Descent upon Bayeux. Openers ready for Channel Crossing ...

All set for our Grand Opening in Bayeux!

More than a score of Scots will be in Bayeux from Friday/ Monday September 13th/ 16th. And Arran Johnston and Gordon Prestoungrange will be ferrying them from Charles de Gaulle Airport to Chateau du Mollay - their digs.

The assignment is two fold for this score and more, dubbed The Openers. Firstly, it's to ensure the good citizens of Bayeux realise that the Prestonpans Tapestry is in their town until Sunday November 3rd. And that it's a Scottish artwork well worth seeing.

If you're not on the Opening Team, relax. There's a Closers Team being built up for the last weekend in October too. Grant Aid plus the Trust's own funds mean that some of the embroiderers who had a clash of dates with the display of the Great Scottish Tapestry at the Parliament at Holyrood can still get to Bayeux with a modest Bursary in support to enjoy the moment.

BUT, and there's always a but ...

The Bursaries are awarded for a very distinct purpose and have gained the support of CreativeScotland and Bayeux itself. We all have to be sure to learn what we can from Bayeux's UNESCO World Heritage presentation, interpretation, education, re-enactments and conservation. 'Logs' are to be kept which will be distilled for our own future benefit as we exhibit not only the Prestonpans Tapestry but the upcoming Scottish Diaspora Tapestry too.

It's going to be a busy few days for the Openers

Draft schedule looks like this ...

Thursday 12/13th September: Advance party Set Up Display, hanging for the first time from 6 hooks per cohort rather than from Velcro. Will it work?

Friday 13th: Openers fly Edinburgh / Paris/ minibus to Chateau arriving 8.30pm

Briefing in Chateau Bar till midnight

Saturday 14th: 7.30 am Breakfast @ Chateau
9 am. Muster in Bayeux Museum Courtyard
[AM tba. Official Opening]
9.15 am/ 7 pm ... Create Scottish presence and dispense good news across town.
7.30 pm .... 'Norman' Supper
Apres Supper: More dispensations of Scottish good news ... then Return to Chateau ...

Sunday 15th 7.30 am Breakfast @ Chateau
9 am. Muster again at Museum continuing to create Scottish Presence till noon.

Luncheon and return of air travellers to Charles de Gaulle in Paris/ Edinburgh.

Balance continue as for Saturday with a second Norman Supper, retire to Chateau and return Monday 16th to Scotland.

Sounds hard work, and we've got to keep a log too!



P.S. We've got a man on the inside too! Former French tutor at Edinburgh University most lately famed for his translation of Nouvelles d' Ecosse and Demonologie ... which is how through our own Witch heritage he came to know about The Pans. By the name of Jean Migrenne ....