The Crichton Trust has announced that Gwilym Gibbons will take over as the Chief Executive of The Crichton Trust in Dumfries from April 2018.
Gwilym joins The Crichton Trust following three years as the Chief Executive of Horsecross Arts, the creative organisation behind the redevelopment and reopening of Perth Theatre and the expansion and revitalisation of the Perth Concert Hall programme.
Talking about his new challenge as Chief Executive of The Crichton Trust Gwilym said: “I am really looking forward to joining The Crichton Trust next April and to building on the achievements and work done to date by staff, board members and partners. I believe The Crichton campus is unique in its combination of arts, academic, heritage, recreation and enterprise. Above all, I am looking forward to working with, listening to and being challenged by all the communities and individuals who are interested in The Crichton and its future, so that we can shape and bring those ideas to fruition.”
Gwilym will take over the reins at The Crichton Trust from Alex Haswell, who has fulfilled his role as Chief Executive since February 2016. Alex will remain in post until the end of April to assist Gwilym with his transition into the role.
Ian Macmillan, chairman of The Crichton Trust Board said: “I am truly delighted to announce Gwilym’s appointment as the new chief executive from April 2018, and I look forward to welcoming him to the Trust in April and, of course, supporting him to deliver our Vision for The Crichton Estate and its partners. At the same time, I wish to acknowledge the extensive contribution Alex has made during his time in the role. We are very fortunate to have had Alex on board to help stabilise the Trust since early 2016. Over the last two years, Alex and his team have strengthened the organisation and Gwilym joins the Trust at an exciting time as we seek to deliver our ambitious plans for the Crichton Estate.”
Alex Haswell said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed working for The Crichton Trust. It has been a pleasure to work with The Crichton Trust Board and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them, the management team and colleagues for their hard work and support during my time here. The Crichton Estate is a fantastic location and has so much potential. I wish Gwilym every success in taking the organisation and the Estate forward from here.”
The Crichton Trust has responsibility for the development and management of the Crichton Estate. The 85 acres of beautiful parkland consisting of 27 historic buildings including the iconic A-listed Crichton Memorial Church, is also home to University Campuses, a Business Park with over 70 businesses, a 71-bedroom hotel and the magnificent Easterbrook Hall, which has recently been developed to include Neuro’s Bar, Restaurant and Spa.
In 1823, Dr James Crichton of Friars Carse died and left £100,000 with his wife Elizabeth to use for charitable purposes. Elizabeth and her friend, Rev Henry Duncan, attempted to set up a College of University status in Dumfries to provide education of poor scholars. After 20 years of resistance, she set up lunatic asylum on the site. Over 150 years, the Crichton grew into an internationally recognised centre of excellence in mental health research and care. In the 1980’s, it became surplus to requirements, but the local authority was keen to ensure it remained in public ownership and purchased the site from the Health Board in 1995. It did so with the primary objective of ensuring that this important public asset was saved, protected and sensitively developed for the good of the wider community. It was also an opportunity to respond to local ambitions and fulfil the dream of Elizabeth Crichton to develop a much-needed University Campus offering local access to Higher Education.
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