fbpx

Renfrewshire Doors Open Day

Renfrewshire Doors Open Days unlocks over 1000 doors this September

Knights Templar on horseback, Princess Marjorie, daughter of Robert the Bruce, King Edward, young people from PACE and Spark or Genius, Aberdeen Asset Management’s David Watt, Renfrewshire’s Provost Anne Hall and some Diabolical Diaries officially launched Doors Open Days 2013, Scotland’s annual celebration of buildings, people and places at Paisley Abbey on Wednesday 28 August.  

(This years Renfrewshire Doors Open Day takes place on 14th-15th September)

paisley abbey
Doors Open Days® 2013 introduces a bit of theatrical flair to an already exciting programme of artists studios, castles, caves, houses, factories, riverboats, canal cruises, green doors, early railways and much, much more.

Paisley Abbey and staff hosted the national launch event on Wednesday 28 August, along with national Doors Open Days® coordinators Scottish Civic Trust’s staff John Pelan (Director) and Pauline McCloy (Events and Development Officer) and Renfrewshire Council staff Amanda Moulson (Town Centre Projects and Events Manager) and Donna Gallagher (Town Centre Projects and Events Assistant).

Renfrewshire’s Provost Anne Hall and Aberdeen Asset Management’s David Watt’s joined in the fun in Paisley’s town centre where staff and young people from Spark of Genius donned Knights Templar costumes on horseback to mark the occasion, whilst young people from PACE youth theatre group dressed as famous faces from the Abbey’s past introduced Renfrewshire’s Diabolical Diaries, a specially designed young person’s programme of Doors Open Days events throughout the region. Diabolical Diaries are now available to collect from libraries and participating venues.
To download a copy of the Diabolical Diaries or the Adult programme for Renfrewshire see http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk

For the full, national programme of Doors Open Days events see www.doorsopendays.org.uk

Background:

Doors Open Days gives free access to sites normally closed to the public, or which usually charge an entrance fee.  Doors Open Days® is coordinated nationally by the Scottish Civic Trust. It runs throughout Scotland every September as part of European Heritage Days.

From the first event in 1990 as part of Glasgow’s City of Culture festival the Doors Open Days® event has grown to become of one of Scotland’s most popular and widespread cultural festivals. Now in its 24 year Doors Open Days can look forward to over 1000 buildings and events taking part from the highlands to the borders, more than 5000 staff and volunteers helping organise and run events and venues, and more than 200,000 visitors expected to attend.   For more details see www.doorsopendays.org.uk

Martin Gilbert, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Asset Management, said:

 “Aberdeen Asset Management is delighted to support Doors Open Days for the third year running.  We decided to remain involved in 2013 and 2014 following the excellent feedback we received from colleagues and visitors who had taken advantage of the wonderful opportunity to tour the buildings covered by this great initiative.”

 

John Pelan, Director of the Scottish Civic Trust, said:

“Doors Open Days is a wonderful celebration of buildings and communities in equal measure. It gives people a unique access to places normally out of bounds and spaces out of sight. The Scottish Civic Trust are proud to be the national coordinators of this wonderful festival and of the opportunity it provides to the Scottish public to explore their local surroundings. We are delighted to have the support of Historic Scotland and Aberdeen Asset Management.”

 

Anne Hall, Provost of Renfrewshire, said:
“Renfrewshire very proud to hold the National launch for Doors Open Days which always proves hugely popular. It is a wonderful way for local people and visitors to enjoy and celebrate Renfrewshire’s rich heritage for free. I would like to say thank you to everyone who came along to the national launch event for Doors Open Days, in particular to ‘Spark of Genius’ and Pace Theatre Company for their support.  I feel it’s really important to involve the young people in Renfrewshire and I hope that they not only enjoy Renfrewshire’s buildings, but also its past in the Children’s booklets ‘Diabolical Diaries’ and what a better way to start it than here at the Abbey.  This administration is fully supportive of town centre events to assist with the regeneration of the town centre and Renfrewshire on the whole.”

Here are some photos taken at past Doors Open Days in the town.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8xnHIK2ft8]