Refurbishment of Adair Walk ……..
As many of you will have already read much of the Adair Walk has been closed since early summer due to weather damage rendering it unsafe.
Sadly whilst we have been able to repair part of it, the remainder is still closed as the museum can not afford to effect repairs to the whole length. In addition it is anticipated that this winter will see further deterioration of the boardwalk.
A friend of the museum has kindly raised a bid from the Aviva Community fund which, if successful, would enable us to repair the entire length, and secure it’s future for many years.
Decisions on these grants are made by public support, you can therefore assist us by registering and voting for us at the link below. Each person registering gets ten votes, you can use these all one one project (ours please!) or spread them across up to ten different ones.
The Adair Walk is a very popular feature at the museum, please assist us to re-open this in 2018.
Adair Walk Refurbishment Gallery
To vote you will need to register using the following link …… Register and Vote Link
Author:: Steve Bell – Chairman
Press Release from Aviva sent to the Local Media ……
Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum in Bungay needs your support to secure vital funding !
Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum are fighting to save and restore a raised boardwalk located within their grounds, so this beautiful nature walk can be reopened for the benefit of the local community and visitors to the museum. To help save the boardwalk the Museum is calling for the support of the local community to help win funding as part of the Aviva Community Fund initiative.
Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum are relying on votes to increase their chances of winning funding of up to £10,000 which they hope will help them to restore the Adair boardwalk, so it can be regenerated and restored safely for public use. Only projects with the most votes will become finalists, so additional support is vital.
The Adair walk offers a peaceful stroll along a raised boardwalk to the River Waveney. Winding through a willow plantation it stretches for 320 meters and is wide enough to provide wheelchair access. It opens onto a staging area, overlooking the river bank and has seating from which the beautiful and tranquil location can be enjoyed. Countless wild plants also line the walk and they attract butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies together with a variety of birds and other wildlife.
Over the last twelve months the boardwalk has deteriorated rapidly. Numerous decaying floorboards and rotting sections of the handrails has compromised its safety. At the end of summer the boardwalk was closed to the public.
The closure is a sad loss as the walk was a popular attraction and provided a natural space for visitors to enjoy. Unless funding can be secured the boardwalk will remain closed. The risk is the structure will decline further and this beautiful nature walk will be lost forever.
Therefore the Museum has submitted a bid to Aviva Community Funding programme hoping to secure funding of £10,000 to pay for the cost of the materials.
It’s a considerable sum of money which the museum simply doesn’t have. It does however, have a team of volunteers willing to donate their labour for free, to deliver the project if they are fortunate to win but to do so they will need the support of the local community and for them to vote.
To provide a little background information, The Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum was first opened in 1972 and has an extensive collection of aviation items. It currently has sixty whole or part aircraft on display together with 50,000 artifacts which provide a history of aviation in East Anglia. It also has several crashed World War II aircraft exhibited, which were recovered from the local area. Thus, the museum plays an important role in preserving local heritage for future generations.
Around 25,000 people visit the museum each year, not just from the local community but from all round the country. The museum is very inclusive and welcomes visits from Scout groups, residential homes, disabled and school parties.
For children it can really bring classroom learning to life, they can experience sitting in replica Anderson shelter, listen to the eerie sound of an air raid siren and even try on a gas mask.
What makes the museum particularly special is it’s a registered charity and run by a team of volunteers. Around 40 people generously donate their time, knowledge and skills free to preserve and share history.
The museum does not charge an entrance fee for admission relying solely on donations to cover its running costs. Therefore when large maintenance projects arise, like restoring the Adair boardwalk, the museum doesn’t have any spare budget. This is why winning Aviva’s funding is so important.
A visit to the museum is a compelling day out which appeals to all generations and the Adair Boardwalk is an integral part of the experience. Its regeneration supports the core values of the museum, to restore and preserve history and nature leaving a legacy for future generations to enjoy. Please help us get back on the boardwalk by voting for us today !
Stephen Bell, Chairman of the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum says: “As a registered charity we have very limited budget so Aviva’s funding would be an incredible boost. It would enable us to return a spectacular nature walk back to the community to enjoy so we really do need public support and for everyone to vote, together we can do this !”
To get behind Norfolk and Suffolk aviation museum and help make a difference in your local community, visit https://community-fund.aviva.co.uk/voting/project/view/17-3777 and submit your vote before 21 November 2017.
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