Monumentum, Autumn 2011
This issue of Monumentum heralds change. Most obviously, it looks different: it is four pages longer, and has been redesigned to be more elegant and navigable. We hope you enjoy it. But the time is upon us to make a more fundamental shift to meet the demands and priorities of a more volatile world, of a less favourable climate for the essential charitable support we rely upon. As we approach the conclusion of our £10 million target for Stowe, the last Robert Wilson Challenge funded project in the UK, Robert Wilson speaks in this issue about the imperative of philanthropy in preserving what we hold to be valuable. We have much to do: the 2012 World Monuments Watch will be announced in early October, with a variety of new challenges that will bring a fresh direction to our work at sites around Britain, with potential partnerships being explored and developed as I write. There is also change amongst our staff. Cathy Giangrande is opening a new chapter of her career, and we offer great thanks for her lead in our fundraising successes to date. David Gundry, WMF Britain’s Projects Director of six years is also moving on, having motivated and built partnerships with the custodians of sites in need. He has overseen the completion of an array of major projects, which he reviews in this issue. We wish David well in his advanced studies at the London School of Economics, and his ongoing engagements.
New members of staff will join us in due course, in what is bound to develop and build on our work to date with a new complexion. And, at the end of this year, we are also changing our offices, moving to Cowcross Street in Farringdon. It’s an exciting and creative area close to the City, with a facility for lectures and exhibitions, and we’ll encourage you to visit us. Supporters should experience our development as a positive direction, with three lectures this Autumn, whilst in Spring 2012 we’ll be introducing cinema evenings as well as study days and longer visits to inspiring new sites around the country that we will help to secure and revitalise, together.
