schroder Investment Management Limited
31 Gresham Street
London
EC2V 7QA
THE MACROBERT TRUST
LONG-TERM PLAN (2008-2012)
INTRODUCTION
The Trustees of The MacRobert Trust have approved a set of management planning documents
to ensure that The Trust has a clear mission, aims and strategic direction; that priorities and
objectives are set; that sufficient budgetary resources are made available each year to support
agreed and defined activity; and that a reporting system is in place to meet legal requirements.
This set comprises:

The Long-Term Plan

The Annual Management Plan

The Annual Report & Financial Statements
Long-Term Plan
The Long-Term Plan describes The MacRobert Trust’s history, formation and present day
configuration and then sets the strategic direction of The Trust for the next five years. It outlines
the operational environment within which The Trust works and the charitable contribution The
Trust seeks to make. In particular, the Long-Term Plan defines The Trust’s Mission, Aims and
Long-Term Priorities, and the supporting Guiding Principles adopted by Trustees in order to
achieve their agreed Long-Term Objectives.
Annual Management Plan
The Annual Management Plan defines Short-Term Objectives agreed by Trustees in support of
the Long-Term Priorities and Objectives along with the annual Budget (Resources) necessary to
meet these specific goals and annual activity. The Annual Management Plan is considered and
approved by Trustees in March for implementation from 6 April each year.
Annual Report & Financial Statements
The Annual Report & Financial Statements satisfies a legal requirement within the Charities and
Trustees Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 to provide an audited statement of account, including
a report on activities in the financial year. The report on activities includes achievements
against the milestone Short-Term Objectives detailed in the Annual Management Plan. The
Annual Report and Financial Statements are considered and approved by Trustees in October
covering the year to 5 April each year.
HISTORY AND PRESENT DAY CONFIGURATION
History
The MacRobert Trust is an amalgamation of several charitable trusts originally established by
Lady Rachel Workman MacRobert (1884-1954). Lady MacRobert of Douneside and Cromar left
her entire estate to these charitable trusts which were formed to serve particular charitable
interests. Special enterprises were also launched to help fulfil the aims of the trusts, along with
the establishment of various companies to protect the continuity of the trusts.
Lady MacRobert was the second wife and widow of Sir Alexander MacRobert (1854-1922), first
Baronet of Cawnpore and Cromar, and the daughter of Dr. William Hunter Workman MA MD
and Fanny Bullock Workman. Lady MacRobert inherited considerable wealth from her family in
America.
Alexander’s first wife, Georgina, died of cancer in 1905; they had no children. He met Rachel
Workman in the spring of 1909 when returning on leave by ship from India. They married in
York in 1911. The marriage produced three sons, all unmarried, who inherited the baronetcy in
turn. The eldest, Alasdair Workman, died in a civil flying accident in 1938, aged 26 years.
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THE MACROBERT TRUST
LONG-TERM PLAN (2008-2012)
Roderic Alan and Iain Workman, both officer pilots in the Royal Air Force, were killed on active
service in May and June 1941, aged 26 and 24 years respectively. Lady MacRobert was then
left with no family. Some time before his death, Sir Iain had suggested to his mother that she
might give an aircraft to help with the war effort; thus, in response to the loss of her two younger
sons, she immediately sent a cheque for £25,000 to the Secretary of State for Air to purchase a
bomber for the Royal Air Force. She asked that the aircraft, a Stirling Bomber, should be
named “MacRobert’s Reply”. She later donated an additional £20,000 to purchase four
Hurricane fighters which were sent to Royal Air Force operations in the Middle East. Three of
these aircraft bore the names of her sons and the fourth was named “MacRobert’s Salute to
Russia – The Lady”. A succession of Royal Air Force aircraft have carried the name
“MacRobert’s Reply”; today it is a Tornado GR4 on operational service with Number XV
Squadron, Royal Air Force Lossiemouth.
The Original Trusts
Lady MacRobert established the original trusts over the period 1943-50 in order to make
provisions reflecting the interests of her late husband and her late parents. The first three,
created in 1943, were the MacRobert Trust, the Sir Alexander MacRobert Memorial Trust and
the Douneside Trust. The MacRobert Trust was chiefly concerned with giving relief and
assistance to people, with special consideration given to those who, through the uniformed
services, had served and deserved well of their country. The Sir Alexander MacRobert
Memorial Trust was established principally to guide and financially assist youth, whilst the
Douneside Trust provided for the upkeep of Douneside House in Tarland, contributed to youth
