Forres Heritage Trust

Looking after the heritage of Forres

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Forres doors open to the public

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Forres will be a hotbed of activity later this month when 15 premises open their doors to the public as part of a nationwide initiative.

Half of the 30 locations taking part in the Moray Doors Open Day regional event are located within the Forres area and the buildings involved are encouraging visitors to create their own mini tour.

The Moray Doors Open Day is part of Doors Open Day, Scotland’s largest free festival that celebrates heritage and the built environment.  It offers free access to over a thousand venues across the country throughout September every year.

The aim of Doors Open Days is to ensure that Scotland’s built heritage, new and old, is made accessible to people living and visiting the country on weekends in September.

New to the schedule this year is AJ Engineering with owner of the fabrication and construction firm, Alan James deciding to take part to mark the company’s 20 years in business.

The company will provide tours, a BBQ, face-painting and bouncy castle and will also have some hands-on activities for youngsters provided by the T-Exchange.

Alan said: “This is an ideal opportunity for us to showcase what we do to the public and to invite people in and we are thrilled to be one of 15 locations within our locality opening our doors. It’s fabulous to see that there is a stronghold of premises in the Forres area who have chosen to take part in this great scheme and we really hope that visitors head our way and decide to make a day of enjoying all that Forres and the surrounding area has to offer.”

Talking about why he decided to join in, Alan said: “We are one of the biggest employers in the town but I think for some, it is still a mystery as to what we actually do here, so to give people access will hopefully unveil some of the mystery. I am delighted that we also have the T-Exchange on board. They encourage young people in the use of new and old technologies and are huge advocates for STEM activities. They will be bringing with them some gadgets and gizmos that our visitors will be able to enjoy and who knows, maybe we will inspire the next generation of engineers.”

Also new to the line up is St John’s Church where guests can enjoy a flower festival along with organ music and refreshments on the lawn outside the church.

Reverend Dr Hamilton Inbadas said: “We are delighted to participate in Moray Doors Open Day and to welcome everyone to our church. St John’s offers a quiet and serene place of worship, which has unique architectural characteristics and the exquisite murals, including wall-size originals by William Hole. All are welcome to enjoy the place, the flowers on display and listening to live organ music. We hope all who visit St John’s will discover a place for peace and quiet, and a space to be.”

Opening their doors for the third year in a row are our own sites, the Forres Tolbooth and Nelson’s Tower.

Two years ago, the Tolbooth was the most popular venue in Moray with over 350 people visiting throughout the day and members of the Trust hope to replicate that again this year with the unofficial opening of a new visitor attraction.

George Alexander, chairman of the Forres Heritage Trust said: “We are thrilled to be taking part in Doors Open Day again and this year within the Tolbooth people will be able to get a first glimpse of our new visitor attraction. Over the past year we have had a team of dedicated people working hard to restore the old police office and cells and Moray Doors Open Day will be the first opportunity that the public will be able to experience this.”

He added: “We have also recently completed renovations on the courtroom which is now looking beautiful and of course a visit up Nelson’s Tower which stands proud on Cluny Hill is always worth the trek as once at the top it offers panoramic views over the region. We really do hope that people will take the time out to enjoy a number of properties across the region, as we boast such beautiful and interesting sites.”

Locations within Forres area:

The premises taking part within the Forres area are: AJ Engineering; Darnaway Castle; Dalvey House; St John’s Church; Forres Town Hall; Newbold House; Nelson’s Tower; Findhorn Foundation Eco Village; Pluscarden Church of Scotland; Findhorn Heritage Ice House; The Tolbooth; Edinkillie Church; Dyke Church; Cluny Hill Findhorn Foundation; Falconer Museum Store.

Please be advised that some premises require booking.

All of the locations opening their doors within Moray can be viewed at http://www.doorsopendays.org.uk/places/moray/

Record numbers enjoy peek into past

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RECORD numbers of people have taken time out to visit a historic photographic display held in the town.

