Record year for historic sites Picture of the day

Sir, - It is encouraging to note a record-breaking four million people have visited historic sites across the country this financial year, showing just how vital the heritage sector is to Scotland’s economy, culture and identity.

The huge contribution heritage makes to Scotland is in large part made possible through the hard work of a wide variety of groups and individuals throughout the country who campaign tirelessly to ensure our heritage sites are preserved, protected and promoted.

Fundraising is a vital part of the financial resource for every organisation involved in the heritage sector.

Through targeted training, it is the mission of the Resourcing Scotland’s Heritage programme, to give staff, volunteers and trustees in the heritage sector the tools they need to increase their fund-raising potential and to develop and explore innovative approaches to securing funding from private sources of finance.

As we celebrate 2017 as the year of History, Heritage and Archaeology, we should proudly celebrate the huge value of heritage to Scotland and look forward to engaging even more of the public in our historic sites than ever before. Ailsa Macfarlane. Project Manager, Resourcing Scotland’s Heritage, 9 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh.

“If Scots don’t want responsibility for their own affairs they should stop pretending Scotland is a country and accept it is a province ruled from London...

Picture: AP. People throw tomatoes at each other during the Summer Fest in Quillon, around 300 miles south of Santiago in Chile. More than 100 tons of tomatoes are used during the three-hour battle.