organisations and more generally promoted co-operation between all peoples to promote world
peace and friendship. In providing support to youth, Lady MacRobert wished to provide the
means and organisation to foster in young people the best traditions, ideals and spirits which
she considered had prompted so many young people to fight in the Second World War for the
freedom and greater happiness of the human race. She firmly believed that the maintenance of
such ideals was of paramount importance following the premature deaths of her sons.
The Lady MacRobert Robert Special Trust, formed in 1950, encouraged the study and practice
of agriculture and horticulture, especially pedigree stock-breeding and food production,
horticulture, forestry and rural crafts and industries. The MacRobert Foundation, formed in
1954, was of a more general nature to provide for such charities and benevolent purposes as
the Trustees might decide, whilst the MacRobert Charitable Investment Trust, formed in 1969,
was established to manage the investments of the various trusts.
It was Lady MacRobert’s wish that the work of the original trusts should be conducted from the
MacRobert Estate in the Howe of Cromar, centred upon the village of Tarland. Sir Alexander
had bought the small one hundred and twenty-two acre estate of Burnside near Tarland in 1888
to rent to his parents who were finding life hard as pioneer farmers in New Brunswick, Canada.
After his parents’ death, he enlarged the farmhouse cottage to be a home for himself and
Georgina when they returned from India each summer. To this small estate was added the nine
thousand acre Cromar Estate, and House of Cromar, when it was purchased from the Marquis
of Aberdeen in 1920 with the agreement that it would pass to the MacRobert family and
executors after the death of the Marquis. The Marquis died in 1934. The House of Cromar,
built in 1905, was renamed Alastrean House by Lady MacRobert in June 1943 following its
opening as a recreation and leave centre for Royal Air Force and Commonwealth Air Forces on
active service. The cottage at Burnside was further modified and extended over several years
and is now known as Douneside House. Lady MacRobert lived there from 1911 until her death
in 1954. She is buried in the grounds of Douneside House which Sir Alexander and she had
transformed so uniquely using her knowledge of plants and trees from around the world.
The Trust Today
The original charitable trusts were amalgamated into a single trust, The MacRobert Trust, by a
Scheme approved by Interlocutor of the Court of Session, Edinburgh, dated 21st March 2001.
The Trust assumed all the assets, liabilities and interests of the original trusts as a continuum
from 6th April 2001.
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THE MACROBERT TRUST
LONG-TERM PLAN (2008-2012)
The MacRobert Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees who hold the entire assets of The
Trust in pursuance of its charitable purposes. Trustees are selected to provide the necessary
range of knowledge and skills to enable them to discharge their duties over the full range of The
Trust’s activities. The Trustees (no fewer than seven and no more than twelve) seek in good
faith to ensure that The Trust acts in a manner consistent with its purposes and is compliant
with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005. Trustees understand their
individual and collective responsibilities and have established the required supporting
framework to ensure that their duty of care is properly exercised. Specialist legal and financial
advice is available to the main Board of Trustees and delegated authorities given to the
permanent managerial staff, headed by the Administrator (Chief Executive), are clearly defined.
The Interlocutor (Trust Deed) provides for the administration of the assets and funds held by
The Trust and confers wide discretionary powers on the Trustees.
The MacRobert Trust, as now constituted, continues to sustain Lady MacRobert’s original ideals
and aims, particularly a strong connection to the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom.
However, The Trust now has wide charitable purposes which reflect modern times and needs.
Douneside House and Alastrean House continue to exist today; the first following the original
purposes that Lady MacRobert had intended for it and providing support to other charitable
activity for the wider public benefit; the second providing a source of income for The Trust’s
Estate.
The Trust exists in perpetuity and is a recognised Scottish charity, registered with the Office of
the Scottish Charity Regulator under the Reference SC031346. The MacRobert Trust is also
recognised as a charity for the purposes of the Taxes Acts under the Reference CR50453.
MISSION
The mission of The MacRobert Trust is to provide public benefit through the conduct of
charitable activity which both reflects the original wishes of Lady MacRobert as defined in The
Trust Deed and the needs of modern day society.
OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT
The MacRobert Trust’s operational environment has three main strands:

