Two leading members of the Helensburgh Heroes project have stepped down from their posts as directors and trustees of the organisation.

Professor Michael Baker, the former chairman of the group, and his daughter Fiona played a key role in setting up the Sinclair Street Heroes Centre and were involved with planning the next stage of the project.

Their surprise resignations were announced in an email to the Advertiser from Ms Baker on February 28 which simply stated: “My father Michael, the chairman, and I have stepped down as company directors and charity trustees of Helensburgh Heroes.”

She gave no reason for the resignations but expressed the hope that the Advertiser and the community would “continue to engage with Heroes and help realise the ambitious Phase 2 proposals, which would provide a marvellous facility for Helensburgh and Lomond”.

This week, Helensburgh Heroes director Phil Worms told the Advertiser the professor and his daughter were stepping down to devote more time to other projects.

He added: “It was simply a case of not enough hours in the day.

“Having been instrumental in setting up the Sinclair Street Heroes Centre, and creating local momentum for the next phase of the project, Michael and Fiona decided that there was a window of opportunity to step down, now that the centre is operational, to devote more time to other projects.

“Michael, as one of our great marketing innovators, is currently writing and editing books and Fiona, as chair of the Friends of Hermitage Park, has an exceptionally busy schedule with the park opening later this year.”

Mr Worms said he wished to record his sincere appreciation and thanks for the expertise, dedication and time that the Bakers had given to the charity.

He added: “The centre would not have been delivered without them, and I wish them both every success in their future endeavours.

“As for the charity, it continues as planned – to establish the current Heroes Centre as an important and valued community asset whilst progressing the plans to create a larger facility within the area.”

Meanwhile, both Professor Baker and his daughter are named in a Early Day Motion at the House of Commons lodged by Brendan O’Hara MP congratulating the project.

The centre opened to the public at the beginning of December, with the 1950s-themed cafe Hucksters, to the rear of the centre’s display, following early in the new year.

The motion congratulates everyone involved in the recent opening of the Helensburgh Heroes Centre in Sinclair Street and mentions “the enormous effort and dedication of a small group of local people, most notably Phil Worms, Linda Worms, Stuart Duncan, Professor Michael Baker and Fiona Baker, for making this possible”.

With the venue fully up and running, the trustees are looking ahead to the bigger “phase two” part of the Heroes Centre project.

The charity has produced two questionnaires to gather local opinion on what the community think is important for Helensburgh and what they would like to see in the larger centre.

The full text of the MP’s motion reads: “That this House congratulates everyone involved in the recent opening of the Helensburgh Heroes Centre, a centre that recognises and celebrates the enormous contribution made by the people of Helensburgh and the surrounding district in areas as diverse as television, sport, music, science, art, politics, literature, architecture and film-making, including the inventor and television pioneer John Logie Baird, the Hollywood superstar Deborah Kerr and Eunice Murray, the renowned suffragette who in 1918 was the first Scottish woman to seek election to the UK Parliament; believes the Helensburgh Heroes Centre with its visitor centre, exhibition, shop and 1950s-style America café will be a very welcome addition to the already numerous tourist attractions the town has to offer; acknowledges that without the enormous effort and dedication of a small group of local people, most notably Phil Worms, Linda Worms Stuart Duncan, Professor Michael Baker and Fiona Baker, this ambitious, culturally-important project would not have been possible; and wishes the Helensburgh Heroes Centre every success in the future.”