Fundraising Launch for Land Girls Memorial

NFU Scotland president Jim McLaren announced the launch of a fundraising bid for a memorial to honour the work of the Women’s Land Army (WLA) in Scotland at the union’s annual dinner in St. Andrews last night.

Jim McLaren is part of a steering group, which aims to raise £60,000 over the next twelve months to commemorate the WLA, often referred to as the forgotten army.   The steering group contains representatives from NFU Scotland, The National Museum of Rural Life, NFU Mutual, the Scottish Farmer and the Scottish Women’s Rural Institutes.

Fundraising will now begin in earnest following the offer of a site by the Crown Estate.

Speaking at the NFU Scotland AGM, Jim McLaren said:

“I am absolutely delighted that we can now begin to create this memorial.  The Crown Estate’s generous offer of a suitable site means that we can raise funds with certainty and start approaching potential artists.

“It is vital that we remember the contribution to the war effort by this group of women who volunteered to work so hard to put food on the nation’s tables at such a difficult time.  The work they undertook was laborious, they were often ill equipped, cold and lonely and, regrettably, their work has often been overlooked because they were volunteer workers, rather than conscripted.

“I hope that people will come forward with generous contributions soon so that we can erect and dedicate this memorial as soon as possible.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

• For information on how to donate, please contact Sarah Anderson on 0131 472 4108 or e-mail, sarah.anderson@nfus.org.uk

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