Fauldhouse (Fallahill) Art Project - Page 3

Background

Speakers

  Director and Treasurer, F&BV CDT
  Dave Huddlestone
  Introduction

  The artists
  Ailsa Magnus and Billy Caulfield
  Creating the Fauldhouse Mining Tribute

  Lord-Lieutenant
  Ms. Moira Niven MBE

  Vice President
  Scottish National Union of Mineworkers
  Bob Young

  Former local Councilor and MSP
  Neil Findlay
  Unveiling the Fauldhouse Mining Tribute

  Music provided by members of the UNISON Kinneil Band

  The event will be streamed live at facebook.com/FauldhouseToday

Followed by

  Refreshments at 12pm
  Fauldhouse Miners Welfare Society, 5-7 Bridge Street, Fauldhouse
  All welcome

Thanks to

  The artists
  Ailsa Magnus
  Billy Caulfield

West Lothian Council
  Camille Archer, Community Arts
  Laura Wilson, Education, Learning & Planning Services
  Douglas Benson, Community Regeneration

Fauldhouse and Breich Valley
Community Development Trust
  Julie Smith, CEO F&BV CDT
  Dave Huddlestone, Director and Treasurer F&BV CDT
  Paul Renwick, Manager EDC
  Colin Cunningham Colin McMillian

The design process for the Fauldhouse Mining Tribute was started in 2019. Unfortunately, progress was delayed several times due to Covid restrictions.

The completed sculpture, in consultation with the local community, was conceived by public artists; sculptor Ailsa Magnus and drawn by artist Billy Caulfield. It is a fitting tribute to the miners and all those from the community who worked in the mining industry.

Thanks to Dave Huddlestone, Director and Treasurer of F&BV CDT who introduced the event and the artist, Ailsa Magnus who spoke about the background, consultation and creation process of the Mining Tribute explaining that the tribute was made of corten steel and would require no annual maintenance and will only improve with age.

Thanks also to the Lord-Lieutenant Ms Moira Niven MBE who then said a few words about the mining history of the area and that this inclusive tribute was the only one in West Lothian to also include both the children and women.

We thank the Vice President of the Scottish National Union of Mineworkers, Bob Young who gave a moving speech, amending what he had originally planned to say after seeing the sculpture itself.

Former Councillor, MSP and Fauldhouse local, Neil Findlay spoke about Fauldhouse’s proud mining past and cut the ribbon to officially unveil the Fauldhouse Mining Tribute.

Music on the day was kindly provided by members of the UNISON Kinneil Brass Band who also led an impromptu
walk along to the Miners Welfare Social Club.

F&BV CDT Director, Graeme Broughton live streamed the day, so thanks also to him. It allowed those who were
unable to attend to see the event.

Sandwiches and refreshments were available to all, an opportunity to talk to the artists and the works by the
local groups involved in the consultation process were on display for the day in the foyer of the Miners Welfare.

If you are interested in seeing some of the art work produced during the consultation process, led by the artists Ailsa and Billy, pop into The Hub where we have a display of the rag rug, drawings, casts and prints produced. The artists worked with local groups and the schools, had workshops at events to work towards to the design of the Mining Tribute that you see on the green. We hope Fauldhouse is proud of this tribute to the village’s long mining history.

Fauldhouse and Breich Valley Together – Issue 52, Summer 2022