About Abbot House

Abbot House Dunfermline Fireplace Abbot House Dunfermline Renovation Plan Abbot House Wall Carving

Abbot House SCIO became a registered charity SC047777 in 2017, with a Board of Trustees set up to fulfil the key objective of restoring and maintaining the building to allow it to be used for public use, whilst promoting local arts, crafts and heritage skills.

Abbot House SCIO must be self-sustaining and have a strong business model for it to remain open. Abbot House Trading Limited was established in 2020 to generate income across the house, with the aim of redirecting any remaining operational profit back into the charity to maintain the building.

The Abbot House SCIO Board of Trustees and Abbot House Trading Limited Directors all live in Dunfermline and its surrounding areas. They are committed to the success of Abbot House and are passionate about preserving Abbot House for future use.

MEET OUR TEAM

TRUSTEES

ALISON FOX

Alison has a long history in management roles in finance and the NHS. She hopes as a trustee of Abbot House be able to help with leadership and practical management advice and support at this exciting time in its development.

Alison is passionate about Dunfermline’s history having spent all of her childhood and adult life in the town. She has previous volunteering and trustee experience with Girl Guiding Scotland during which time she was a leader in Guide Groups at Dunfermline Abbey and Gillespie Church.

On a personal basis Alison is passionate about all creative pursuits and is delighted that her interests are supported in Abbot House via its studio spaces and support of local crafts people/makers in the gift shop.

CRAIG SMITH (BA, LL.B),

Craig is a Commercial Property solicitor and Associate Director of Young & Partners Business Law Ltd. in Dunfermline with over 16 years’ experience, acting on behalf of SMEs and family run businesses across Scotland as well as UK-wide companies, charities and pension fund providers.

He is a Trustee of local charity Children’s Clothing Bank Dunfermline, who provide new and pre-loved clothes to families in need in Dunfermline and surrounding areas, for children up to and including 18 years of age.

Craig is also a former Chairman of Dunfermline Round Table and sits on the Dunfermline Charity Beer Festival committee, which raises funds for local charities, community organisations and good causes each year.

NORA RUNDELL

Nora was Chief Executive of the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust for sixteen years and before that held senior posts in the voluntary and tourism sectors as well as working in the field of higher education.

During her time with the Trust she was very closely involved in all the various stages of Abbot House’s evolution and the desire to see it fulfil its full potential has stayed with her.

Nora currently works part time in a vibrant Edinburgh based art gallery and is actively involved with a sporting charity for those facing a range of challenges. She has previously sat on, as well as chaired, a number of boards.

MICHELLE McWILLIAMS

Michelle McWilliams spent 10 years working on communications campaigns with Ministers in Whitehall before moving back to Scotland to take up a role as Deputy Director of Communications & Public Affairs at the University of Edinburgh. A consultancy contract with Napier University followed before taking a career break. Returning to work, Michelle moved into the private sector, working in communications agencies and for a technology start up. Currently, Head of Communications at Aberdeen University’s Rowett Institute, she has lived in Dunfermline for nearly 30 years and was delighted to help write the successful bid for Dunfermline’s City Status. She is also a co-founder of Dunfermline’s Outwith Festival.  Other trustee roles include Vice-Chair of national vision impairment charity, Sight Scotland.

NAOMI HANN (MA)

Naomi graduated with a 2:1 in History and Archaeology (MA) and is now studying Architectural History and Theory (Msc) at the University of Edinburgh.

She completed her undergraduate dissertation on Abbot House and her research has been used to inform the ongoing renovations to the building. She is currently compiling a digital archive and managing the remaining material of the heritage centre collection.

Throughout her studies, she has worked as a historical storyteller at a walking tour company based in Edinburgh and has five years museum experience including cataloguing, display installation and education. Covid-19 inspired an authorised interruption of study to undertake a graduate scheme at Oxford Archaeology where she worked as a field archaeologist before returning to Scotland to continue her postgraduate studies. Her research interests include Buildings Archaeology, Social History and Urban Development

ADAM RINTOUL

Adam was educated locally at Queen Anne High School in Dunfermline and graduated from Stirling and Edinburgh Universities.  He has worked in Commercial Banking for Bank of Scotland since 2004.  Adam’s current role is a Relationship Manager in the Bank’s Real Estate team.

Adam is current Chairman of Dunfermline Round Table and he is also Treasurer of Dunfermline City Hockey Club.  In his spare time, Adam is a keen golfer and follows Dunfermline Athletic Football Club.

Having grown up in Dunfermline, Adam is passionate about the local area and it’s history.  He is very much looking forward to seeing the rebirth of Abbot House in the heart of the Heritage Quarter of the town.

JOE McGUINNESS
Joe was born and bred in the local area and spent his formative years growing up in the West Fife Villages before moving to Dunfermline some 30 years ago. He started his working life like most of his contemporaries in the coal industry and spent 10 years underground (with a concurrent 5 years as a member of the local Mines Rescue Brigade)
During these years Joe worked as a part time youth worker in the local area and this experience led to major change in direction whereby he left the coal industry and signed up to study for a career in Community Education at Dundee University. Following qualification he work for a number of years on the streets of Westerhailes as a Detached Youth Worker before returning to fife as a Community Worker in various areas across Fife. His disciplines covered the areas of Adult Learning (vocational and non vocational), Community Development and of course Youth Work.
 Gaining various promotions with Fife Council he spent his final years as the Area Services Manager for the City of Dunfermline and managed across the range of council services at the area level. Now retired his interests are family, family and family with Abbot House taking up the slack.

OPERATIONS MANAGER

LOUISE HUTCHISON (BA) Hons

Louise grew up in Dunfermline and proudly attended Woodmill High School, beginning her career in The Clydesdale Bank at The Mercat Cross. She left for several years to complete a Business Degree then continued her banking career within various managerial roles. Louise then embarked on running an award-winning wedding flower business before becoming involved in Abbot House early in the project.

Louise has combined both her business knowledge and creative flair to develop Abbot House firstly as a project consultant then as Operations Manager and Director of Abbot House Trading Ltd. Louise is passionate about Abbot House and is committed to providing a unique community space that can be enjoyed by both locals and visitors.