HERITAGE NEWS 007

First issued: 7th June 2013

In My Opinion – The importance of a membership of the Gibraltar Heritage Trust

by Dr. K. Farrell, GHT Chairman

First appeared in Gibraltar Chronicle on 28^th May 2013

To many Gibraltarians, our heritage is a topic which we give little thought to on a day to day basis. If you are a student at school, you probably know more about the Tudors than the Battle of Trafalgar and the crucial role the naval base in Gibraltar played in aiding this British naval success, which prevented the invasion of Britain by Napoleon. To many the Heritage Trust only comes to mind when we see a dilapidated bastion or a gun emplacement on the upper rock emblazoned with graffiti. To a relatively silent minority however Gibraltar's Heritage, in every sense of the word, from our natural heritage, our built heritage, our historic and cultural heritage, is a subject of great passion and concern.

Respect for all that we have inherited from the past, does not make us old fashioned. What we are today has been shaped by our past and marks us out as a unique community. To preserve that uniqueness we need to look after our historic buildings. Many of them may not be architecturally sophisticated, but they are special to us and mark Gibraltar out as different from the largely amorphous architecture up the Spanish Coast. The pattern of streets in Gibraltar’s old town has not really changed since the 15th Century even though much of the town was rebuilt after the Great Siege. The atmosphere of ‘the whole’ is what is special and unique about Gibraltar.

About the Trust

The Gibraltar Heritage Trust is a statutory body. Its main aims as set out in the Heritage Trust Act of 1989 are 1) to preserve the heritage of Gibraltar, 2)to advise the government on matters of heritage, and 3) foster a knowledge base of our history and and heritage. We currently have a membership of about 500 individuals and a Board of 12 voluntary Trustees. Our paid staff consist of a CEO, a secretary and a part time retail assistant. The Government gives us a grant every year to cover employment costs. The Trust forms part of a number of Government committees also has an important seat on the Development and Planning Commission. As a past Trustee and present Chairman, I know how hard the Board and the Trust staff work to carry out its tasks, much of them unseen, and we need the continuing support of the community and our membership to keep the message about the importance of our heritage alive.

The Trust has been in existence for nearly 25 years. In the early years, the membership and the Board of the Trust felt as if they were fighting a losing battle, for there was a lack of political commitment to the preservation of Gibraltar’s heritage. It has only been in the last 10 years or so that there has been a gradual political conversion to the heritage agenda and we feel that Gibraltar is slowly but surely catching up with the rest of Europe in terms of heritage protection. Key to this is the publication of the new heritage protection act, which we are working to have enacted as soon as possible. With the new Act will come a need for an enforcement team and suitably qualified professionals in heritage conservation. The knowledge exists locally although is not being efficiently directed at present. 

Unlike other parts of Europe, Gibraltar’s ‘problem’ is our small size. The pressure on our available land is immense, but the Trust feels that with the developing positive mindset, incentives and will, we can transform our old town into a place desirable for families in a unique urban setting that is so undeniably Gibraltarian. This is already starting to happen in pockets of the upper town, spurred on by catalyst projects such as street and building refurbishments and investment in tired infrastructure through urban regeneration schemes.

What are the benefits of membership? Why should you join the Trust?

- Support of the sustainable preservation of Gibraltar’s heritage and historic environment.

- Organised tours and events throughout the year.

- Heritage updates and newsletters.

- Discounts on certain items sold at the Heritage Trust Shop.

We are working on improving the flow of information between the Board and the membership in order to keep you abreast of the issues that the Trust is actively evolved in. An informed and concerned membership can act as an important mover of public opinion and a pressure group. We need this as a means to keep our community heritage-friendly. No matter how supportive successive Governments are of the heritage agenda, there are very real pressures for development and compromise with the resulting loss of our built and or natural heritage. A firm membership can act as a counterbalance to what can very easily become a domino effect of change.

The dissemination of information is fortunately an easy task nowadays with email, etc. I know that the Trust has email addresses of many of its members and we are using this as a means of informing most of the membership. We also plan to increase the number of newsletters published in the press to get this information across. The Trust is forming a subcommittee to spear head this initiative. Of course many of our Board Members are active in other functions of the Trust but we would like to hear from interested members who would like to volunteer to be part of this public relations drive if you feel you have a skill you can contribute contact our office and we’ll get back to you. Finally, as the annual general meeting approaches in late November/early December, I would like to invite you all to attend and voice your opinions as well as vote.

Please remember that the Main Guard GHT office is still open despite the scaffolding and works on the roof being undertaken. This is a Government project which we are extremely grateful for as the building was in dire need of repair. Together, with your membership and the support of the Government of Gibraltar I am sure the Gibraltar Heritage Trust can help steer the future of our unique, historic and beautiful country.

Volunteer Work

The Trust is fortunate to have a number of very energetic volunteers working to improve the condition of our heritage monuments. 

We have started work to refurbish the large anchor at Waterport Road. The Trust is supporting  the work logistically and through supply of materials, but the physical work is being undertaken by hands on volunteers.

The anchor has now been stripped of all rust as is now virtually ready for a fresh coat of paint.

The same group of volunteers have also embarked on an ongoing campaign against graffiti, focused mainly on the Upper Rock. The effects of this persistence has seen a marked decline in graffiti incidents in the usual hotspots.

 

A total of 111 graffitis at 27 sites (and counting) have been removed over the last year.

A large graffiti also appeared above Casemates over the last long weekend and that was also spotted swiftly removed by our volunteers.

The Nun’s Well has also recently benefitted from a lick of paint by a large group of volunteers from across the community. The Trust provided the paint and materials and the site was brightened up on the morning of Saturday 4th May. Over the next two weeks the site will be retouched and finished off, tidying up another corner of Gibraltar.

 

Our heritage belongs to everyone and we should all be proud of what we have inherited from previous generations. If we all do a little bit we can instill an element of civic pride that is so often said to be lacking in our community.

Painting Competition Exhibition

The exhibition of entries to our annual painting competition will be on display for public viewing in the Upper Exhibition Room at the John Mackintosh Hall from 9:30am on Wednesday 12^th until midday on Friday 14^th May. All are welcome. Entrance is free.