Category: British Motor Museum

1. BMIHT wins support from Heritage Lottery Fund for a £4 million project‏

   Posted on 10:29am Wednesday 26th Mar 2014

   The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, based at the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon, Warwickshire has been awarded a Round Two grant of £1.45 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for its Museum Collections Centre project, it was announced today. The award is the culmination of more than 2 years work to develop plans for a new building in which to store and display more than 200 historic British cars from the collections of both the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust and its partner the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust.

   The £4 million project received initial support from HLF in 2011, and the latest HLF grant, together with match funding from Jaguar Land Rover, The Garfield Weston Foundation and both Trusts, will enable work on this exciting new project to begin in the spring of 2014.

   The new Museum Collection Centre will enable people to view many cars from the reserve collections of both Trusts for the first time in a purpose-built facility which will also include a vehicle restoration and conservation workshop and space for enhanced education and lifelong learning programmes. In addition, the project will also include an ambitious programme of activities aiming to involve people locally and regionally through outreach and learning events. It will also aid the further development of the Trust’s existing volunteer programme which allows people to become more involved with the collection, by helping with its conservation and interpretation.

   Tim Bryan, Head of Collections & Interpretation at the Heritage Motor Centre said: "We are delighted that, with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, Jaguar Land Rover and our other partners, this exciting project will become a reality. It will allow us to make our collections far more accessible and will enable people to learn more about the motor industry, which has played such an important role in the West Midlands".

   Reyahn King, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund for the West Midlands said: “We are delighted to support this project that not only provides a new and improved display and storage venue for these historic cars, but also creates opportunities for more people to learn about their conservation."

2. Heritage Motor Centre installs life-saving Defibrillator‏

   Posted on 6:59am Tuesday 11th Mar 2014

   Following on from ‘National Heart Month’ in February, the Heritage Motor Centre has installed a defibrillator and trained all 16 of their first aiders in life-saving CPR. Visitors are now safe in the knowledge that if they suffer a cardiac arrest on site then their survival rates are significantly increased. Survival rates out of hospital are currently only about 10%. Survival rates reach as high as 75% when patients get the right care quickly enough.

   A defibrillator can be used to deliver an electric shock to the heart when someone is having a cardiac arrest. Last month, researchers examining the use of defibrillators across England said knowledge about them and their use was "disappointingly low". Experts found that fewer than 2% of people suffering a cardiac arrest were treated with the device before an ambulance arrived. The British Heart Foundation estimates that 60,000 cardiac arrests occur out of hospital every year across the UK.

   Tom O’Reilly, Operations Manager at the Heritage Motor Centre stated "We are really pleased to be able to offer life-saving CPR in the event of anyone suffering from a cardiac arrest whilst on-site. Having this equipment can significantly cut the amount of time a cardiac arrest sufferer has to wait for life-saving support and therefore gives them the best possible chance of survival."

   For more information about the Heritage Motor Centre please visit www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk or call 01926 641188

3. Aston Martin project volunteers learn how to make history at Gaydon event‏

   Posted on 8:10am Wednesday 5th Feb 2014

   On Friday 31 January, the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (BMIHT) held a training event for volunteers participating in their ‘Aston Martin - A Century of Craftsmanship’ project at the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, near Warwick.

   The ‘Aston Martin - A Century of Craftsmanship’ project is led by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust with generous support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Aston Martin Lagonda, Aston Martin Works, Aston Martin Heritage Trust and Aston Martin Owners Club. The aim is to bring together current and former Aston Martin employees, to tell the behind-the-scenes history of Aston Martin.

   Aston Martin Lagonda employees have volunteered their own time to take part in the Project and attend training events. Volunteers learnt about oral history and how to interview people using recording equipment. Julia Letts, an Oral History Society trainer introduced the training by saying “Oral history gives a voice to those people who often don’t get the opportunity to tell their stories”.

