A Trip Down South


                                    

One of my volunteer roles is as a Trustee of the Royal Military Police Museum. Today would have been our summer Trustee meeting so it seems appropriate dedicating this blog post to the fantastic team at the RMP Museum.

Based at Southwick Park in Hampshire, the Museum is close to my heart as it showcases the history of the Corps in which my dad served. For his 80th birthday, I took him on a visit and he was treated to a personal guided tour by the curator, Richard and his assistant, Matthew. Dad loved it, reminiscing about Army life and even recognising some of the equipment which was on display in the Museum. A few years ago the Museum Director asked if I would become a Trustee, a piece of news I excitedly shared with dad. He was really supportive, and it was that enthusiasm and the personal connection with the Corps which was the driver behind my acceptance.

It is a long way down south to the Museum and I have to stay overnight in the Officer's Mess. This lovely old building was Eisenhower's headquarters for D-Day, and the original large scale map is still on the wall in one of the rooms. I often wander into the village, stopping at the local pub, admiring the photos and artefacts that adorn the walls reminding drinkers of this unique period of history.

I thoroughly enjoy my role as a Trustee. I get to understand the running and management of the Museum from a different viewpoint. I always make time to visit the Museum and talk to the staff, to see what fabulous work they have been doing, and use this opportunity to discuss the Museum and share ideas. The role is one that connects both my full-time job with this volunteering role. A role which I feel both Museums benefit from. 

So as I sit here this evening, I will raise a glass to the staff and Trustees of the RMP Museum. I look forward to heading your way when it is safe and possible to do so.














Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Socially Distanced Alternative?

Image
Matchlock Musket or Brown Bess?  As debate rages whether the Prime Minister will reduce social distancing from 2m to 1m tomorrow, I think we may have the answer for our visitors. Like many other businesses, we at the Museum have a range of posters and floor stickers in production, hazard tape at the ready and a socially 2m safe layout in the pipeline. Or  perhaps we should consider alterna tives to ensure people don't get too close... Let me introduce you to the Brown Bess, o r 'British (Long) Land Pattern Musket' to give it  it's proper name,  used between 1722  and 1838. There are plenty of variations to this flintlock weapon, but at a metre and a half long, it is well on its way to being a useful tool in social distancing. Although the len gth of the Brown Bess did decrease during its long and illustrious history. The Brown Bess was the standard musket of the British military, used in battles such as Culloden and Waterloo. It was the first mass-produced weapon for th
Read more

Once a Guide, Always a Guide...

Image
T onight is another night out in the garden camping. Tonight we are having a Ranger Guide campout with all the girls either camping in their garden or inside their house. We have arranged a call at 7pm and may even burst into song with a virtual campfire. We have all arranged to photograph the evidence of our group sleep out and post it in our WhatsApp group. Luckily the weather is good and it is set to be a warm night so we shouldn't have many mishaps. We were due to go camping as a unit in July but this is unlikely to happen. It is good to encourage the girls to enjoy the great outdoors and camping is an excellent way to introduce them to this primitive way of living outside. I have camped since I was a Guide enjoying weekends, weeks and even longer camps all across the Country from Cornwall to Scotland, Yorkshire to Norfolk. Obviously the weather is a factor in making camp a wonderful experience but it is good to teach the girls that you can still have a great time in the wind a
Read more

Anti-Bacterial wipes for the Medieval Castle?

Image
As part of preparations for opening the Museum staff volunteered to go round the Castle to check out preparations for opening tomorrow.  Not everywhere on the site can be open (medieval castles are not known for social distancing) but one area that could prove interesting will be the dungeons in the Keep. These rooms are all the more fascinating as they are home to the infamous 'licking stones.' I was once asked by a friend to help with her infant class on a visit to the Castle. Obviously, they got all the spiel spiced with kiddie-friendly humour and when we entered to dungeons, I built up the tension and relayed the Jacobite 'licking stone' story. 'Errr' many of the kids commented when I shared the licking stone story 'that's horrible!' which why it was more surprising when one of the wee kids said to me 'Miss, miss. I've just licked the stones!' Joy, oh joy. Not sure that was on any risk assessment. Now I am not actively encouraging vis
Read more