Corinium Museum call for Volunteers
Volunteers are required to help give a new lease of life to an important Rural Life Collection. The Corinium Museum is working in partnership with the Cotswold Conservation Board (CCB) to preserve the Rural Life collection housed at the Discovery Centre in Northleach. A grant of £4000 has been awarded from the Association of Independent Museums (AIM) with contributions from the Cotswold Museums Charitable Trust to fund the project.
Free training sessions will take place later in the summer (date TBC) delivered by experienced conservator George Monger ACR. The training will be designed to show a team of volunteers safe preservation methods to clean and treat the Rural Life collection.
At the heart of the collection is a group of 23 farm wagons and carts, one of the largest publicly owned regional collections anywhere in the country. Of particular importance are the examples of Cotswold and Gloucestershire styles of traditional farm wagons. Made in village workshops, these reflect the topography and farming traditions of their area and are truly distinctive, including a fascinating mix of bow and box type wagons.
James Harris, Corinium Museum Collections and Engagement Officer says: “Volunteers will be at the centre of this project. This is a chance for local people who want to offer their time, learn some new skills, and to meet others with similar interests, all working towards a vitally important cause. It is my aim to develop a project which will run for consecutive summers. No prior experience necessary, other than a good level of fitness and a willingness to get stuck in.”
Richard Watson, Visitor, Events and Interpretation Officer at the CCB says: “It’s great news that the Corinium Museum have been successful in obtaining the funding for work to start on the rural life collection. This will offer an interesting volunteering opportunity for anyone looking to develop their engineering or conservation skills and work as part of a small team to improve the condition of the collection. It should be very satisfying to look back and see the difference the work has made.”
For more information and to sign up to the project please visit http://corinium.volunteermakers.org/ .
Explore Gloucestershire
19 June 2017
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