   The volunteers will start by interviewing each other and then arrange interviews with people who are keen to share their stories of life at Aston Martin. The volunteer group will be supported by the Project team from the BMIHT Archive, where the recordings will be deposited for posterity, enabling future generations to learn about their industrial heritage.

   The Heritage Motor Centre Gaydon near Warwick is currently hosting an ‘Aston Martin – A Century of Craftsmanship’ exhibition until December 2014. Admission to this exhibition is included within the standard museum entry fees.
   
   www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk

4. Aston Martin project volunteers learn how to make history at Newport Pagnell event‏

   Posted on 10:06am Tuesday 4th Feb 2014

   On Tuesday 21 January, the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (BMIHT) held a training day for volunteers participating in their ‘Aston Martin - A Century of Craftsmanship’ project. Aston Martin Works kindly hosted this event in their new Heritage building, formerly known to many as ‘Olympia’.

   The ‘Aston Martin - A Century of Craftsmanship’ project is led by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust with generous support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Aston Martin Lagonda, Aston Martin Works, Aston Martin Heritage Trust and Aston Martin Owners Club. The aim is to bring together current and former Aston Martin employees, to tell the behind-the-scenes history of Aston Martin.

   Current and former Aston Martin employees learnt about oral history and how to interview people using recording equipment. Roger Kitchen, an Oral History Society trainer and co-founder of the Living Archive in Milton Keynes introduced the day’s training by saying, “Everybody has a story to tell”.

   The volunteers along with a similar group from Aston Martin Lagonda’s Gaydon headquarters will start by interviewing each other and then arrange interviews with people who are keen to share their stories of life at Aston Martin. The volunteer group will be supported by the Project team from the BMIHT Archive, where the recordings will be deposited for posterity, enabling future generations to learn about their industrial heritage.

   The Heritage Motor Centre Gaydon near Warwick is currently hosting an ‘Aston Martin – A Century of Craftsmanship’ exhibition until December 2014. Admission to this new exhibition is included within the standard museum entry fees.

   www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk

5. Enjoy a week of 'Auto Science Live' at the Heritage Motor Centre!

   Posted on 5:25pm Monday 13th Jan 2014

   The Heritage Motor Centre is inviting families to enjoy a fun packed week of ‘Auto Science Live’ during the February half term. The event, which runs from the 15 – 23 February, features a range of free activities bringing automotive engineering and the science behind it to life. Included are family Story-telling tours as well as drop in sessions and workshops to inspire children of all ages. Every day children can get ‘hands-on’ and test their powers of observation with the Auto Science Trail.  There is something different going on every day.

   ‘Mad Science’ is brought to life on the Monday at 11am and 1pm for a 45 minute show full of cool interactive demonstrations and hands on activities where visitors can feel the power of what science is all about. Back by popular demand ‘Lego Technics’ takes place on the Tuesday from 10:30am – 3pm when children can design, build and test their own Lego Technic machines. They can then race them along the ‘Heritage Track’ with the fastest car of the day winning the title ‘Champion Designer’ as well as a prize.

   Visitors up for a challenge can take part in Wheelie Lego on the Wednesday from 10:30am – 3pm. Children can become a HMC engineering apprentice for the day and try and engineer a Lego car to come down the ramp and travel as far as possible! ‘Auto Crafty’ takes place on the Thursday with some ‘hands on’ crafty activities from 10:30am – 3pm. To round off the week visitors can enjoy a fast and furious hour setting their lap time on the fun sized Scalextrix race track with Mighty Fast Friday from 10:30pm – 3pm.

   Emma Rawlinson, Life Long Learning Officer for the Heritage Motor Centre stated “We are delighted to be hosting a week of family fun Auto Science Live activities with all of them designed to entertain but also educate. Not only do our activities include something for all ages, but all are free of charge!”

   All activities are FREE of charge but normal Museum entry fees apply: Adults £12, Child £8 (5-16 years) under 5 free, Concessions £10 & Family £34 (2 adults & up to 3 children). Buy one day and get 12 months free if you Gift Aid your entrance. For more information about the HMC please visit www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk or call 01926 641188.