Campaigners launch bid to buy Inverness East Church as a home for Gaelic
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Campaigners hoping to create a hub for Gaelic language and culture in Inverness have launched a bid to raise £50,000 towards the cost of buying the city's East Church.
The B-listed building in Academy Street has been put up for sale by the Church of Scotland as part of a broader programme to make major savings.
Its potential is now being viewed by campaigners behind a project to create a community-owned Gaelic Cultural Centre – Cultarlann Inbhir Nis – as space where everyone with an interest in the language and culture, either from the local community or from further afield, can come together to learn, to meet with friends, to take part in a wide range of activities, or simply to use and hear Gaelic within a relaxed and welcoming social environment.
It is envisaged that the centre would accommodate a Gaelic language and culture themed café, teaching spaces, concerts, ceilidhs, events, exhibitions, and a retail space for selling Gaelic products.
- Church of Scotland explains why Inverness East Church is for sale
- Campaigners hope to create new Gaelic hub in Inverness
Maggie Mulholland, who chairs Cultarlann Inbhir Nis, said a successful fundraising campaign last summer raised £30,000, with backing from hundreds of individuals locally and further afield.
"The campaign gave us confidence and strengthened our belief that there is an appetite for this centre," she said.
"We have spent the last 12 months assessing various premises in Inverness city centre and speaking with potential funders.
"Several months ago, we identified the East Church as our preferred option, given its central location, beautiful interior, and a history of Gaelic usage stretching back to its establishment in 1798.
"We are also keen to see the building retained for the use and enjoyment of future generations of Invernessians and visitors to the city."
She said with support from Bòrd na Gàidhlig, the Architectural Heritage Fund and Enterprise Scotland, the group had been working to see how the vision could be realised within the East Church space.
"We recently secured a grant from Inverness Common Good Fund and are in advanced discussions with a major funder that will hopefully result in us securing the bulk of the funding we need to make the Church of Scotland an offer," she said.
"The aim of this new campaign is to raise an additional £30,000 to fully fund our contribution to the purchase plus £20,000 to help us with initial running costs."
East Church, along with the adjoining church hall, has been listed for sale for offers over £230,000.
The church is already closed and and its congregation worships with Inshes Church.
People interested in finding out more about the plans for a Gaelic Cultural Centre should go to Cultarlann.scot where they can also donate to the campaign.