A showcase of days gone by was held in the Tolbooth which is looked after by the Forres Heritage Trust and curators of the exhibition Ross Dalziel and Ray Mills have been delighted to see an upsurge in people keen to get a glimpse into the past.

For the first time, new state-of-the-art equipment played film from over the years and another attraction was the addition of a Forres Academy photo album from 1928.

Ross who has volunteered with the Trust for nine years said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the number of people who have visited the Tolbooth over the four-day exhibition. This has definitely been the busiest exhibition we have had and it is reassuring to know that there is still an appetite for it.”

Ray who has also volunteered since 2010 added: “Being able to play the films from years gone by was definitely a fabulous addition and something that we plan to do at future exhibitions. The film was “Memories of Forres 1937-1938” filmed by the late David R Forrester (A.R.P.S.) who owned Harrold’s the Chemist on the High Street. The pictures from Forres Academy also sparked interest.”

George Alexander, chairman of the Forres Heritage Trust said: “We owe Ross and Ray a huge thank you for the work they put in to maintaining our extensive picture archive. This exhibition was the first time many of the visitors got to see the recently renovated courtroom which is stunning and is also the location for the new technology which allowed us to play the old films on a huge drop-down screen. A fitting addition to the exhibition.”

The next event at the Tolbooth will be when it opens for Moray Doors Open Day on September 21.

This will be the first time that people can get a glimpse of the old police office and cells which have also been under renovation by a team of volunteers.

Nelson’s Tower which is also looked after by the Trust will also be open before it shuts at the end of September until next season.

Court room refurb complete

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RENOVATIONS made to one of the region’s most historic buildings have been revealed following over three years of work and thousands of pounds of investment.

The court room in the Forres Tolbooth has undergone major refurbishment and the Forres Heritage Trust which is responsible for maintaining the building hopes the work makes the space more appealing for hire and hosting its own events.

The renovation took three years of hard work by volunteers

The works which have included a full re-paint, replacement of wooden panelling, a new carpet, the ceiling being thoroughly cleaned and insulated, and all doors sanded and varnished has brought the room back to life.

New floor to ceiling curtains have also been handmade and a state of the art multi-media system installed.

George Alexander, chairman of the Forres Heritage Trust which also looks after Nelson’s Tower said he was delighted with the outcome: “The room looks absolutely stunning. It has been modernised, but it still maintains its grandeur that a building of this status and historic significance commands. There was not much wrong with the integrity of the room, but it was tired, had pink walls and needed refreshing.”

Volunteers at heart of renovation

He added: “The room now looks clean, crisp and elegant and we as a Trust look forward to hosting even more events over the coming months and we also hope the refurbishment will be attractive to people looking to host their own events.”

Mr Alexander also paid tribute to the team of volunteers: “We must not underestimate the level of work that has gone into restoring the old court room and keep in mind that what makes this even more impressive is that most of the work has been carried out by a hard working team of volunteers who have pitched up every Friday over the last three years to carry out the work. It is a huge room, with very high ceilings and is also home to some very important and historic artwork which is significant to the town, so the team had to work carefully to ensure nothing was damaged. I would like to publicly thank all those people who got involved and gave up their time and expertise to ensure this historic room is maintained for future generations to enjoy. A special mention also to Tom and Iris Logie of T. D Logie’s whose wealth of experience in house furnishing was of huge benefit to the renovations.”

He added: “We must also thank those who have donated money to the Trust over the years as to ensure these types of renovations are done to a high standard and sympathetically, a significant amount of money has to be invested. So far, we have invested around £20,000 for the renovations, which includes the installation of new multi-media equipment.”

21 century equipment

Bob James, a trustee with the Forres Heritage Trust was involved in sourcing the equipment.

He said: “The new equipment brings the courtroom into the 21st century. It opens up a host of new possibilities meaning the court room could be used for training sessions, exhibitions, or even film screenings. What was important to us as a Trust and to ensure that we maintained the integrity of the room, was to ensure that the screen, projector and speakers were installed with minimal impact on how the court room looks.  They are discrete but deliver a very high-quality output and will do so for many years to come.”

