Yesterday the organisation transferred £46,000 to complete the purchase of the ruined house and its grounds.
Colin Dodd, Jeff Guilbert, Francis Noblecourt and Chris Oliver are currently in France for this year’s RGLI student exchange week where they are set to take possession of number 16 on behalf of Guernsey.
‘It is then that the real work begins, meeting architects, surveyors and builders, to determine how much can be preserved and how the historic site can be sympathetically developed to meet our ambitious targets,’ said the charity.
‘We hope to release first draft plans once we get them and encourage Guernsey’s participation in what is essentially our most important building outside the island.’
The house is where many Guernseymen sheltered during the battle for the town, where 453 were lost, missing and wounded.
It was restored after the war but has become derelict and has not been occupied for three decades. The RGLI charitable trust is now named the RGLI LBG to better reflect its responsibilities in protecting the growing assets, number of members and volunteers. The location organisation has created the French charity, Royal Guernsey Light Infantry Association, which is now recognised by the French state and will hold the property and land around it.
Eight weeks ago, the appeal for £350,000 was launched, and the charity has secured almost 70% of what is needed and enough to start the works.
‘We are absolutely delighted at the level of interest and support by the community, showing how important the RGLI is to islanders,’ it said.
‘We have just £114,000 to raise, and we are confident we can close this gap so the essential preservation work can be completed.
‘Collectively this is an enormous achievement by our community, made possible by every single volunteer and member whose efforts have got us this far, but our special thanks must go to those amongst us who have quietly given, and continue to give, where this precious work has touched personal histories and our collective culture.’
With the new mayor of Masnieres, Gregory Bouglanger, a meeting will be held in the town hall for local residents during this visit to share the objectives for the property and how it will become a living memorial.
The charity said it will demonstrate Guernsey’s ongoing commitment in the physical form of a cultural, historical and community facility, as well as further strengthening the relationship between the island and France.
Islanders will also get the opportunity later this year to hear from the team in Guernsey.
‘We remain steadfastly committed to building a shared, positive legacy to hand to our next generations, that continues to honour the sacrifices of those who came before us,’ it said.
You need to be logged in to comment.