You are currently browsing the daily archive for July 16th, 2007.
Back to my seven wonders – Glasgow School of Art is the utmost delight. It was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh who won the commission as a result of a competition against already established architects. It was started in 1897 and the West wing was eventually completed in 1909.
His style combined traditional Scottish architecture with a softer more Art Noveau style, epitomised by the Mackintosh rose. He designed fixtures, fittings and the furniture and the library at the school of art has been described as ‘one of the finest rooms in Glasgow’.
It is an extraordinary building and one worth visiting. Although still a working art school, there are frequent guided tours of the entire building. I’ve since discovered that as a major fund raising scheme, you can buy individual bricks, windows or even some of the brackets. They are hoping to raise £8million to preserve and protect this fine historic building. I’ve checked and most of the interesting bits are already sold, but you can buy a stone from round one of the windows for £20.
I’ve just had a comment from Althea at Tukae that their Malaria project has raised £2,000 of the proposed £5,000 so far. They are raising the money to establish a clinical officer and technician to work at the health post and provide treatment for Malaria for all local children under thirteen.
Malaria is a dreadful disease that affects most of sub saharan Africa and has been described by Bill Gates as ‘the worst thing on the planet’. He has put his money where his mouth is and is contributing hundreds of millions of dollars to malaria research. Although clinical trials of a vaccine have started in Tanzania, an effective vaccine is a long way away, meanwhile, the only means of controlling the spread of this epidemic is to provide suitable treatment. This means drugs which cost money. Which brings me back to the project – they have a just giving page here and anyone can donate.
