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First Minister announces second tranche of Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund

Communities from Shetland to Dumfries and Galloway will share a pot of more than £100,000 to restore war memorials as part of the Scottish Government’s WWI commemoration programme.

First Minister Alex Salmond recently announced that £103,535 will being awarded to ten memorials across Scotland. These are:

The Centenary Memorials Fund has helped 13 projects so far and applications can still be made to help the repair and conservation Scotland's war memorials. The £1 million fund is a central part of the Scottish Government programme commemorating the centenary of WWI.

The First Minister said:

“Scotland, in common with so many other nations, suffered an appalling loss of life in the Great War, and its effects on Scottish life were profound and long-lasting.

“Scotland’s war memorials are a lasting tribute to fallen service men and women and it is hugely important that they are maintained. We owe it to the names inscribed on these memorials as well as the families they’ve left behind to keep monuments in a proud condition, reflecting the respect they deserve.

"War monuments play a central role in educating our young people about the ultimate sacrifice members of their community have paid in conflicts throughout the generations.

“I am delighted to announce more than £100,000 to repair and preserve our war memorials and I would encourage more communities all over Scotland to apply to the Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund to help keep these monuments a central and permanent reminder of fallen service men and women now and for generations.”

Frances Moreton, Director of War Memorials Trust, said:

"We are delighted with the latest announcement of grants through the Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund. These awards are making a significant difference to the protection and conservation of war memorials in Scotland and the memory of the fallen commemorated by them. War Memorials Trust encourages anyone considering a repair or conservation project to get in touch and see if your local war memorial might benefit from a grant in the next few years."

Councillor Sadie Docherty, Lord Provost of Glasgow City Council, said:

“I am delighted War Memorials Trust has agreed to fund the restoration of one of Glasgow’s most iconic war memorials; the ‘A’ listed equestrian bronze monument to Earl Frederick Sleigh Roberts V.C. which stands proudly in Kelvingrove Park.

“A serving soldier for more than fifty years, Roberts rose through the ranks to become the head of the armed services and died during World War 1 during the retreat from the Marne, aged 82. This magnificent monument to commemorate this iconic hero was built by public subscription from the grateful people of Glasgow and unveiled in 1916.

“This project will complement Glasgow’s commemoration of the centenary of World War I, and will also complement wider investment in Kelvingrove Park planned in preparation for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

“I would also like to offer my sincere thanks to War Memorials Trust for their financial support on another Glasgow project which is dear to my heart – the restoration of the Gorbals war memorial to James Stokes, a Glasgow recipient of the Victoria Cross.”

Sonya Linskaill, manager at Stirling City Heritage Trust, said:

“We are delighted to have been awarded a Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund grant towards the conservation of this important memorial in the heart of Stirling City Centre. The Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund provides a special opportunity to repair and conserve this Memorial ensuring that it remains as a fitting testament to those who gave their lives from Stirling in these major conflicts”

Details of round two funded projects are:

• Kirkconnel, Main Street, Kirkconnel, Dumfries and Galloway (WM6003) Grant offer: £3,375. The foundations supporting the path around the memorial are in ‘Poor’ condition and as a result of structural movement the surface of the path has cracked. In addition the path kerb stones have been extensively damaged. The grant funding will help fund the repair and replacement of the brick foundations and path surface. This work will include the replacement of damaged kerb stones. Details of memorial can be found at www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/141471
  
• Moffat, High Street, Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway (WM3814): Grant offer £1,728.Water is getting into the memorial through gaps left by cracks or missing mortar. In addition, the corrosion of the internal fixings of bronze finial and the bronze itself have combined to leave the memorial in a ‘Poor’ condition. The grant offered will support works which include the removal of cracked or missing mortar joints and the re-pointing of the memorial using a lime mortar. The bronze finial is to be cleaned and treated and the internal fixings are to be replaced in stainless steel to ensure the finial is secured. Details of memorial can be found at www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/141351
  
• Crookston, Inveresk Churchyard, Musselburgh, East Lothian (WM7713) Grant offer: £2,115. Extensive weather erosion of areas of the red sandstone has led to concern about the condition of the memorial. The detail of some decorative caved sections has been lost and other areas are in a fragile condition. The grant funding will help fund repair, replacement and stabilisation works to the sandstone. In addition, the existing joints will be re-pointed using a lime mortar. Details of memorial can be found at www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/138467
  
  
• 3^rd Leith Boys Brigade, Grounds of Leith St Andrew’s Church, Easter Rd, Edinburgh (WM7721): Grant offer £6,672. This memorial is suffering from water damage causing hidden and severe corrosion. In addition historic repair work has seen the replacement of the lanterns original glass panes with plastic panels and the repainting of the lamp in a colour scheme which differs from the original. The grant funding will support the return the lantern to working order. The existing flanking paint and corrosion will be removed from the lantern and the lamp base. The corroded lantern parts and the plastic panels will be replaced. To complete work the original traditional Boy Brigade colours will be used to repaint the conserved lantern and lamp base. Details of memorial can be found at www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/138659
  
