Comhairle nan Eilean Siar PRESS RELEASE 08 June 2000 For Use: Immediately

Nine tapestries, depicting life in the Western Isles, created by schoolchildren in the islands in the expectation that they were to be featured in the Millennium Dome in London are now unwanted, say the New Millennium Experience Company.

The tapestries were asked for by the New Millennium Tapestry Company on the understanding that they would be featured in an exhibition at the Dome. The exhibition would feature tapestries made by more than 370,000 schoolchildren from 1,700 schools throughout Britain.

However it now appears that the tapestries are unwanted seemingly because there is 'not enough space in the Dome'.

The Chairman of Education on Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Mr. Norman L. Macdonald, said today:

"This is nothing short of a national disgrace. These children and their teachers were asked to do this and they gladly took part fully expecting to have their work exhibited at the Dome. A lot of hard work went into the creation of the tapestries and now it seems that it may all have been for nothing.

I simply do not understand the excuse being given that there is not enough space in the Dome. Surely they could put the tapestries exhibition where all the visitors were meant to go? Seriously though, this will cause deep disappointment to all those who worked so hard to create such marvellous portrayals of the islands. It is particularly disappointing at a time when tens of millions of extra public money has just been made available for the Dome. Surely it wouldn't have been too difficult to arrange for the tapestries to have been shown? I am determined that people should have an opportunity to see the work of the children and I will be asking various organisations in the Western Isles about the possibility of staging our own exhibition of these works of art.

In the meantime I will be writing to the New Millennium Experience Company asking them how this ludicrous situation has arisen and to reconsider their decision which is unfair to children and teachers throughout the country."

Ends

Issued by Nigel Scott
Communications Officer