HERITAGE COORDINATOR FUNDING ENSURES SMOOTH DELIVERY OF RUSHEN HERITAGE TRUST SERVICES
Rushen Heritage Trust (RHT) has been granted funding by Manx Lottery Trust to continue contracting a Heritage Coordinator.
Otherwise run by volunteers, this paid role brings essential time and skills to the organisation, ensuring smooth delivery of a busy programme for 2023.
Founded in 2014, RHT is made up of several teams, who bring to life exhibitions, books, talks and community events, which celebrate Rushen’s rich history and share discoveries about life in the parish in times gone by. The Trust’s activities are overseen by a voluntary Board of Directors, working closely with the Heritage Coordinator. Recent major exhibitions and books have included the 150th anniversary of Milner Tower in 2021 and the 130th anniversary of the Port Erin Marine Laboratory last year.
In 2021, RHT opened Rushen Heritage Centre in Bridson Street, Port Erin, as a mini exhibition centre, which also acts as a visitor information centre. The Centre opens in March for the season, but also opened on certain days during the winter, for activity sessions – including art, poetry, and games – and as part of the ‘warm spaces’ initiative.
Each year the Centre has a full diary of exhibitions on show, as well as selling RHT publications, and new for the 2023 season, the Centre has a selection of books and maps concentrating mostly on Rushen and the South. Exhibitions so far this year have focused on the artist William Hoggatt and the 50th anniversary of the Rotary Club of Rushen & Western Mann, while the present exhibition is Edible Wild Plants of the South, which runs until July 1st.
Chair of Rushen Heritage Trust Juan Watterson said: ‘We are thrilled to receive funding for the continuation of this key role, which will enable us to fulfil our ambitions for 2023. The Trust has achieved so much in the last nine years but relies on generous donations and grants from organisations such as Manx Lottery Trust, to whom we’re very grateful.
‘Our mission is to engage all Rushen residents in some aspect of the parish’s landscape, heritage and culture, by collecting memories, pictures, and artefacts; this grant will help us to do just that!’.
Chair of Manx Lottery Trust Stephen Turner commented: ‘It’s fantastic to see money from the Dormant Assets Fund being put to such good use; Rushen Heritage Trust does sterling work to bring residents together in celebration of what makes their community unique. We look forward to the events being organised and encourage people local to the area to get involved!’
This grant was awarded from the Dormant Assets Fund. To find out more about the Manx Lottery Trust Dormant Assets Fund, please visit: www.mlt.org.im/grant-programmes
