Support of educational area underlines importance of fishing to the past and present of North East Scotland
The Aberdeen-based Scottish Fishermen’s Trust have donated £50,000 towards the prestigious new Library project at the University of Aberdeen. This donation is for the creation of a seminar room which will pay tribute to the vital role played by commercial fishing in the cultural heritage of the North East of Scotland.
Construction of the iconic £57m flagship library is now well underway and this significant donation from the Trust will enable the creation of one of the most heavily-used sections of the building. The room which the Trust is funding will support the education of thousands of University students while highlighting the importance of the Scottish Fishing Industry to Aberdeen and the region.
This seminar room will form a central part of a series of rooms on the Library’s second floor which will commemorate the major industries which have shaped the history of the North East of Scotland and promote their continuing vitality and importance to the nation.
A glass panel on the exterior of the seminar room and the others which adjoin it will each be etched with images capturing the spirit of the industries which have donated towards the project. The wall of the Trust’s specific room will be carry images of the Scottish fishing fleet and its heritage - much of which will be created using materials in the University’s historic archives.
The Scottish Fishermen’s Trust was established by the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation in 2006 with the aim of providing public benefit by promoting the protection and conservation of the marine environment. It also promotes and encourages the health, safety and training of fishermen.
James Brown, chairman of the Trust, said: “Fishing forms an incredibly important part in our heritage and we are delighted that in making this donation we are taking the opportunity to ensure that its importance is given due and proper recognition.
Professor Christopher Gane, Head of the College of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Aberdeen, said: “The University of Aberdeen is extremely proud to have strengthened its relationship with the Scottish fishing industry through this generous donation.
“The fishing industry has played a vital role in shaping the cultural fabric of the North East of Scotland and continues to do so today therefore the library suite would not be complete without representation from the fishing industry.
“We are delighted that the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation shared our vision for the project and has chosen to become involved. Universities and the fishing industry currently face a changing environment but are resolved to move into the future positively and emerge stronger than before. This partnership physically commemorates this shared goal as well as looking back to the history of fishing as an industry and a community which has shaped the region in which we live.”