BaMMOT AGM
BaMMOT’s Annual General Meeting took place at the Museum on Saturday 19 June 2004. The Trustees presented an Annual Report, Commercial & Collections Report, Site Developments Report and a Finance Report. There was then an opportunity for members to question the Trustees on these and other matters.
Much of the events of the past year, covered by the various reports, have already been reviewed in Omnibus. However, one item not mentioned previously is that while Paul Gray will remain as the Trustee with overall responsibility for finance, Geoff Jones will now be dealing with the day-to-day book-keeping. Meanwhile, the Site Developments Report looked at the Museum’s future.
The current status was that BaMMOT had all the planning permission that was needed, an application had been submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund on 1 February 2004 (a large file with a copy of the application was demonstrated) and the Blueline building for spares storage was almost complete. Work that had to be done included completing the Blueline building and transferring stores to it, removing the prefab and the destination blind store (at the end of the cafeteria/shop), and removing at least two of the railway carriages. This would allow space to construct a new building with space for up to twenty-four vehicles, together with the construction of a new loop road and paths.
Feedback from the Heritage Lottery Fund had been reasonably favourable and their expert advisor had visited the site. Also, Julie Kirkbride, MP for Bromsgrove, had visited recently and intended to write in support of our application. However, a decision from the Heritage Lottery Fund was not expected before September. Therefore it now appeared that the new hall would not be built until the winter of 2005/6, rather than over this winter.
Meanwhile, the Heritage Lottery Fund had asked BaMMOT to consider two areas, in terms of what was offered to the public.
The first was the range of display, which needed a broader approach than just Midland Red in the new hall. Therefore, the intention was to upgrade the display in the Scania Hall, for example by relocating some vehicles to create more space. Meanwhile the Shire Hall would be used as a vehicle store and workshop area, and possibly remain closed to the public on all but the major open days.
The second area was a need for more formal links with education. Advice had been taken, and there had been some discussions with schools. The delay in building work would allow more time for this to be planned, and the extra space in the new hall and the reorganised Scania Hall would be a benefit to taking parties around the Museum.
At the end of the meeting Mike Jordan proposed a vote of thanks to the Trustees, to which members responded with a round of applause!
Andrew Gardner
Please note - Any member who was not at the meeting but would like a copy of the written reports should contact the Trustees.
Chapel Lane, Wythall, Worcs B47 6JX
Tel : 01564 826471 e-mail us
A registered educational charity no 507191
