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Home News Palisade News! Russell Crowe and Clanranald Trust
Russell Crowe and Clanranald Trust PDF Print E-mail
Written by Charlie Allan   
Monday, 16 May 2011 07:54
New Zealand actor Russell Crowe and Charlie Allan first met on the set of Gladiator in 1999, where they became friends  and have kept in touch ever since.

More recently they both had a chance to work together again on Ridley Scott's epic blockbuster movie Robin Hood.

Charlie is the Chief Executive of The Clanranald Trust for Scotland, who are currently building a full size motte and bailey medieval village in the Carron Valley, near Stirling.

The fortified village is based on an early Clan Chief's residence dating from the early 11th Century.

Charlie came up with the idea in 1994, whilst having a drink with some biker buddies in Edinburgh.

Many years of work have taken place since then; finding a proper site, recruiting volunteers, and more importantly raising a vast amount of funds to keep such a project moving forward.

Charlie says, ' Russell has always been interested in what we are doing.'

The village was named Duncarron after the Carron Valley, where since 2008, a huge amount of building work has been achieved.

Amongst the volunteers are people who are long term unemployed, and some are serving out Community service orders.

Charlie was astonished in 2010, when after the filming of Robin Hood, Russell paid for and donated the massive battering ram nicknamed ' Rosie ' to the project. It will feature as one of the main exhibts when the village opens to the public next year.'

"Russell is the only guy on the planet I look up to," said Charlie. "He is pleasant, generous and a great laugh."

Mr Crowe last night caused a world -wide media storm when he started tweeting about Duncarron and the Clanranald Trust for Scotland. In several posts he describes the project as awesome, also posting links to photographs and website's about the Duncarron project.

'I would like to say a huge thank-you to Russell for his ongoing interest, support and encouragement in our project,' said Charlie.' It means an awful lot to us.'
Last Updated on Thursday, 17 November 2011 13:27