Thanks for your support – a message from Phil Long

Transcript

Hello everybody, my name is Phil Long and I am taking up the role as the new Chief Executive of the National Trust for Scotland

and so, I wanted to introduce myself to you all.

I’m very pleased today to be here in the gardens of beautiful Kellie Castle which soon we can all look forward to visiting, at least the grounds.

I’ve got a deep passion for Scotland’s heritage. Its architecture, its art, its designed, its natural landscape

and so, what a thrill it is to take up the responsibility for our organisation.

Its role as custodian of Scotland’s heritage,

from the mountain tops of Torridon, to the gardens at Inverewe, to the Tenement House in Glasgow,

to wonderful properties with such fascinating histories as Kellie Castle.

It means that the Trust is such an invaluable organisation to our nation. What it cares for defines our country at its very finest.

I want to especially thank members of the Trust during this time.

Of course, everyone in the world has been affected by the health crisis that we are all dealing with at the moment

and, of course, that has given the Trust great challenges too.

We have been concerned about its future, but there are solid plans in place for its recovery.

And you are contributing to those plans to help the Trust recover and to look forward to an exciting future.

Whether it’s through your loyalty of membership or the donations that you have been making.

And please, if you haven’t been able to donate yet, and I realise it’s uncertain times for people,

please can I ask you; can I encourage you to contribute to the Trust to help it to flourish into the future.

As we move through the easing of lockdown, plans are underway to begin to open properties

and I know we will all be excited about that.

Very soon our gardens will open, and later some of our properties will be able to re-open this year.

And I think especially at this time when we’ve been confined at home, it’s going to be wonderful to get outdoors again.

And the Trust’s properties are going to be so special for us. Even more special, than perhaps, we ever realised in the past.

So please keep in touch, keep in touch through our website, come and visit the properties again.

Thank you for your membership. Please keep contributing in the way that you have so generously already.

And together with your help, we can look forward to a very positive future for the organisation. Thank you.