Page 143 - Mercian Eagle 2012

The cheshire Military Museum
Curator: Maj (Retd) T E Pickering MBE Museum Officer: Caroline Mannion MA Museum Assistants: Ken Baker, Mark Leese
Museums are often considered to be sedate, almost stately places, where business is conducted quietly and steadily. In truth, it is the exact opposite and this year seems to have been more frenzied than ever before.
of what should be an interesting and educating project.
A great deal of our effort over the past year has been concentrated on preparing for Arts Council Accreditation, a necessary benchmark for the museum to continue to receive MOD support. This necessitated attendance at a number of seminars; this fell mainly to Caroline Mannion who digested all the information and came back to compose plans and policies for consideration
by the Trustees, who then dutifully approved them and work began on the actual submission document. We are now awaiting the decision of the Arts Council; if it is favourable, we can relax for a couple of years before having to do it all again.
Another major effort was the production of an exhibition to coincide with the 2012 London Olympics. Running from June to December, “Our Sporting
Life” concentrates on the sporting achievements of the Cheshire Regiment, the Cheshire Yeomanry and the Mercian Regiment and covers sport
from the Victorian era to the present day. The exhibition has been housed in the “War Horse” room, some of the exhibits of which have been
At the beginning of the year
and with the centenary of The
Great War fast approaching,
our Curator had a CORGI
(Curator’s Original Really Good
Idea) and thought that all the
organisations in the local area
should work together to show,
in complementary exhibitions,
how the whole community
were affected and how the
after effects are still being
experienced in the modern
day. A number of keepers
of local heritage were invited to a meeting and a fruitful discussion took place which resulted in the creation of “Chester Remembers”. Best of all, the local authority have assumed responsibility and will develop the idea ready for mid-2014. Clearly the Cheshire Military Museum will be an important part
At the beginning of the year and with the centenary of The Great War fast approaching, our curator had a cOrGi...
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