Final preparations are underway for the Cairngorms Cultural Heritage Conference which will be held at the Boat of Garten Community Hall on Saturday 12th June.
This free event has been organised by the Cairngorms National Park Authority, and with funding from the Cairngorms Local Action Group has also laid on free coaches to transport delegates to the conference en-route from Dalwhinnie and Braemar.
With workshops on fundraising, archiving, oral history, interpretation and archaeological investigation, the conference will equip delegates with the skills to start their own cultural heritage projects.
There will be presentations from groups who have already undertaken successful projects, such as Explore Abernethy and Glen Muick as well as a presentation from a community group in Argyll who have developed a fascinating heritage project at High Morlaggan, and have won awards for their efforts.
There will also be opportunities to hear from Bob Powell from the Highland Folk Museum, Ishbel MacKinnon from Scotland’s Rural Past and Mairi Stewart from the UHI Centre for History.
Geva Blackett, a Cairngorms National Park Authority board member, with a particular interest in cultural heritage said: “There is a thirst for knowledge about the history of settlements in the Park and of the people who used to live and work here. There are already a large number of projects underway to discover the past way of life in the Park, and many more initiatives in their early stages. This conference is an opportunity to learn about what others are doing and about the resources available to support these endeavours.”
Fiona McLean, the Park’s Community Heritage Officer, who has been working with local groups to develop their cultural heritage projects said: “This will be a one-off opportunity for anyone interested in the cultural heritage of the Park to come along and learn more and share their knowledge, and even to get involved in some of the many projects in the area.”
The conference and transport to the venue are free. To book a place at the conference and a seat on a coach contact Andy Rockall 01479 870535 or Sam Masson 01479 870537.