Project Exceeded Target Fundraising Goal Within 2 Hours on Launch Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Inverness, Scotland — 3 November 2021 — With the COP26 conference now well under way in Glasgow, The Boleskine House Foundation SCIO, which is restoring the B-listed fire-damaged Boleskine House, has announced plans to create the largest wildflower meadow in Loch Ness, covering a six acre field in an elevated position near Foyers. The project is backed and supported by the Aviva Community Fund. 

According to The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, the UK has lost 97% of its wildflower meadows since the 1930s. Wildflower meadows support a variety of insects and bees and the loss of our nation’s meadows is one reason that bee populations are in decline. The meadow site is to be developed and planted with millions of native Scottish wildflower seeds as well as native and fruit tree planting. 

“We want to do our part to reverse the decline,” said Keith Readdy, Chairman of The Boleskine House Foundation, which runs the project. “We are delighted that Aviva has chosen our project to be part of their Climate Fund, which will help us create a meaningful impact in the local area.” The planting is planned to start in 2022.

At the COP26 conference this week, Sir David Attenborough said to world leaders, “As you spend the next two weeks debating, negotiating and compromising as you surely must, it’s easy to forget that ultimately the emergency climate comes down to a single number. The concentration of carbon in our atmosphere.” Wildflower meadows can hold nearly three times more carbon than tree planting alone in the same area. “This is precisely one of the reasons for our ambitious project,” said Keith Readdy. 

The fundraiser with Aviva runs for the next month. Every pledge is matched by Aviva up to £150,000, in competition with other projects. In just the first day, Boleskine’s wildflower meadow project exceeded its fundraising goal and was well on its way to meeting its stretch goal. If the Foundation reaches its stretch goal, it pledges to also create new footpaths and benches, so people can enjoy walking through the meadow without damaging it or harming wildlife, and spend time enjoying the beautiful landscape.

Details of the wildflower meadow project can be found here: https://www.avivacommunityfund.co.uk/creating-the-largest-wildflower-meadow-in-lochness

The wildflower meadow project is separate from the rebuild of Boleskine House. All funds raised for its wider environmental conservation projects will be separately designated within the charity and treated separately from the funds for the rebuild of Boleskine House. The charity’s fundraiser for Boleskine’s new roof is ongoing. 

The Boleskine House Foundation

The Boleskine House Foundation SCIO is a Scottish Registered charity whose mission is to restore and preserve the historical legacy and heritage of the Boleskine House estate for the greater benefit of the public. In addition to our conservation-led approach to sympathetically restore Boleskine House, we aim to educate the public on the heritage of the house and lands, to welcome the enjoyment of its structure and surrounding gardens, and to facilitate learning, growth and well-being. For more information, please visit www.boleskinehouse.org.

Contact:

Keith Readdy
info@boleskinehouse.org

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