Chiltern Open Air Museum’s Big Community Ask

As the festive season approaches, local charity, Chiltern Open Air Museum (COAM) is asking the community to support them by purchasing a gift from their wish list. As an independent charity, they have to raise all their own income to keep the museum operating and continue the conservation and community work that they do.

Chiltern Open Air Museum’s Chief Executive, Martin Curtis, said: ‘With costs continually rising and a lot of wet weather this year (which is not good if you’re an outdoor museum) it has become more challenging to generate the income we need to keep everything going. We’re asking you to dig deep and support us.’

COAM has recently been commended in the Tourism South East Beautiful South Awards for its accessible tourism. It is known for its award-winning education programme, where immersive workshops are led by costumed educators to over 10,000 school children a year. As an educational charity, COAM distributes bursaries to local schools that have a high number of pupils with additional needs and those in receipt of the Pupil Premium, which enables them to visit.

The outdoor museum is known as a place for community wellbeing. In a recent survey to its cohort of over 200 volunteers, 100% of the responses received said that volunteering onsite improved their wellbeing. The positive impact of COAM’s Accompanied Walks programme, saw them win the Best Local Social Prescribing Project award. The project has supported the wellbeing of over 750 local people experiencing a range of conditions including social isolation, dementia and bereavement, as well as unpaid carers.

The 45-acre site with its collection of 37 historic buildings, heritage craft demonstrations and vast events programme full of re-enactment battles and living history has earned a Trip Advisor Travellers’ Choice Award.

If you’re in a position to support this community asset, then you can find the museum’s wish list at www.coam.org.uk/coam-wish-list.

The museum closes to the public for much of the winter, but opens up for a special Festive Weekend on 7 and 8 December.