We have reached our target ! After only 14 weeks we have now got the funds in place to go forward with several projects.

Thank You to every single one of you for your donation - we are now able to continue with our plans to improve the Italian Garden and undertake other I.G.I.G. projects.

Work on cleaning and restoring the Arandora Star Mosaic is now completed and we were delighted to show the mosaic at our exhibits and display event on Wednesday 2nd July - the new look and cleaned mosaic received great feedback and loads of comments and the museum glass that has been specially ordered will be ready to fit in the next few weeks.

- Our first project is to tidy and improve the Italian Garden and we have already started with new green faux bamboo planted in the aluminium planters and added some lavender and heather around the olive tree.

We are keeping this JustGiving page open for a few more months to provide updates and will close it down after the Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival (GDODF) event in September.

GDODF - Italian Garden and Arandora Star Memorial

Friday 19th, Saturday 20th, Sunday 21st

10.30 - 14.30 each day

No Booking required.

Continuous tours and talks throughout our opening times over 3 days

Tours of the Italian Garden and telling of the story and background to the tragedy of the Arandora Star and showing the memorial with a description and explanation of the design of both the Garden and the Memorial and what it represents.

Please share the GDODF information with all your family and friends and we look forward to seeing you.

RENOVATING THE ARANDORA STAR MOSAIC

My name is Raffaello Gonnella and I chair the Italian Garden Improvement Group (IGIG) based in Glasgow.

IGIG is a small group of volunteers established to maintain and develop the Italian Garden and Arandora Star Memorial on Clyde Street next to St Andrew’s RC Metropolitan Cathedral.

In 1975, artist James Selbie produced an original and unique memorial mosaic. It was commissioned by Renzo Serafini from Inverness and gifted to the Scottish Italian Community.

The mosaic, pictured below, commemorates the tragic sinking of the Arandora Star on 2nd July 1940. Over 800 men lost their lives in the tragedy including 93 Scottish-based Italians.

Further information on the tragedy can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Arandora_Star

Renzo Serafini and James Selbie – 1975

Arandora Star mosaic (How it looked originally)

The mosaic holds important personal, cultural, and historic significance to the Italian community across the UK, but sadly it is showing the effects of time.

Now in a poor state of repair it requires considerable restoration to return it to its original condition. IGIG has taken on the important responsibility of managing the restoration to ensure this important work of art can be displayed in all its former splendour.

Our primary objective is to respect the integrity of Selbie's original work and to honour the memory of all those affected by the Arandora Star tragedy. Restoration will allow present and future generations to share in the historical and emotional impact of the mosaic.

We have already contacted a mosaic specialist from the British Association of Modern Mosaics and she has agreed to co-ordinate the various stages of the restoration on our behalf.

On completion we hope to arrange talks and visits throughout the UK so that the current generations of British Italians and others can experience a tangible and personal engagement with this unique and impressive artwork. We are also in discussion with a number of institutions who have expressed an interest in displaying the mosaic.

Our target of £10,000 will allow IGIG to cover all the costs of repairing and cleaning the mosaic and provide some surplus funds for other related IGIG improvements and projects.

We kindly invite you to help us by making a donation.

Thank you,

Raffaello Gonnella

(on behalf of IGIG)

Rez Filippi

Angela Mazzoncini

Hilda de Felice

Michael Donnelly