• Cupar, St Catherine Street, Cupar, Fife (WM7452) Grant offer: £17,901. This memorial faces a number of issues. Exposure to weather and pollution has resulted in a build-up of dirt and biological growth on the stone as well as corrosion of the bronze elements. Joints which have been pointed with cement mortar in the past. These joints are now cracking or are missing which mean that water is getting into the memorial. In addition, past unsightly repair work to the stone boundary wall is starting to fail. The grant funding will support the cleaning and repair work to the stone and the bronze elements of the memorial. In addition, existing cement joints will be removed and repointed with a lime mortar and sensitive repair work will be undertaken at the boundary wall. Details of memorial can be found at www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/11698
  
• Earl Frederick Sleigh Roberts V.C, Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow (WM6877): Grant offer £26,250. This memorial was damaged in the past by painting of the bronze. There are missing bronze elements including letters from the inscription and evidence of graffiti. Water is getting into the memorial through cracked or missing mortar which is damaging the stone. This means extensive conservation works are required. The grant offer will support the removal of the paint and corrosion from the bronze figures along with required repair work and the replacement of the missing/stolen bronze elements. The cracked and missing mortar will be removed and repointed using a lime mortar. Stone repairs and cleaning will also be carried out. Details of memorial can be found at www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/70921
  
• James Stokes, Old Rutherglen Road, Gorbals, Glasgow (WM7481): Grant offer £4,500. In 2012 an attempt was made to steal the bronze rose from this war memorial. The damage caused has left the rose stem bent and the rose head missing, although this was recovered by police. The grant will help fund the repair and reinforcement of the bronze rose sculpture ensuring that the memorial, to VC winner James Stokes and the men of Gorbals who served in Second World War, can be reinstated as a fitting tribute. Details of memorial can be found at www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/132710
  
• Creich, Lairg Road, Bonar Bridge, Ardgay, Highlands (WM1626) Grant offer: £10,693. The railings surrounding the memorial are in ‘Poor’ condition due to flanking paint which is allowing water to corrode the ironwork. The grant funding will help fund the restoration of the original ironwork railings. This will include the removal of the existing paint and corrosion and where necessary the replacement of sections of badly corroded ironwork. In addition, access to the memorial will be improved as the gate will be widen ensuring everyone can get to the memorial to pay their tribute. Details of memorial can be found at www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/14166
  
• Fair Isle, Fair Isle Graveyard, Fair Isle, Shetland (WM7755) Grant offer: £448. Over time the painted inscription on the memorial has worn away. This has made the inscription difficult to read. The grant offer will support work to repaint the existing inscription. In addition, a Second World War inscription will be added to the memorial, this will include the name of L/Corporal Stewart Wilson who died 4^th March 1943, aged 29, whilst in action in Tunisia, North Africa. Details of memorial can be found at www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/139226
  
• Stirling, Corn Exchange Road, Stirling (WM4949) Grant offer: £29,853. The memorial has previously been repointed with cement which is now cracking and coming loose, this is allowing water to get into the memorial. The bronze elements of the memorial are in ‘Poor’ condition due to scratches, graffiti and evidence of corrosion. In addition, the retaining wall around the memorial has been damaged due to past structural movement and there is also a missing stone finial. The grant funding will support work to clean and carry out repair work to the bronze sections of the memorial. Work will also include the removal of mortar joints from the memorial and retaining boundary wall and there replacement with a lime mortar. Damaged stone work will be repaired and missing bronze and stone elements will be replaced. Details of memorial can be found at www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/116958

Notes to editors

Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund has £1 million available to support the repair and conservation of any war memorial of any type anywhere in Scotland. The scheme was launched in April 2013 and will run through the centenary of World War I. Funded by the Scottish Government and Historic Scotland the scheme is administered by War Memorials Trust. For further information visit www.warmemorials.org/grants-scotland

War Memorials Trust is an independent registered charity. Established in 1997 due to concerns about neglect and vandalism it works to protect and conserve war memorials. It provides advice, information and administers grants schemes that assist the repair and conservation of war memorials across the UK. As a charity the Trust relies on voluntary contributions to undertake its work. Supporters include annual and life members, donors, charitable trusts and corporate contributors. War Memorials Trust provides grants that can assist repair and conservation of war memorials. Contact the Conservation Team to discuss eligibility on 020 7233 7356 / 0300 123 0764 or conservation@warmemorials.org or download a Grants Pre-application form from www.warmemorials.org/grants/

Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government charged with safeguarding the nation’s historic environment. The agency is fully accountable to Scottish Ministers and through them to the Scottish Parliament. For more information visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk