Forres Heritage Trust needs volunteers to help run new tour of Tolbooth including clocktower parapet
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A LOCAL group new launching a new tourist attraction is looking for volunteers to help get the project off the ground.
Forres Heritage Trust (FHT) has created a new tour at the Tolbooth which will show visitors around the old police office and cells, the newly renovated courtroom, the parapet and around the clock tower which has never been open to the public before.
However, FHT chairman George Alexander has confirmed that, to make the project work, more helpers are needed to act as a tour guides.
He said: "A team has been working on this project for the best part of two years. One group of trustees pulled together the police office and cells part, the courtroom has been given a tremendous makeover by volunteers, and myself and a couple of other trustees have worked on the clocktower part of the development. Pulling each together into one tour will provide a great visitor attraction."
Mr Alexander added: "The trustees had a walk through of the tour last week - it takes up to an hour. We are still to work out when and how often the tour will open as this will depend on the support we get."
FHT also looks after Nelson’s Tower and for many years has run successful tours of the monument between April and September.
Trustee and volunteer co-ordinator, Peter Haworth, said: "We have a list of volunteers who have helped make visits to Nelson’s Tower a huge success.
"However, over the last two years, and partly due to the pandemic, numbers have dwindled.
"To make sure that we can maintain what we offer there and successfully launch the new Tolbooth project, we are definitely going to need more volunteers."
Mr Haworth added: "They get a great deal of satisfaction from meeting visitors, many of whom, pre-Covid, come from all over the world. Not once have I seen a volunteer walk away from a shift without a smile on their face.
"We provide all volunteers with packs explaining what is required and they are given full training in an informal setting and briefed on the Tolbooth and its history.
"We are also more than happy to show people around before they commit to anything, so they can see how great the project is."
Email Peter at fhtvolunteers@outlook.com or call him on 07966 410177 to find out more.
