During the past year we have also had many visitors, Veteran Lucky McGinty and Veterans families, including Lauren Buono, Mike Robb and Eddie Lennon all where treated to a guided tour of the Museum and the airfield.
In May Rob Morris stayed with Alan Johnson for a week, researching for his forthcoming unit history of the 95th Bomb Group, Alan showed him the area, and the other bases of the 13th Combat Wing, Rob went back to the US with many local stories and memories from local people, we eagerly await his forthcoming publication.
Last November we hosted 78 children with teachers and staff from Hoxne Primary School and in December 46 children visited also with Teachers and Staff from Wilby Primary School, both Schools spent the whole day at The Red Feather Club studying the history of the airfield, drawing, writing poems and other related topics, also all pupils where treated to a Military Vehicle tour of the airfield.
Shirley Day has organised a young film making group, the group filmed and interviewed local people on the Grand Open Day and many others since, they have used The Red Feather Club on a regular, mostly weekly basis to edit and film features for the film they are making dedicated the 95th Bomb Group and the airfield, we must Congratulate Shirley and her team for this Very Worthwhile project with these young people, also to have preserved so many local stories.
We have also had visits from other Associations and Groups, in March the Friends of the 8th held their meeting at The Red Feather Club with some 30 members attending, in June Ian Bushnell organised a visit for 32 members of the Diss Air cadets, in July some 30 classic cars and their owners from the Vintage Minor Club visited the Club, and this month 30 members of the Lowestoft Aviation Society visited and attended on of our film shows.
The Association has been represented at many other Open Days, including Halesworth, Snetterton, Hethel, Flixton, the Mid Suffolk Light Railway at Brockford and the Horham Bygones Rally, our PX stall has been very successful as have draw ticket sales and new memberships, this has been due to the efforts of our committee members & their families giving up their weekends.
Bob Blunden has kindly applied for our Special Events Licences from Mid Suffolk District Council throughout the year, he has kindly managed “ Brads Bar”, the bar has been very well accepted and profitably for this Association and gives all our evening events a unique WW2 NCO club atmosphere, Thank You Bob for all your Hard Work, Help and Advice.
Last November this Association along with some 15 other Museums in East Anglia formed the East Anglian Military Museums Group, a website and flyer has been created and distributed to advertise our sites, contact details and open days to attract visitors, this proved to be Very Successful, all costs have been divided by the 15 Museums, this attracted many visitors who would not even know of our existence.
We have had strong support from our membership and friends, with some very generous financial donations, and artefacts from the Airfield, which are on display in the Museum, also 2 large collections of personal effects of 95th airman have been donated for our future displays.
The Red Feather Club Museum was also invited and subsequently joined the Association of Suffolk Museums in April.