March/April 2019

According to the calendar, winter is almost over so we thought it timely to update you on our activities and plans for the season 2019.

The Museum has the use of the charity shop unit in the High Street week commencing Wednesday 20^thMarch.  We are looking for donations of clean clothes, household items, books and pictures in good condition for sale with the Museum benefitting from the proceedings.  Last year we had an overwhelming amount of clothes donated for the shop week which then had to be dispersed around the other charity shops and outlets in the town and further afield which meant the Museum did not benefit from the donations. This year we have therefore decided to accept a limited number of clothes and ask you understand if we cannot take donations of clothing made after 4pm on Monday 25^thMarch. Anyone wishing to make donations of either goods or money can do so at the shop from Thursday 21^stMarch at 10.30am until 11am Wednesday 27th, or at the Museum on Thursday morning 14^thMarch between 10.30 and 12.30. Many thanks.

A call out to volunteers or friends of volunteers who can help us out for our selling days during that week to please email or phone Denise.

Sally Boyce placed a very useful press piece in Hereford Times about changes at the Museum and plans for the future once joined formally with the History Society. Many thanks Sally once again. We are also looking to have a piece in the Mid Wales Journal to promote our drive for more volunteers.

As we are already in March we need to confirm the Museum rota for our opening from Tuesday 23^rdApril onwards. Thanks again to all our great volunteers who helped us keep the doors open and visitors engaged from Easter to end September last season.

For those who wish to stay with the days they worked, please let me know as soon as possible and Ann can then work on the gaps we need to fill.

We are looking for volunteers to help with all kinds of tasks during our open season.  Whether you are interested in conducting research, helping with our cataloguing of artefacts and photographs, being part of the team on rota during April to end September, have a flair for display layout or possibly becoming an active member of our committee, do contact us either on Thursday mornings at the museum between 10.30 and 12.30, or email Denise, details as above. Or, by all means, pop into the shop during our week and we will be happy to talk about opportunities.

As you will all be aware by now, the Kington History Society as an entity has ceased to function, however, now supported by the Museum team, three events are confirmed and in future our posters will be carrying the banner of both logos. Our season opener is on Friday 29^thMarch with speaker Ellie Sømme talking about her father’s book of his escape from occupied Norway in 1944 and her and her sister’s emulation of his route in 2004. Ellie last visited KHS nine years ago and is a respected speaker and former broadcaster.  She spoke to a packed tent at Hay Festival in 2017!

On Friday 17^thMay we have Duncan James coming to talk about historical finds in Herefordshire and in July Alan Stoyel will be leading an excursion to local mills.  Always popular and early reservations of places advised. Details of this visit will be released as soon as possible. September onwards will be speakers yet to be confirmed but promotions for these will be made at our season early events. Whilst we are undertaking a review of the former KHS and Museum Membership schemes we would ask all to bear with us as we unify our membership lists, contact details and appreciate that we need to levy a small charge for the speaker events to help cover costs of venue hire, speaker fees etc. Current Members who have paid this year’s subscription should let the door team know on arrival at the 29^thMarch event.

At the event we will be asking for your suggestions about subjects or speakers for later in 2019 or early 2020.  If you cannot be there, please email me to let me know your ideas.

Our Museum Thursday working team have been refreshing our displays, cleaning cases and updating our catalogues. All volunteers are invited to come along on Wednesday 17th April at either 3-4 or 6-7 to refresh on what is on show, procedures for our open doors days and meet up with colleagues not seen since doors closed end September.  Email to confirm your attendance to Margaret Atkinson.

We look forward to seeing many of you, whether volunteers, Friends or supporters of the History Society and or Museum on 29^thMarch. We would really appreciate your continuing support as we move on into forming as one body. If you have skills we might use, please approach one of the Committee members. We are looking to boost our committee skills and number, and to engage those who can help us with short term pieces of work and research to enhance the appeal of the Museum and History Society functions.

Denise North and Members of Museum and History Society Committees