Our group, Friends of Jacob’s Ladder, applied for the Aberdeen City Common Good Fund in 2021 and were lucky enough to be awarded a grant in March this year.
With this money we will be able to engage a Structural Engineer to fully assess the stairs and have tests done to check the integrity of cement and steel and see what else is needed. We will also be given a cost to potentially bring the stairs back into full use. This survey should be carried out before the end of the year.
Meanwhile, we need to gauge the opinion of the general public about having the stairs brought back into use. This is so that when we are applying for funds for this project, we need to show that as many people as possible want the stairs to be re-opened.
We have access to a short survey at the top of our web page on www.jacobsladderrestoration.com We really need replies to this simple survey and although we have over 750 positive responses already, we are aiming for at least treble this amount if possible.
Please visit our web page and consider completing the survey. We have a Facebook page too that you can find at Jacobs Ladder Restoration which has up to date news on what we are up to and how things are going.
We have also been very fortunate to be given a donation of £100 which kicked off the start of our fund raising.
Aberdeen University Local Community Fund also gave us funds to buy some equipment to help keep the stairs clear and Aberdeen City Council gave us some equipment for picking up litter on and around the stairs too. We are very grateful for this support.
Until the stairs are surveyed, we do not have much for people who want to help us, to do. We would of course be pleased to hear of any donations you could offer, ideas for fundraising or for spreading the news.
In the meantime, please fill in the short online survey and pass it on to other people who know about the stairs and hopefully want them re-opened.
Gary Dawson