JENNY GILRUTH MSP CALLS FOR MORE RECOGNITION OF LOCAL HISTORY & CULTURE
Published date : 18 Aug 2017
MSP SAYS AREA MUST BE CELEBRATED AHEAD OF GLENROTHES 70th ANIVERSARY
Jenny Gilruth has called for more support to be given towards the local history and culture of her constituency of Mid Fife & Glenrothes. Her comments follow a recent visit to the Glenrothes & Area Heritage Centre at the Kingdom Shopping Centre.
Jenny Gilruth MSP visited the Glenrothes & Area Heritage Centre to discuss their work and to offer her support ahead of Glenrothes’ 70th anniversary next year. Founded by Chairwoman Linda Ballingall and officially opened in 2013 by former MSP Tricia Marwick, the centre seeks to preserve and promote the history of Glenrothes and the local area. The service is run entirely by volunteers and funded by donations.
The local MSP is now seeking to highlight the importance of and the need for more support and recognition of the constituency’s local history.
Commenting, Jenny Gilruth MSP said:
“A lot of people think of Glenrothes as a new town, and aren’t aware of the town’s historic links. As the current exhibition at the Heritage Centre on the history at Tullis Russell has shown, there’s a huge appetite amongst local people to learn more.
“It’s remarkable that the Heritage Centre offers the service that it does, given that it currently survives only on donations. The service provided is invaluable and the volunteers should be commended for their efforts.”
Ms Gilruth is calling on more support to be given to Glenrothes’ heritage, she added:
“I would also note that it is concerning that Fife Council has reduced the budget for this year’s Doors Open Day event in September. Only two venues from my constituency have been included, and of those two, one of these – the Rothes Halls – is already open to the public almost every day. There should not be an inequality of provision in how we celebrate Fife’s culture – it’s important that we celebrate all that Fife has to offer and not just the usual suspects.”
“To that end, I’m calling on Fife Council to consider how they can better support the Heritage Centre and other heritage initiatives in Glenrothes as we head into the town’s 70th year.
“In my own capacity as the town’s MSP, I am delighted to be supporting a resolution at SNP National Conference which calls for the formation of a New Towns Forum and a New Towns Action Plan. This would have a focus on supporting and shaping a sustainable future for all of Scotland’s New Towns, including Glenrothes, which each share challenges and opportunities.
“With 2018 just behind the corner, now is the time to celebrate the story of Glenrothes and the surrounding area.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
Pictured: Jenny Gilruth MSP with Linda Ballingall at the Glenrothes & Area Heritage Centre.
For more information, please visit the Glenrothes & Area Heritage Centre Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/glenrothesheritage/
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