The Black Watch Heritage Appeal
The Black Watch Heritage Appeal was launched in September 2008. We plan to raise £3.5 million to buy, endow and develop Balhousie Castle. This will provide a permanent home for the Museum and archive of The Black Watch in Perth, the historic centre of the Regimental recruiting area.
The Appeal has attracted the support of the public and The Black Watch Regimental Family for our ambitious plans for The Black Watch Castle & Museum. We are proud to be able to report a magnificent response so far, with a total of over £2,450,000 already donated or pledged.
This has enabled The Black Watch Museum Trust to go ahead with the purchase of Balhousie Castle, which became their property in December 2008. It has also enabled detailed building plans to be commissioned by ANTA, the well known Scottish architectural practice responsible for the redevelopment of Castle of Mey. Our development plans were submitted to Perth & Kinross Council in November 2011. We expect a decision in March 2011.
Patrons
The planned redevelopment of the Castle & Museum is supported by our Patron, the Duke of Rothesay. The project is also supported by Perth & Kinross Council.
Support
The Black Watch Regimental Association, Regimental Trusts and individuals within the wider Regimental Family have donated or pledged around a splendid £1,000,000 so far to the Appeal.
Funding
In November 2011 the Appeal submitted the final application to the Heritage Lottery Fund. If successful we will be awarded £750,000 in March 2012. The Appeal is now focusing on applications to corporate bodies, charitable trusts and foundations that are known to support projects like ours. We are also hoping to secure support from our international family and friends in the USA, Canada and Hong Kong.
Based on the timescales of various funding bids and the results of further fundraising, we hope to be in a position to start our building work in Spring 2012.
The Appeal continues
The Appeal still needs to raise approximately £300,000 to reach the Appeal target of £3.5 million. While we anticipate that foundations, charities and corporate bodies will cover some of this shortfall, we still need significant financial support to put our vision in place. If you are able to offer further support to this monumental capital project we would be very pleased indeed to add your donation to the present total.
Make a donation to the Black Watch Appeal