The Trust as a registered Scottish charity
As a charity, The Trust enjoys certain financial and reputational advantages, but
activities now take place within a complex regime of regulation and codes of practice.
This regime can restrict the scope available to extend activities, or to enter into new
areas into which businesses are able to venture.

The Trust as the owner of an historic legacy
The MacRobert story is known throughout much of the free world; thus, its activities are
enshrined in history and based upon a legacy which the Trustees are charged, through
the Trust Deed, to uphold and protect.

The Trust as a landlord
The Estate is run sensitively and sustainably, with a priority given where possible to the
generation of surplus income for The Trust’s programme of annual donations and
grants. The Trust owns several properties on its Estate. Some of these properties are
run commercially, but all are operated directly or indirectly in support of charitable
activity as defined in the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005. Being
a landlord also carries certain responsibilities to tenants and to the land which have to
be discharged while continuing to comply with duties flowing from The Trust’s charitable
status.
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THE MACROBERT TRUST
LONG-TERM PLAN (2008-2012)
AIMS
The Trust has four principal aims:

Protect the legacy and keep alive the ideals and history of Lady MacRobert and her
family through the conduct of charitable activities for the public benefit throughout the
United Kingdom, but with an emphasis in Scotland.

Ensure the continued operation of Douneside House, principally through the provision
of leave centre facilities to support entitled personnel as defined in the Trust Deed, but
also in support of activities for the wider public benefit.

Conduct successful and innovative horticultural operations which enhance the
environment and provide training for new entrant gardeners through a Horticultural
Training Scheme.

Run a successful and profitable Estate with income from the Estate diversified and
maximised for the conduct of The Trust’s wider charitable activities. Operations will
contribute to The Trust’s charitable work whilst ensuring that sound ecological and
environmental practices are followed and that farming tenants contribute to this work
whilst having enough land, buildings and fixed equipment to conduct profitable, efficient
and sustainable farming operations.
THE CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION THE TRUST AIMS TO MAKE
The MacRobert Trust aims to provide public benefit through its direct contribution to the
following agreed charitable purposes among those set out in the Charities and Trustee
Investment (Scotland) Act 2005:

Prevention or relief of poverty.

Advancement of education.

Advancement of health.

Saving of lives.

Advancement of citizenship or community development.

Advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science.

Advancement of public participation in sport.

Provision of recreational facilities, or the organisation of recreational activities, with the
object of improving the conditions of life for the persons for whom the facilities or
activities are intended.

Advancement of human rights, conflict resolution or reconciliation.

Advancement of environmental protection or improvement.

Relief of those in need by reason of age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other
disadvantage.
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THE MACROBERT TRUST
LONG-TERM PLAN (2008-2012)
GOVERNANCE
The Trust Deed requires Trustees to hold The Trust’s entire heritable and moveable property,
assets, securities, investments and income in support of The Trust’s purposes. In so doing,
Trustees are aware of their legal duties and responsibilities laid down in the Charities and
Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Trusts (Scotland) Act 1921 and 1961, and the
Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) 2005.
The Trustees are also mindful of other associated regulations and documents giving guidance
and best practice advice.
The Trustees define their internal policies in a series of important policy documents which are
revised at least every five years. These policies are enabling documents and provide the
necessary additional detail to ensure that the requirements of the Long-Term Plan are met.
The broad charitable activities of The MacRobert Trust are enshrined in the Trust Deed. The
specific charitable purposes supported can vary from time to time and are defined in The Trust’s
Charitable Donations Policy and Annual Management Plan.
LONG-TERM PRIORITIES
The Trustees have determined and approved five Long-Term Priorities to guide The Trust’s
overall charitable work and its operations as a recognised centre of excellence for horticulture,
farming and wider Estate activity. The Long-Term Priorities are:

Governance and Management
Ensure the Governance and Management of The MacRobert Trust is conducted in an
exemplary fashion, compliant with regulations and in accordance with best practice.