Doors Open Day 2019

The next public event to be held at the Tolbooth, where people can get a first glimpse of the renovation work will be the historic photo exhibition which will take place between September 4 and 7. Following that the Tolbooth and Nelson’s Tower will be open free of charge as part of Moray Doors Open Day on September 21.

Laurie Piper, operations manager with Moray Speyside Tourism said he was looking forward to seeing the renovations at one of the Tolbooth’s next events: “One of the many attractions to our region for visitors is our rich and deep heritage which is never more apparent than in the interesting, varied and individual historic buildings that we are home to. I am fully supportive of the work that has been carried out by the Forres Heritage Trust at the Tolbooth and its aspirations for future use of the building. I look forward to providing any assistance the Trust needs in pursuit of restoring the Tolbooth to its former glory.

Harp ensemble return to Tolbooth

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UPDATE: EVENT CANCELLED WITH APOLOGIES

A GROUP of musicians who have played for royalty and world leaders will bring a Moray landmark to life when they play in a charity concert.

World renowned Harpa, an ensemble of harpists from across the USA will return to the Forres Tolbooth to raise funds for the Forres Heritage Trust who are custodians of the building.

Sell-out performance

The group last played at the historic site in 2015 to a sell-out audience in an ensemble of 14, but on May 11, six of the performers will return to stage another concert.

Spectators will be able to watch and listen in awe as the six women perform in the old courtroom of the venue.

Bob James, a trustee with the Forres Heritage Trust who is organising the event said he was delighted when the group said they play once again: “To have these world renowned performers, specialists in their field play for us once, was enough of a coup the first time, but to secure them again for a second performance has blown me away.

Sensational music

“Their music is sensational and this time they actually chose to return to our beautiful building. I spoke with their tour manager David Leitch and Harpa are here on a retreat and they said they wanted to play some extra venues and the Tolbooth was one that they asked about. This is a truly philanthropic gesture on their part to give us another concert.”

This time the performers will include Sue Richards, Therese Honey, Beth Kolle and Jennifer Narkevicius, Martha Hill and Donna Bennett.

International renown

Sue is an internationally known performer and has played twice for President Bill Clinton, President Bush and the Queen.

Therese Honey draws on her vast knowledge of early music history and brings alive for the audience the beautiful music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque eras.

Whilst Beth Kolle is a leading proponent of Nordic and Celtic music and Jennifer Narkevicius is the President of the American Clarsach Society.

Martha is of Scots-Irish descendent and is a member of the Scottish Harp Society of America whilst Donna owns her own private therapy practice, Coaching for the Voyage, in Maryland. Donna has competed for many years in the Scottish Harp Society of America harp competitions and was the 2016 recipient of the SHSA Travel Scholarship, which she completed by studying at the Cromarty Harp Village as well as pursuing private lessons throughout Scotland. 

David Leitch, the group’s tour manager said: “I’ve now been associated with the Harpa group since their first visit to the UK in 2015. They are such beautiful people and performers that I consider working with them to be a true privilege.”

He added: “They loved the warmth of the reception, intimate atmosphere, and great acoustics of the Tollbooth venue, and are delighted to support the local Forres community. Given that during their 2017 tour they played such wonderful venues as Culzean Castle, The Robert Burns Museum, and Prince Charles’ Dumfries House, I too think it amazing that they themselves expressed a desire to play in The Tollbooth again where, I’m sure, they and the audience will all have a great and fun night.”

Volunteers are now world class hosts

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A GROUP of Forres volunteers have been given training to help them excel in customer service.

The volunteers are now World Host trained.

Representatives from the Forres Heritage Trust and Forres Area Community Trust took part in a day-long WorldHost workshop.

WorldHost is an internationally recognised programme setting the industry benchmark for businesses and their staff, ensuring that high quality customer service standards are integral to their operation. It has already been used to train over 10 per cent of Scotland’s tourism workforce and represents an investment of over £2million since it was launched in Scotland.

