Ruskin Lane Consulting 2013 | Page 5

COMMUNICATION Below: New BEFS website at www.befs.org.uk We launched a new website at www.befs.org.uk with added functionality and enhanced content including a new blog page; increased our Twitter followers (over 600 followers by July 2013); set up a LinkedIn account with discussion forums; and sent out an e-bulletin every three weeks. We recruited a part-time Communications and Policy Officer (to January 2013) and then a full-time Advocacy and Communications Officer (from July 2013). MEMBERSHIP SUPPORT Below: Derek Mackay, Minister for Planning & Local Government, and Sarah Boyack MSP at the Annual Congress. , We ran a very successful Annual Congress in Linlithgow in November 2012. ‘Small Town Scotland’ attracted over 80 delegates and included presentations from a wide range of speakers including architect Malcolm Fraser, journalist Magnus Linklater, BEFS Chairman Cliff Hague and Derek Mackay, Planning Minister. Main image: Questions from delegates at our well attended Annual Congress in Linlithgow. We held regular meetings of the Historic Environment Working Group, looking in particular at the Archaeology Strategy and Historic Environment Strategy review and proposed merger of Historic Scotland and RCAHMS. We held a presentation skills workshop for representatives of member organisations and facilitated a joint workshop with the Scottish Civic Trust and Haddington and District Amenity Society.