We are delighted to announce a confirmed grant of £248,600 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The grant will fund our Fit For the Future project which will secure a long-term future for Hall of Clestrain, which in turn will deliver vital tourism, economic, learning and wellbeing opportunities to Orkney in coming years.
Chair Cheryl Chapman said: “We are hugely grateful to the Heritage Fund for recognising the potential of our projects and cannot wait to get started on this hugely exciting work. Thanks to the help of the Heritage Fund and National Lottery players we will be able to undertake essential investigation work at the Hall and prepare plans for its sustainable development. It will allow us to bring to the fore the story of John Rae, and Orkney’s links with cross-Atlantic travel and trade, Canada and the Hudson’s Bay Company.
Patron of The John Rae Society, Sir Michael Palin, wrote: “…really excited that the National Lottery has seen the importance of helping to preserve Hall of Clestrain, a fine building and a fitting acknowledgement of the work of John Rae, one of the great Scottish explorers.”
Over the next 14 months Fit for the Future will:
- Build the capacity and resilience of the Society to achieve its vision
- Prepare plans for the restoration and sustainable development of the Hall as a tourism attraction and vital community resource
- Undertake archaeological investigation, archives research and oral history to capture information to inform these plans
- Consult with key stakeholders and potential partners
- Conduct a programme of audience research and consultation
- Pilot a programme of learning and engagement activities inspired by John Rae and his adventures
- Fundraisefor the £1.8m Save Hall of Clestrain project.
Fit for the Future is a significant milestone in the Society’s efforts to commemorate the life and achievements of Arctic explorer John Rae and save Hall of Clestrain – an exceptionally rare Georgian Palladian style villa.
Cheryl Chapman continued: “Our planned research, consultation, pilot activities and site tours will lay the foundations for an ongoing programme of engagement whilst we prepare for the full restoration and development of the Hall and look ahead to its future as an exciting and unique heritage and leisure attraction, set in the heart of the Hoy and West Mainland National Scenic Area.
We’re very much at the beginning of this journey and invite anyone interested and with relevant skills to get in touch to help us, either by becoming a trustee or by joining a Steering or Working Group. If you are interested please email info@johnraesociety.com.
Great news and congratulations
Tremendous that the plans can be so solidly in place now, well done, all!
Yay! Very happy for you
Best
Thérèse
Will actual restoration work be done on the building? There’s no mention of that.
Hi there Bernie. While this is not for capital spend, it will build the firm foundations of the Society to deliver the capital projects. It vwill allow us to get the right people in place, review the restoration plans and the viability of the Hall as a centre for visitors and allow us to test some pilot schemes around education and engagement. This really breathes life into the development vision of Hall of Clestrain and the society itself and represents a major step forward. I hope that answers your question. We are actively fundraising for the capital project too.
Excellent result: well done to all involved.