Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MSP Alasdair Allan has encouraged local groups across the Isles to apply to the Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund (CMRF) to renovate their local war memorials.

CMRF is a £1 million fund, launched by former First Minister Alex Salmond in 2013, to help communities across Scotland undertake necessary repair and conservation work on local war memorials. The fund forms a central part of the Scottish Government’s commemorations of the centenary of the First World War. 

Funding was announced this week ahead of Remembrance Sunday for a number of memorials across Scotland - in Fife, Perthshire, the Western Isles, East Lothian and the Highlands - bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 95.Many more projects are set to benefit from the fund between now and March 2018.

Alasdair Allan commented:

“Our local war memorials are a mark of history and a tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. 

“While so many communities take great care of local memorials, upkeep can be difficult and expensive. It would be great if as many repair projects as possible could be completed in time for the centenary of Armistice Day in 2018. I would encourage everyone in the Isles to visit their local war memorial this Remembrance Weekend and get in touch with the War Memorials Trust if they have a project that could benefit from this fund.

“The community council in Tolsta received £2,930 for the village’s war memorial from this fund and I hope many more communities will apply to do the same.  We owe it to our servicemen to preserve the monuments that honour and remember the fallen.”