Help Us Save Our Heritage

Din l-Art Ħelwa is continuously involved in restoration works. This includes maintenance of existing properties managed by Din l-Art Ħelwa as well as new properties entrusted to the organisation. The restoration committee is led by Dr Stanley Farrugia Randon, together with Maria Grazia Cassar and Josie Ellul Mercer.

We rely on funding and support from sponsors to be able to carry out this important part of our organisation’s mission.

RESTORATION REPORT

Over the last months, restoration works neared completion at Delimara Lighthouse. Din l-Art Ħelwa received funds from the Gal Xlokk Foundation to restore the turret. The clockwork mechanism, including the turntable and the pear-shaped paraffin tank that once fuelled the three wicks which lit the lantern, also require cleaning and treating with protective lacquer. Din l-Art Ħelwa is still seeking funding to restore these elements.

Ħal Millieri chapel with its medieval frescoes is one of the most important gems entrusted to Din l-Art Ħelwa. It requires regular restoration and maintenance. The recently changed metal gate and cover to the well have weathered beautifully and will now be painted. During a recent storm, part of the rubble wall adjacent to the pathway leading to the chapel collapsed and was rebuilt.

The restoration of the White Tower (l-Aħrax) is underway thanks to EU funds obtained by the Malta Tourism Authority. Part of the ditch wall collapsed, mainly due to erosion of the underlying rock as well the roots of trees planted inappropriately close to it. Part of the funds were allotted to the resurfacing of the concrete flooring around the tower, especially where the illegal buildings once stood on the western side. Once these were removed, the irregular floor was replaced with a smoother floor more safe to walk on. Other external works included the laying of new drains towards the cesspit and the laying of services towards the room in the ditch. We hope that these works will be completed by the end of the year. The restoration of the Red Tower has been completed (see pp. 50-51 of this issue). Stanley Farrugia Randon says: “I used to think that St Agatha’s Tower was called the ‘Red Tower’ because the stone from which it was built has a red coloration or because it was painted red to make it more visible and scare away any invading Ottoman pirates. However in November 2019 Pascal Brun, the assistant mayor of Castellar which was the birthplace of Grand Master Jean Paul Lascaris de Castellar, donated a Castellar Flag which has a red tower as its emblem! It could well be that this colour was a symbol of the family.”

Corporate members & sponsors

ADRC Trust Alfred Mizzi Foundation APS Bank plc Atlas Insurance PCC Ltd Avantech Software AX Holdings plc Bank of Valletta plc Best Print Co Ltd BNF Bank plc Corinthia Group Citadel Insurance plc Curmi and Partners Ltd Cyberspace Solutions Ltd Deloitte Malta Dingli and Dingli Law Firm ECOVIS GRC Ltd Eden Leisure Group EY Malta Farrugia Investments Ltd Farsons Foundation Fenlex Corporate Services Ltd FIMbank plc Frendo Advisory JZT Holdings Ltd Ganado Advocates GasanMamo Insurance Ltd GO plc Horizon 2020 Project GEO4CIVHIC HSBC Bank Malta plc IIG Bank (Malta) Ltd Izola Bank plc IZT Holdings Ltd KPMG Malta Lombard Bank Malta plc Malta Airport Foundation Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation Malta Industrial Parks Ltd Malta Stock Exchange Malta Tourism Authority MAPFRE Middlesea plc Mapfre MSV Life plc Medserv plc Melita Ltd Ministry for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning Ministry of Finance Good Causes Lottery Fund MISCO P Cutajar Foundation Psquared Asset Management AG Plaza Centres plc PWC Malta RCLIN Pharma Ltd Sak Ltd Shireburn Software Ltd Simonds Farsons Cisk plc Sparkasse Bank Malta plc STM Malta Trust & Company Management Ltd The Tanner Trust TOLY Group Tug Malta Ltd Vassallo Builders Group Ltd Voluntary Organisations Projects Scheme VJ Salomone Marketing Ltd Xlokk Local Action Group Foundation

LEGACIES

Karmen Micallef Buhagiar Marjorie de Wolff Anne Crosthwait Major Nestor Jacono - The Agapi Trust Gita Furber de la Fuente

Benefactors

Anne and John Cachia Zoe and the late Pierre Chomarat Heribert Grünert Anthony Guillaumier Albert Mamo Peter Mamo and family Chevalier Joseph Micallef Matthew Mizzi Dr John Vassallo and Dr Marianne Noll Dr Ingrid Vella Robert von Brockdorff Nicola Woodward