Lottery grant? That is rich, Your Grace

The DUCHESS of Northumberland says she can’t get Lottery funding for her Alnwick Garden because of her title! They have turned her down for a £25m grant. She got quite a few ‘grants’ in the early days, from various sources – I am in a desperate search for a woman named Sally Rivera who gives care in a nursing home.

She lives in Sandyford, Newcastle, with her husband Joseph Murray who is a bricklayer.

I have emailed all the nursing homes I could locate in the Sandyford area but I am not familiar with the United Kingdom as I am from Canada.

The reason I am looking for this woman is because her brother Eric’s life is in jeopardy but why should she get them now?

The Alnwick Gardens have been up and running for quite a few years now. The hefty entrance fee plus what visitors spend in the restaurant/tea room is now running close to £5m. Yet, it’s still not enough. The Duchess, of course, claims her Alnwick Garden was and I need to find her to get in touch with her and let her know what has been happening to her brother.

If you know Sally or know anyone that might know her, please give her this message to contact me as soon as possible.

I really need to find her before her brother loses his life. I will keep praying for a miracle and finding Sally. ANGèLE BERNIER, Canada. Email: abhagell@gmail.com Tel: 1-519-216-0361 developed for the benefit of the local community. No it wasn’t. It was created to earn money for the Percys.

I remember a few years ago – during the time the Duchess’s gardens were under way – the Duke had an expert up from one of the big London auction houses to appraise some paintings. Oh boy! Did that turn out to be a bit of luck – and then some – for the Duke.

Just by chance, the visitor happened to get his eye on a painting, which had nothing to do with his visit.

It was an oil which, as they say in the art world, had been ‘lost for years.’ The Duke had it down to the salesroom, ASAP, where it sold for well over £30m.

Didn’t seem to stop the Duchess having her hand out – as usual – looking for grants.

The Duke not only has the income from visitors to Alnwick Castle (another ‘hefty’ entrance fee) but he has his considerable income from Northumberland Estates which

buys and sells land and builds large numbers of houses for sale.

This is what keeps him in the Sunday Times Rich List as one of the Top 300 richest men in this country. BOB DOUGLAS, Corbridge