Management of The Trust’s Financial Investments
Preserve and grow the capital value of The Trust’s financial investments over the longterm and, consistent with that, generate income to support the charitable purposes of
The Trust.

Provision of Charitable Donations, Grants and Awards
Conduct an annual programme of charitable donations, grants and awards using
income from The Trust’s financial investments and surplus income from The Trust’s
Estate and wider activities.

Operation of The MacRobert Trust Estate.
Operate and present a successful, sustainable and profitable Estate without detriment
to The Trust’s charitable status with a particular objective to generate surplus income
from diversified sources to support the conduct of The Trust’s wider charitable
purposes.

Operation of Douneside House.
Maintain Douneside House, together with its furnishings, contents, gardens and policies
in memory of the family of the late Sir Alexander MacRobert by providing facilities to
maintain support for the Armed Forces and for other existing and future charitable and
commercial purposes conducted from the House.
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THE MACROBERT TRUST
LONG-TERM PLAN (2008-2012)
LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Trustees have agreed a number of Guiding Principles which define the good practice necessary
to achieve The Trust’s agreed Long-Term Priorities. The Guiding Principles are listed and
described in Appendix 1 along with a set of six Long-Term Objectives describing actions that
Trustees wish to complete within the period of the Plan or by a specific date.
Short-Term Objectives en-route to fulfilment of the Long-Term Priorities and achievement of the
Long-Term Objectives are set annually in The Trust’s Annual Management Plan which also
contains the Budget (Resources) agreed by Trustees to achieve the planned activity for the year
ahead.
The six Long-Term Objectives are summarised as:

Trustees will conduct a review of The Trust’s Interlocutor (Trust Deed), starting no later
than 2009, in order to ensure that it matches today’s needs and accords with the
Scottish regulatory framework and United Kingdom tax statutes.

Trustees will conduct a review of The Trust’s Committee arrangements, to include
arrangements for the sub-Committees.

Trustees will investigate a ‘total return’ approach to investments in which funds are
invested for the best total level of economic return compatible with the Trustees’ duty to
make safe investments, but regardless of the form (capital or income) which the return
takes.

Trustees will conduct an annual programme of charitable donations and grants in
accordance with agreed policy, always seeking to achieve maximum effect for
beneficiaries, but also recognising changes of emphasis agreed by Trustees from time
to time.

Trustees will refresh a ‘Vision for the Estate’ within twelve months and implement that
Vision over the next five years. This will be done in the context of the Guiding
Principles, identifying specific actions that will help secure a sustainable long-term
future for the Estate and deliver a significant contribution to the charitable activity of The
Trust.

Trustees will seek to maintain Douneside House service guest occupancy at high levels
and ensure that income generated during the conference season is maximised in order
to reduce the charitable subsidy given to the House.
RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT
The process of Risk Assessment and Management is a fundamental component of The Trust’s
business at all levels. Risks are assessed in all Trust policies and the overarching policy on
Risk Assessment and Management is reviewed by Trustees at least every five years.
Trustees also review current and emerging risks annually and risks are addressed in all papers
presented to Trustees for their approval.
Appendix
1.
Long-Term Priorities, Guiding Principles & Long-Term Objectives.
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Long-Term Plan 2008 - 2012
The MacRobert Trust
Cromar, Tarland
Aboyne
Aberdeenshire
AB34 4UD
Scottish Charity No SC031346
Tel: 013398 81444
Fax: 013398 81676
www.themacroberttrust.org.uk