THE high-profile appeal lead by Hollywood actor Hugh Grant to raise £2.9 million to redevelop a military museum is £350,000 short of its target.
A final push to bridge the shortfall will be announced at a gathering at Fort George, near Inverness, on Monday.
In 2010 an appeal to fund the redevelopment of the Highlanders’ Museum at the fort was launched by Mr Grant. So far it has raised £2.56m million towards the target of £2.9m.
He has now made a further plea to anyone with a connection to the Highlands and Islands to help them with the final £350,000 push which will be announced on Monday by a panel consisting of museum chairman Maj Gen Seymour Monro, deputy chairman and Inverness businessman David Sutherland, Inverness Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stewart Nicol, Highland Council convenor Sandy Park and Inverness Provost Jimmy Gray.
The museum is scheduled to reopen in Easter 2013, and when it does an independent economic impact assessment has outlined that the improved facility will contribute an additional £600,000 into the regional economy every year. This will be achieved through more visitors and more people employed at the site.
Many of the individuals and businesses who have supported the Museum project so far have taken advantage of numerous opportunities to have their names recognised within the new museum. These include naming display cases, adopting artefacts and even naming whole rooms.
Hugh Grant said: “I come from a line of Highland soldiers, and used to visit the Fort George museum often when I was young. I'm a fervent supporter of this new museum.
"It's tantalising that so much has been raised, and just a bit is still needed.
"I've made a donation, and I'm hoping there might be others out there who care about the history of these great regiments who might like to do the same.”
