VISITORS from the United States of America were in Newtownabbey last week to attend the official launch of the Friends of the White House initiative.
Greg and Kathy Tilque from the borough’s twin town of Gilbert, Arizona helped launch the scheme in the Mayor’s Parlour at Mossley Mill.
The first citizen, alderman John Scott, hosted the event attended by members of the White House Preservation Tr
ust, Trust volunteers and representatives of Abbey Historical Society.
Trust Chairman, Billy Webb, presented Greg and Kathy with a gift and also certificates inducting them as Honorary Members of the organisation.
“I am particularly pleased to welcome Greg and Kathy as I know they have a great fondness for Newtownabbey and it is therefore fitting for them to launch the Friends scheme,” said Cllr Webb.
“We hope the White House Friends will include citizens from Gilbert and that they will take the opportunity to visit the White House if in Northern Ireland.”
Mr Webb then presented certificates to Jill Aspinwall, Mervyn and Myrtle Johnston, Josephine Crooks and Gladys Steed on becoming the first Friends to join up to the scheme.
The launch also included a tour of the recently refurbished part of Mossley Mill and concluded with a visit to the White House.
Greg and Kathy commented: “We are very impressed with the work that has been carried out by the White House Trust in restoring this historical building and we look forward to coming back to visit the building when restoration has been completed early next year. We congratulate everyone involved and we will make sure this building is known to everyone in Gilbert.”
The Friends of the White House scheme aims to get more people actively involved in supporting the work of the White House Preservation Trust, helping to preserve Newtownabbey’s oldest building for future generations.
Full details are available online at www.thewhitehouseni.com.
