Museum momentum

Our letter proposing an Ayrshire Heritage Museum for the old Ayr Grammar School has already generated a number of encouraging and interesting responses, now being followed up.

Following Norman McLean’s positive and constructive reply, the Steering Group is very pleased to have the support of Fort, Seafield and Wallacetown Community Council, and hope in due course that the other community councils will also join us.

We are delighted that Bob Shields has nailed his colours to the mast with his support and offers of help - for which we will be most appreciative.

However, following Bob’s kind remarks about Ayr Rotary Club, we feel we should clarify Ayr Rotary’s position.

As this is potentially a major project that would be well beyond the scope and capability of Ayr Rotary Club to fund and run, we should emphasise that it is not an Ayr Rotary Club project.

The role of rotary has been made clear from the start- to identify a golden opportunity, and kick-start what will be a major project - but not to run it and fund it!

Should the vision of an Ayrshire Heritage Museum as a major educational and tourist asset, generate the widespread support it deserves to succeed, the Steering Group’s aim would be to create a Heritage Museum Trust, run by enthusiastic and responsible people with the professional expertise and ability to drive the project forward through the various stages of preparing a sound business plan, fund-sourcing, securing firm SAC support for community asset transfer; and planning and executing the layout for an attractive, educational, interactive museum covering all aspects of Ayrshire’s long and fascinating history.

To Post readers - If you have any expertise, skills, or contacts in any of the above fields, and are keen to see this imaginative project progress, we would be delighted to hear from you or your organisations.

Iona Mcdonald (Chair) Ieuan Isaac P/Pres Ayr Rotary Club, James Begg (Sec) Ayrshire Heritage Museum Steering Group