Dumbarton resident illuminated onto Stonehenge to celebrate keeping Scottish heritage alive

TV historian Sir Tony Robinson this week bestowed a unique honour on a charity worker from Dumbarton for playing her part in keeping the UK’s heritage alive all year round, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the form of a night-time installation, Stonehenge was lit up with the faces of eight individuals who, with the help of National Lottery funding, are supporting heritage projects across the UK. This includes Jade West for her volunteering role at Skylark IX Recovery Trust in West Dunbartonshire.

The historic takeover of Stonehenge is the first time the 5,000-year-old sarsen stones of the world-renowned site have been dedicated to individual members of the public.

A video projection of Sir Tony acted to first illuminate the historic stones and introduce the momentous display.

Jade, 28, is a volunteer coordinator at Skylark IX Recovery Trust, a charity formed to restore a Dunkirk Little Ship, which rescued more than 600 men during World War II.

The Trust was set up to restore the Skylark IX boat in tandem with its parent organisation ‘Alternatives Community Recovery Service’, a local drugs recovery and rehabilitation service.

A key aim for the conservation project is to build skills and job opportunities for the wider community, in particular for Alternatives’ own clients, and to restore the town’s boat crafting heritage.

After being involved at Dunkirk, the vessel operated as a tourist boat for more than 30 years before sinking in June 2010.

“The veteran community in the area celebrated Remembrance Day and numerous other ceremonies on the Skylark,” said Jade, who stayed in touch with those supported by The Alternatives Community Recovery Service throughout lockdown.

"When she sank, they were disappointed she had been left, so they sent out an SOS to get her lifted out of the water and restored.

"Alternatives were aware of this, and saw a great opportunity to work with us to recover the boat.

"They felt the story of Skylark and how she saved so many really resonated with what they were trying to do as a project and organisation.

"We've kept the spirit of the project going during lockdown and have done things we’re all proud of.

“At the moment, we’ve put Skylark plans on hold and looked at the wider needs of the community. For example, I undertook some food deliveries for Alternatives.

“My job allowed me to support those who are more vulnerable, making sure they had food and that their health conditions were looked after.”

During lockdown, Jade encouraged members to contribute to a textile square for a lockdown patchwork quilt as a means of remembering the difficult time, assisting with mental wellbeing and keeping morale high.

Sending out material to 37 participants – ranging from care home residents to young people to those recovering from addiction – the group project saw personal stories woven into the fabric, with Jade describing the end result as a ‘tangible piece of history to hold’.

With lockdowns and travel restrictions becoming the new normal, green spaces and historic sites have played an increasingly pivotal role in people’s lives.

Insights released by The National Lottery reveal that 74% of Scottish people say outdoor spaces have had a positive effect on their mental wellbeing this year with over a third (34%) saying that heritage sites make them feel more relaxed and less anxious in difficult times, and almost half (46%) saying heritage sites make them proud of their local area.

Jade, who attends the University of Glasgow, added: "The impact National Lottery funding has on people’s lives is so important. It funds local jobs and local projects and makes a big difference.”Heritage sites across the UK are being supported by the National Lottery through the COVID-19 pandemic with some of the £30m raised each week for good causes by National Lottery players.

Sir Tony Robinson said: “I love the fact that Stonehenge is being lit up as a tribute to some of the country’s key project workers and volunteers, letting the public know about the hard work they’ve been doing to keep our heritage accessible to everyone using National Lottery funding.

“Without the graft and tireless effort of these wonderful people, our much-loved heritage would be more at risk than ever this year.”

Ros Kerslake CBE, chief executive of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “The National Lottery is playing a crucial role in supporting heritage sites and projects during the crisis, but it’s the important role of that the thousands of amazing individuals, some of which we are celebrating and honouring today, that keep these places going and make our visits memorable.”