Museum Welcomes More Female Volunteers

Volunteer engineers at The Helicopter Museum now include a growing number of women keen to get involved in conservation and restoration work on the collection and to learn new skills for future careers in the military or aviation industry. 

One previous volunteer, Emily Stagg, has already completed her first year of obtaining an aeronautical engineering degree at Brighton University and the museum is currently hosting several new female volunteers including Lauren Shipway, who is studying Aerospace Engineering at Bath University. 

Volunteers Lauren Shipway and Linda Hamblyn

Other new volunteers, Linda Hamblyn and Azucena Sastre, work alongside the male volunteers, on the collection and in the archives, helping to build up the database of documentation and memorabilia held as part of the collection. Several female volunteers also work in The Museum's gift shop and café, where the friendly working environment has seen new friendships develop and social events organised outside The Museum.

Sharon Webber, The Helicopter Museum Assistant Manager said “We are keen to attract new volunteers of all ages, provided they are over 18. These ladies have demonstrated it isn’t just a male preserve and that the museum can equally provide interest and experience for women as well.”

 

Anyone interested in the work being carried out is welcome to contact Sharon at The Museum on 01934 635227 or email to helimuseum@btconnect.com    

Heroic museum volunteers mentioned online

The Helicopter Museum has always been lucky to have a large group of dedicated volunteers up for anything; the sad fact is volunteers rarely gain recognition outside the museum for their valiant efforts. The story of the Falklands event held earlier this year is one story that has managed to filter through to the wider museum community. Please follow the link below to read the story of how our volunteers saved the day! 

http://museumsatnight.wordpress.com/2012/07/04/battle-volunteers-helicopter-museum/ 

New Museum Newsletter

The first issue of a new museum newsletter was made available for the first time today. Please follow the link to check it out and tell us what you think!  

http://www.scribd.com/doc/98802301/Newsletter-Vol-1?secret_password=1p0tflk41g2714om84wi

HELIDAYS IS GO

The Helicopter Museum in Weston-super-Mare has confirmed that the 2012 Weston Super HeliDays fly-in and static helicopter display will take place over the weekend of 21^st - 22^nd July at the museum's Weston Airfield Site.

Already confirmed are the German Navy and participation from para-public agencies, in addition to a number of visiting civil helicopters from private and commercial operators.

The military aircraft are expected to arrive on Friday 20^th and to remain until departure early on Monday 23^rd July.

“We are very pleased to be keeping this long running aviation event alive, even though we have had to relocate it from the Beach Lawns due to the recession and rising costs.” Said Museum Restoration Manager Rod Holloway who has acted as Head Aircraft Marshaller at the event for the last ten years “Weston has almost 60 years of helicopter tradition, from manufacturing to the museum and we need to continue waving the flag for future generations.”