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Former miners create new underground experience at Snibston!
Posted on 09/02/11
Community Services
Former miners create new underground experience at Snibston!
Former coal miners from Leicestershire have gone back in time to re-create a new colliery experience for visitors at Leicestershire County Councils Snibston Discovery Museum!
In direct response to visitor feedback, the team including volunteers and staff have re-created the dark and cramped conditions of working underground. They have created a coal-face, pit pony stable and displayed mining equipment in one of the former Snibston Colliery buildings. The new colliery tour will open to the public from Saturday 19th February 2011.
Supported by the Volunteering, Internships and Placements (VIP) project and local businesses, the team is made up of ex-miners, staff from the museum and volunteers. The volunteers include an ex-miner and his son.
Over the past few years, the County Council run museum and heritage site has been working with local people to preserve the heritage and memories associated with this once major industry. This work has involved recording interviews with former colliery workers, developing major plans for the preservation of the colliery buildings and new displays and learning programmes for schools.
Three years ago, with the support of the National Union of Mineworkers and the Heritage Lottery Fund, Snibston also re-started the traditional annual Miners Gala, which last year attracted over 3,500 visitors in one day. There is also a monthly programme of well-attended Miners Mornings with talks by experts on related subjects and themes.
Snibston is a major Leicestershire attraction and since opening in 1992, has had over two million visitors. In 2009/10, Snibston contributed over 2.3 million to tourism and the local economy.
The project also received support from local businesses J.S. Bloor, CPL Distribution and Hydra Engineers, who all provided a range of materials and equipment to help complete the project.
David Sprason, Leicestershire County Councils Cabinet Member for Adults and Communities, said:
"The colliery buildings at Snibston are of national importance and the museum itself is unique in the way that it preserves mining history for our future generations. Snibston continues to evolve and respond to the needs of visitors, working closely with local communities and businesses to achieve this.
"The new colliery tour offers visitors a unique and fascinating insight into what it was like to work as a miner and gives people an opportunity to experience this first-hand. Were really excited to see how visitors are going to respond to this."
Robert Bancroft, a former miner who helped with this project said:
"I volunteer because I want to keep local mining history alive. I worked in the local pits for many years and have specialist knowledge and skills to share. My son volunteers with me and I am lucky to be able to pass down this experience to him in a structured, secure and safe environment with an end result which will have a benefit to the local community."
Nigel Moore and Bryan Hallam, ex-miners and colliery guides at Snibston, said:
"All of us are constantly asked by visitors on the tour about going underground. Whilst it is not physically possible to go down the mine, this gives us the opportunity to share some of that experience with members of the public and local community."
Steve Gray, Chair of Coalville Town Centre Partnership, said:
"Snibston plays an important role in North West Leicestershire by attracting visitors who spend time and money in the area. Snibston is also a part of the regeneration plans for Coalville and helping to generate a sense of place and identity by preserving and celebrating the heritage of Leicestershire for generations to come."
Notes to the Editor
For photo/interviews please contact Permjit Mann, Press Office on: 0116 305 6242
Background information
VIP Project
VIP Project is funded by Leicestershire Together and provides volunteering and cultural activity across North West Leicestershire.
Snibston Colliery
The former Snibston Colliery, created by George Stephenson, was scheduled by the government as one of five nationally important sites in Britain in 1998.
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