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Volunteers are buffing up at Snibston
Posted on 26/11/09
Community Services
Local residents are bringing a new shine to a unique exhibit which is part of the permanent displays at the County Councils award-winning regional museum of science and technology.
Working with specialist staff at Snibston, volunteers have been learning how to clean and conserve the 121 year old Shepshed Fire Engine.
As part of their initial training the group worked first on the very rare Merry Weather fire engine because it was larger and easier to work with. They have been trained how to handle large exhibits, on health and safety and the use of appropriate materials and cleaning methods for these invaluable museum exhibits.
Working with the Councils Next Step Project based at the Springboard Centre in Coalville, this special volunteering opportunity has been organised by the Volunteering, Internships & Placements (VIP) project which is hosted at Snibston. Funded by Leicestershire Together, VIP provides cultural and environmental volunteering opportunities across North West Leicestershire. Since August the project has already had some remarkable achievements, including the creation of 35 regular volunteering roles, encouraging 63 young people to become volunteers for the first time, and racking up over 800 hours of volunteering activity across North West Leicestershire.
This restoration project represents a unique opportunity for member of the community with specific needs to get involved with caring for their heritage, learning more about the past and to develop new skills and experience that will help them to become more independent.
As one of the volunteers said "I am a volunteer at Snibston and I work on the very old fire engines. When weve finished cleaning the brass you can see your face in it. Ive learnt all about the history and its interesting because my granddad used to be in the pit so I feel like I know more about his life now."
And visitors to Snibston have also welcomed the opportunity to see more of the work that usually goes on behind the scenes.
One visitor from Birmingham said "Its been great to chat with the volunteers about the fire engine today. I know more about it than I would have done now. Their enthusiasm has made us smile". Another visitor from Wiltshire commented that "Its really good to see volunteers actually working on and interacting with the exhibits. It brings them to life and has made my visit more fun."
During 2010, when Snibston celebrates its 18th birthday, other volunteers will be able to help restore and care for more of the Countys unique industrial and aviation heritage. Examples include the earliest surviving, locally-made Auster light aircraft, a Butchers cart from 1900, a 1920s Bakers Van and Jingling Geordie the 1915 Marshall steam traction engine.
David Sprason, County Council Member for Adult Social Care and Health said: "The feedback from the volunteers involved in this project has been fantastic. They are proud that they are doing a good job for the community, and volunteering with VIP has given them a real sense of achievement and a unique opportunity to meet new people whilst developing a range of practical and interpersonal skills."
Ernie White, County Council Cabinet Member for Museums, said: "Volunteering is integral to what we do at the Council and Snibston in particular, which has fantastic track record of providing opportunities to people of all ages, amounting to over 400hrs a year. There is so much that we can offer with regard to transferable skills development, training and experience at Snibston with our regionally and nationally important historic collections. The VIP project is enabling us and other organisations, such as the National Forest, to take this to a new and economically valuable level."
Ends
Notes to editor
1. Contact details
For further information, please contact Sarah Oakden-Nancarrow on 01530 278 444, or visit www.snibston.com.
2. Photo opportunity
The group will be meeting on 1st December and there will be an opportunity to photograph the group with the exhibits and Members. Cleaning will take place between 11am and 1pm and certificates will be presented to the volunteers at 1pm.
3. Snibston visitor figures
In 2008/9 Snibston achieved 98,043 paying visitors, and almost 30,000 visitors to the country park and free exhibitions, and this year to date has seen a 4% increase in visitors. Year on year, since 2005 there has been a 37.6% increase in paid admissions.
4. Volunteering, Internships and Placements project
Volunteering, Internships & Placements (VIP) project runs until March 2011 and is funded by Leicestershire Together. It is working in partnership with organisations including NWLDC, Stephenson College, Connexions, emda, the National Forest, Leicestershire Constabulary and Voluntary Action Leicestershire.
5. More about the Collections
Shepshed Engine, 1888
This horse drawn engine was brought to Shepshed from London by the Shepshed Fire Brigade in 1914 following a serious fire in 1913.
Merry Weather Fire engine
Built in 1939 and used as a Mines Rescue vehicle in Ashby until 1950, when it was sold to Leicester Fire Brigade and later became a training vehicle. Very rare and only one of three vehicles of its kind the others were located on the Royal estate at Sandringham and Morris Motors.
Auster light aircraft featuring in a re-display at Snibston
Austers were built at Thurmaston and Rearsby in Leicestershire between 1939 and 1965 by Taylorcraft "England" Ltd. Registered as a company on 21st November 1938, the first planes were produced in February 1939. After a name change in 1948 (to Auster Aircraft Ltd), the Auster became the first post-war civil light aeroplane to go into production. Over 4,000 were built and sold world wide for just over 1,000 each. During the Second World War, the Auster was successfully adapted for military purposes.
Jingling Geordie, 1915
Made by Marshalls of Gainsborough in the East Midlands, this steam traction engine spent much of its working life in Scotland before it was brought back to the Midlands in the 1940s.
Bakers Van, 1920s
Used in the Melton area by E. Allen a confectioner in Long Clawson.
Butchers Cart, c. 1900
Use by butcher E.W. Forryan in Wigston Magna.
Collections Online
To find out more about some of the County Councils historic collections please visit: http://museums.leics.gov.uk/collections-on-line/Latest News
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