Lasting tribute to heroes of the seas
Sep 27 2008 by Brian Daniel, The Journal
ANEW heritage centre could be built on Holy Island in a £250,000 plan to commemorate the life and work of its lifeboat crews and their families over the past 200 years.
The Lindisfarne Community Development Trust wants to turn the old lifeboat house on the island into a permanent museum after being gifted the building by local landowner Lady Rose Crossman.
And after carrying out a successful feasibility study, which was funded by a £1,000 grant from the Newcastle Building Society, the trust has begun the process of applying for the £250,000 required to make its plans a reality.
Applications are being made to the Heritage Lottery Fund and other potential sources of support to convert the lifeboat house and open the museum by October 23, 2009 – the 100th anniversary of the christening of the Holy Island lifeboat by one of Lady Crossman’s ancestors.
Trust chairman Richard Patterson said: “The story of Holy Island is inextricably linked to the sea, and there are many examples of heroic sea rescues carried out by the island’s lifeboat crews and their families over the last two centuries, many of whose descendants still live here.
“The opportunity to create a lasting memorial to these brave men and women in the building where the service was based for decades is one that we felt we couldn’t miss, and we’ve developed detailed proposals for its design, management and content.
“The generous support we’ve had from Newcastle Building Society has enabled us to prove that, given the right funding, our business plan for the lifeboat museum is wholly realistic, and we’re now working hard to secure the funding we need to take things forward. We’ve had a good relationship with the Heritage Lottery Fund over several years.
“We’re very hopeful that we’ll be able to find the money required and get everything in place for the 100th anniversary.”
Nicola Green, corporate communications manager at Newcastle Building Society, said: “Holy Island is a very special place and the trust has worked extremely hard over the years to help maintain and support its way of life – it’s a privilege to play an early part in what would be a wonderful project, and we hope the trust is successful in its funding search.”
Run entirely by volunteers, the trust already owns and manages the island’s existing Heritage Centre.
