Nidderdale Museum is planning to reopen over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
Reopening of the award-winning museum, which is housed in the Old Workhouse in King Street Pateley Bridge, has been delayed because many of its volunteers remained in self-isolation when the government gave permission for heritage attractions to open in early July.
Now, however, the museum reports that after a good response to its plea for more volunteer stewards, work carried out to make the building COVID secure and some financial help from Museum Development Yorkshire, the reopening is scheduled for 1.30pm on Saturday, August 29.
The museum is located in The Old Workhouse
Beyond then, the visitor attraction – a past winner of the National Heritage Museum of The Year Award – plans to continue to open every Saturday and Sunday throughout the autumn and winter, depending on government restrictions on social distancing and availability of stewards.
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Last month, Sue Welch, chair of Nidderdale Museum, told the Stray Ferret about the practical issues faced by organisations that are heavily reliant upon volunteers to remain open. She said:
“There are various other museums in Yorkshire that are saying they are likely to have the same problems because many of their volunteers are over 70. I am afraid it is a known issue. People that volunteer are often older people and particularly museum volunteers.”
Visitors will be required to wear face coverings, a one-way system will be in place, and only one group of visitors will be allowed in each of the museum’s 10 rooms at any one time, ensuring contact with others will be minimal. All groups will be asked to sign in with their contact details.
Nidderdale Museum has a collection of exhibits, illustrating different aspects of life and work in Nidderdale through the ages.
Ripon Cathedral takes step towards £6m extensionRipon Cathedral has taken the first step towards seeking approval for a £6 million extension of the ancient building.
If successful, plans which will be submitted to Harrogate Borough Council (HBC) following public consultation, would see the first major extension in hundreds of years, for a building containing the oldest built fabric of any English cathedral – St Wilfrid’s crypt – dating back to 672 AD.
The church attracts visitors and pilgrims from around the world and in autumn 2019, launched the Ripon Cathedral Renewed project.
Key elements of the plan are the provision of toilets. which will include Ripon’s only adult changing room; a cafe and creation of rehearsal space for Ripon Cathedral Choir, which currently rehearses in a former burial vault.
With the provision of new storage space, it is also intended that large areas within the cathedral will be opened up to the public for the first time in centuries.
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An initial approach has been made to the council and the Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev John Dobson, told The Stray Ferret:
“We are at an early stage of our formal engagement with HBC as we look to develop our plans and work out what would be needed for a planning application.”
He added:
“There will be a presentation of plans in the cathedral from mid-August – showing people where our thinking has got to and asking for their comments.”
The plans are part of the cathedral’s strategic vision Growing God’s Kingdom which aims to see the cathedral as a force for good, serving both the church and wider community – locally, regionally and nationally.
When the Ripon Cathedral Renewed project was launched, Dean John (pictured above), said:
“It is clear that the development of the cathedral is vital to bring this national treasure into the 21st century.
“As custodians of this fantastic building we are only too aware of the legacy we uphold. We have this ancient history, this wonderful architecture – what we haven’t got are the facilities that people need.
“Each generation has, over 13 centuries, taken on what has been handed to it and made its own contributions. We take none of this for granted and we have a responsibility, in our generation, to make our contribution now.”
He added:
“Over the last few years it has become increasingly obvious to a growing number of people that the development of Ripon Cathedral is vital as we seek to serve the communities of the region now and in the future.”
Ripon Museum Trust receives £40,000 Lottery boost
Ripon Museum Trust has received £40,100 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to safeguard its heritage buildings and provide much-needed support for essential costs during the coronavirus crisis.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown began, Ripon Museum Trust has been without the visitors, volunteers and staff essential to the upkeep of the three museums – The Workhouse Museum & Garden, The Courthouse Museum and the Prison & Police Museum.
Helen Thornton, director of Ripon Museum Trust said:
“Thanks to the National Lottery and its players we are in a much stronger position to emerge the other side of the pandemic with the strength to welcome visitors again and to reach out to our audiences. We’re grateful that The National Lottery Heritage Fund is supporting us at this crucial time – it’s a lifeline to us and others who are passionate about sustaining heritage for the benefit of all.”
The emergency funding has come from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which has made £50 million available to assist those most in need across the heritage sector.
The UK-wide fund will address both immediate emergency actions and help organisations to start thinking about recovery.
Ros Kerslake, chief executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:
“Heritage has an essential role to play in making communities better places to live, supporting economic regeneration and benefiting our personal wellbeing. All of these things are going to be even more important as we emerge from this current crisis.”
She added:
“Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players we are pleased to be able to lend our support to organisations such as Ripon Museum Trust during this uncertain time.”
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Like Ripon Museum Trust, other charities and organisations across the UK that have been affected by the unprecedented impact of the coronavirus outbreak are being given access to a comprehensive package of support of up to £600 million of repurposed money from The National Lottery. This money is supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and spans the arts, community, charity, heritage, education, environment and sports sectors.
Through National Lottery players, £30 million is raised every week for good causes, including heritage of local and national importance.
Museum buildings across the Harrogate district remain closed, but at the weekend Ripon Workhouse Museum launched the ‘Inside Out Museum Trail’ which will see its Front Garden, Master’s Garden and Victorian Kitchen Garden open to the public on selected days in June and July. Places on the trail are limited to ensure social distancing is maintained and booking is via the Museum Trust’s website.
Ripon Workhouse Museum to open gardens experienceNo museums in the Harrogate district will be re-opening their indoor facilities to the public on 4th July, but there will be one new museum experience in Ripon from today (Friday 26th June).
The dates for re-opening of museums in Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon and Nidderdale, are to be confirmed – in part because volunteers involved in the day to day running of the facilities need to be available.
However, Ripon Workhouse Museum, run by charity Ripon Museum Trust, will re-open its gardens to the public from today.
The ‘Inside Out Museum Trail’ will see the gardens of the former workhouse in Allhallowgate, open on selected days during June and July, with pre-booked timed slots to ensure that visits are spread out through the day so the site does not exceed a safe capacity.
The trail will help visitors discover features of the Workhouse Museum from the outside as well as an opportunity of enjoying the Front Garden, the Master’s Garden and the Victorian Kitchen Garden.
The Royal Pump Room in Harrogate remain closed
The museum buildings will not be open to the public, but a peak inside the windows will give a glimpse of how people lived in the workhouse. Some of the exhibits, photographs of life in the Workhouse and information boards have been moved nearer to the inside of the museum windows, so people can see them from the outside.
Director of Ripon Museum Trust, Helen Thornton, said:
“We wanted to open up our beautiful outdoor spaces at the Workhouse Museum for all to enjoy as soon as it was allowed and safe to do so. The Workhouse site has so much to tell us about how the poor lived and inspires us to think about these issues today.”
The Prison and Police Museum and The Courthouse Museum which are also run by Ripon Museum Trust, but re-opening dates are yet to be announced.
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There is also no opening date for the Nidderdale Museum in Pateley Bridge.
Museum chair Sue Welch, said:
“Our re-opening date is under discussion, but it won’t be July 4, as we have some matters to resolve first regarding staffing.”
A spokesman for Harrogate Borough Council, said that no dates have yet been agreed for the reopening of the Royal Pump Room, Knaresborough Castle and Courthouse Museum and Mercer Gallery.