The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
£1m Tattoo donation drums up charity support
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is to donate £ 1million to charitable causes in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
The donations will help veterans, armed forces personnel and a number of arts organisations such as the Edinburgh International Festival.
Eleven UK- based services and arts beneficiaries includingABF, the Soldiers’ Charity; the Royal Navy andRoyalMarinesCharity; and the RAF Benevolent Fund will share a £500,000 contribution, while seven charitable causes will benefit from the same amount across Australia and New Zealand.
This year’s grants represent the largest sum ever donated in the Tattoo’s 66year history and come after the 18th consecutive annual sell-out run of the show on Edinburgh Castle’s esplanadeandtwosuccessful tours inWellington, New Zealand and Melbourne, Australia. The Tattoo is this year estimated to have generated £77million for the UK economy.
Millions of people visited the Scottish capital throughout August for Edinburgh’s festival season, of which the Tattoo is part, and organisers hailed it a “spectacular success”.
David Allfrey, chief executive and producer of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “The aim is to deliver the best Tattoo we can and, if we can make a surplus, it is a huge privilege to be able to support the Armed Forces.”