How You Can Help

To rescue such a building from the ravages of time, to return the murals to their former glory and to create a setting that will enhance the building and the city has cost over £6 million. The main building contract was awarded one of the Heritage Lottery Fund's biggest grants in Scotland, over £3.8 million, to carry out the restoration and conversion of the building. As well as the grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, substantial help has been received from Historic Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council. The building project was assisted by a loan for working capital of £500,000 from the Architectural Heritage Fund.

The work to restore the murals cost over £500,000. The principal funder was Historic Scotland with other support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, charitable trusts, corporate donations and private individuals.

Overall, there is still a funding gap of about £100,000 which the Trust is dedicated to raising. The words 'international' and 'heritage' are often misused, but they can be applied in all truth to this project. Both Phoebe Anna Traquair's murals and Robert Rowand Anderson's building are of enormous significance in the context of European art and architecture - a precious heritage which it is our duty to preserve. Future generations will thank all who worked to make it part of their heritage.

If you want to help, contact the Trust at info@mansfieldtraquair.org.uk.

You can also help by sponsoring an image from the murals, joining the Friends or you can donate online to the Friends via the workwithus.org website. In the UK, private donations are eligible for Gift Aid by which the Trust can recover income or capital gains tax from the Inland Revenue for your donation – at no cost to yourself.