NI Conservatives’ representative, Mark Brotherston, hosted Northern Ireland Office minister of state, Andrew Robathan MP, in Bangor last Friday, before the minister paid a visit to the Somme Heritage Centre in Conlig.
“We had a very useful meeting with our colleague, Andrew Robathan, and took the opportunity to raise a number of issues around the Somme Heritage Centre”, Mark explained. “We are at the outset of the centenary celebrations for the Great War, running up to the anniversary of the Battle of the Somme and the marvellous facility at Conlig can play a key role in marking these events.”
“The centre sets out in a fascinating way how soldiers from the 36th Ulster Division and the 10th and 16th Irish Brigades fought together on the battlefield. That’s a great message for young people and there are opportunities to have events building on the GCSE and A Level school curricula. This is something I’ve been working on and funding is now available to involve Bangor Academy and St Columbanus, to begin with, in the project.”
“I’ve also been involved in a programme to develop staff skills at the centre, when it comes to guiding and interaction with visitors. We’ll continue to work with the Somme Centre, and Conservative ministers and colleagues, to raise its profile and help to make such a valuable attraction more sustainable.”