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Capability Brown's Class of 2016Gainsborough's House wins £4.7m heritage lottery fundingGainsborough’s House, which was supported by NADFAS last year, has received a huge boost to its £7.5m project to transform the House into one of the region’s leading museums. The Heritage Lottery Fund support of £4.73m is in addition to its many other fundraising efforts, including £15,000 raised by NADFAS through a special raffl e to win an original painting by Maggi Hambling CBE. Extended gallery space in the museum will help engage a larger and more diverse range of visitors, secure the future of the collection and spearhead the regeneration of the town of Sudbury. NADFAS Chief Executive Florian Schweizer commented: “We thank our members for their support of Gainsborough’s House –it is another example of NADFASworking to help a nationally important collection and keep the arts accessible in the local community.” Gainsborough’s House still needs to raise a further £2.77m within 18 months; the revitalised Gainsborough’s House will open by late 2020/early 2021. The tercentenary of Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown’s birth in 2016 has produced many events around the country, such as exhibitions, musical events and at least two sculpted heads of Brown, including one at the Chelsea Flower Show. As a festival partner, NADFAS has been involved since the autumn of 2013 and our Societies have responded magnifi cently, arranging lectures, special interest days, visits to Brown sites and even themed holidays for our members. Volunteers have also been carrying out research with their County Garden Trust colleagues, writing Trails, and stewarding at open days and exhibitions. Young Arts representatives have arranged some innovative projects for children, the next generation of guardians of our designed landscapes. In just one example, a group of 60 Nottingham children became ‘apprentices’ to Brown when play therapist Richard Arkwright took on the character as part of a Young Arts project by Nottinghamshire DFAS (pictured). The roleplay was part of a series of sessions where the children learned about history, nature and gardening, assisted by staff at St Ann’s Allotments in Nottingham. One of the most rewarding aspects of the festival has been the opportunity to work with partner organisations and we hope this continues in the future.Guests joining the 27-day ‘Historic Spain, Sicily & Italy’ cruise with Tour NADFAS Travel Affi liate Voyages to Antiquity will have the chance to enjoy three lectures from Dr Paul Roberts, the Sackler Keeper of Antiquities from the Ashmolean Museum and a NADFAS-accredited Lecturer. “I’ll be talking about the island of Sicily – its early history through sites such as Motya, Agrigento and Segesta, then its Roman, Arab and Norman heritage. As we near Italy I’ll look at the amazing buried cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum which have told us so much about ordinary Romans,” he commented. The tour departs May 11, 2017. For details, call 0845 437 9737 or see the website www.voyagestoantiquity.com. Below: Reales Alcazares in Seville, part of the Voyages to Antiquity cruise with Dr Paul RobertsAshmolean Curator joins Voyages to Antiquity tourPrint © Maggi Hambling.Above: Print by Maggi Hambling presented to NADFAS as thanks for our supportWant to learn more?Want to discover more?NADFAS ReviewAdvertiserspagesTravel 2, 19, 23, 35, 37, 43, 45, 48, 49, 50, 51, 55, 59, 63, 69, 75, 76Museums & galleries 4, 10, 15, 69Historic properties 4, 10, 15, 23Education/courses 23Lifestyle/fi nance 17, 29Don't forget to take a look at the insert from Tour NADFAS Travel Affi liates Voyages of Discovery and Swan Hellenicwww.nadfas.org.uk NADFAS REVIEW / WINTER 2016 7NATIONAL NEWS