SNP Westminster candidate for Banff & Buchan Eilidh Whiteford and local councillor Bob Watson have welcomed the backing of the Minister for Culture Michael Russell for the work of the Pitsligo Castle Trust.
Mr Russell performed the official unveiling of the new display panels detailing the aims of the Trust to consolidate Pitsligo Castle and to create the Peathill Jacobite and Heraldic Centre at a ceremony on Friday.
Councillor Watson has been a strong supporter of the work of the Trust and since becoming a member of the Pitsligo Castle/Peathill Kirk working group, has secured support from Director of Education for Aberdeenshire Bruce Robertson for the project. As a result, Aberdeenshire Council Education Department is now a partner in the initiative, and local schools, e.g., Fraserburgh Academy, Turriff Academy, Rosehearty Primary etc., are coming on board as part of their local history 'curriculum for excellence' agenda.
An Education Department working sub-group has also been formed to report back to Pitsligo Castle/Peathill Kirk working group in December, with their views on how they see the project develop and integrate with the education curriculum. With Councillor Watson's backing, the Trust also received £4750 of funding from Aberdeenshire Council to purchase the display panels unveiled by the Minister.
Commenting after attending Friday's event, Eilidh Whiteford said:
"The Pitsligo Castle Trust are to be congratulated on having made such excellent progress with the Peathill Kirk project.
"The North-east has a rich cultural heritage that deserves to be better known, and it's great to see efforts to transform the old kirk into a centre for education and research about the Jacobite era and Scottish heraldry steadily taking shape."
Local SNP councillor Bob Watson added:
"I am delighted that the Minister was able to accept my invitation to come to Peathill and see for himself the work being done by the Trust.
"This is a very exciting project led by an ambitious and knowledgeable group of volunteers and it is thoroughly deserving of Ministerial support."