Museum looks to the future
West Lothian’s award- winning Military Museum Scotland is in its fourth year and continues to grow from strength to strength despite all the Covid-19 restrictions and closures this year.
The attraction hopes to reopen again in January, with lots of new things and collections to see.
2020 started off looking like it was going to be a great year at the museum, with both January and February seeing record numbers of visitors to the museum, partly thanks to being awarded The Scottish Tourist Attraction of the Year 2019.
A year of events had been planned not just to raise funds and create awareness about the museum, but also to commemorate important historical events, sadly the museum had to cancel all of the planned events, however these and more exiting events have been planned for 2021.
Due to restrictions. the attraction has been closed for over 28 weeks this year and that has had a huge impact on the museum, both in visitor numbers and in much needed income to ensure the museum survives.
Despite this, 2020 saw it launch a few great projects and initiatives.
The Military Museum Scotland Restoration Group was formed for military veterans to get involved in restoring military vehicles, while the Boots on the Ground project, with help and support from The Coop Funeral Care, aims to record and archive veterans personal stories from WWI to present day.
Audio, video and written stories are recorded from veterans themselves or from family members remembering the stories they were told.
This archive will then be produced in video and books for use by educational establishments.
Veterans Hub Scotland (VHS) was recently set up following the news that one of the major military charities paid of 140 staff and cancelled one of their main veterans project. VHS aims to fill that gap by offering veterans a safe place to go for help and support.
Military Museum Scotland has always been a hub for veterans, so Veterans Hub
Scotland is just a natural progression.
VHS aim is to help veterans re integrate into society, offering fellowship and advice as well as putting them in touch with other military charities if they are in need of more professional help.
Veterans Hub Scotland is based at Military Museum Scotland in Wilkieston, at the Sight Scotland Veterans Linburn estate. VHS is available every day the museum is open, with plans to have a dedicated phone line for veterans to get in touch out with these hours.
Ian Inglis, the founder/manager/curator of Military Museum Scotland has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the museum changes and expands to keep it exciting so that visitors keep returning to see all the changes.
He said: “Despite the closure due to Covid, the museum is a hub for veterans now and we have to continue to be there for them, as well as being a unique educational resource, we are a hub for veterans.
“Veterans rely on us being there now and get so much out of coming to the museum, that was one of the main reasons I had to set up Veterans Hub Scotland.
“We aim to reach out to veterans throughout Scotland offering help, support and fellowship via our planned events at the museum and mobile exhibition.”
December will see Military Museum Scotland, Veterans Hub Scotland and SSAFA, working together, delivering Christmas food hampers to veterans who may need an extra hand this year.
Ian continued: “This is an annual event by SSAFA, and we are proud to get involved and help out at this time of year, especially this year where more and more veterans will be struggling to cope.
“We are looking to roll this out throughout the year working with other veterans charities, more will be revealed next year.”
Military Museum Scotland is always needing volunteers to help out in the museum and with fundraising. Like all charities, especially now, Military Museum Scotland needs help. If you can offer any help, please get in touch with them at milmussco@ aol.co.uk.