The WorldHost training programmes, which originated from Canada, were first brought to the UK by performance and talent management expert People 1st to prepare local businesses in and around London for the influx of international visitors for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Last year, Moray Speyside was awarded WorldHost®Regional Destination status in recognition of excellent customer service across the region. It was awarded the status after businesses in the service and tourism sectors put at least 50% of their staff through the WorldHost Principles of Customer Service course.

The Forres Heritage Trust which relies heavily on volunteers to support its work decided to offer the training to ensure that visitors to Nelson’s Tower and the Tolbooth which it is responsible for, have the best experience possible.

Grace Reid, a trustee with the Trust said: “We were given the opportunity to carry out the training in collaboration with FACT and we eager to take part. We have a wonderful core of volunteers who do a fabulous job in welcoming visitors to Nelsons Tower and at our events in the Tolbooth, and we felt the WorldHost training was a great opportunity to provide extra support to those people who give up their free time to support us.”

She added: “The training was invaluable and covered customer service, welcoming visitors, how to give clear information, how to make first impressions last and listening skills.”

She added: “It also focussed on the benefits of knowing how to promote other amenities in the area.”

The Forres Heritage Trust stages numerous evets at the historically Tolbooth throughout the year including Winter Talks with guest speakers, photographic exhibitions and musical nights.

It also protects the heritage of Nelson’s Tower and between April and September the monument is a tourist attraction with people being able to ascend the building which sits on Cluny Hill.

Debbie Herron, manager of Forres Area Community Trust said “The World Host Customer Service Training programme is one of the best in the world. We know that volunteers benefit from the training and it makes all the difference to the engagement we have with the public.”

She continued: “It was great that FACT could work with Forres Heritage Trust to offer this training to our volunteers for the benefit of the area.”

Winter Talks launch 2019 events

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FOUR historical talks will get the new year off to a flying start for the Forres Heritage Trust.

And the Forres Heritage Trust is hoping to introduce more events at the Tolbooth and Nelson’s Tower over the course of 2019 in a bid to ensure the attractions remain popular.

The events calendar will kick off at the end of this month with its popular Winter Talks.

Previously the Winter Talks topics have seen people being turned away at the door as the subject matter proved so popular.

Winter Talks

Murray Drummond (pictured) who sits on the Trust committee and who co-ordinates the annual talks which will take place in the court room at the Tolbooth said he was looking forward to what the Trust has to offer this year.

“For a start we have four Winter Talks planned. We usually stick to three, but we have some very enthralling subjects to cover and wanted to ensure that we had a variety of topics. It’s an exciting time for the Forres Heritage Trust. We have lots of different events planned for throughout the year including an event to mark the re-opening of the Tower in April, a music night and we are already looking at what we might do for the festive season.”

Photo exhibitions

He added: “Our ever-popular photographic exhibitions will be back too and we will once again be taking part in Moray Doors Open Day. There is rarely going to be a month when there is not something happening at the Tolbooth or the Tower.”

The first Winter Talk will take place on January 30 with a presentation by Dr Alex Sutherland on The Brahan Seer Legend.

Dr Sutherland will look at how the prophecies of The Brahan Seer, a legendary figure famous for his gift of second sight have influenced changes to Scottish Highland culture and society.

The next event will take place in February when the Trust welcomes back David Baxter from the National Maritime Museum in Portsmouth who will take a look at the legacy of Trafalgar, with Lord Strathcona being the focus a week later. At the end of March, the History of the RAF in Moray will be explored.

“Forres and the surrounding area has a rich and vibrant past and we think these diverse talks reflect that. All of the talks link to the area in some way and we are sure that the programme that we have created will be appealing to a wide audience.”

Renovations

Over the last year, the Tolbooth has been undergoing renovations and is becoming a popular venue for events.

Last year it hosted a book launch, an art exhibition, was the home for a floral group who met weekly and over the festive period it housed a crafters’ pop up shop.

George Alexander, chairman of the Trust said: “The renovation team which is made up purely of volunteers is working tirelessly to bring the building back to life and the hard work is paying off. We are seeing more and more groups taking an interest in using the Tolbooth as a venue for their events and we hope this continues throughout 2019 too.”