In recent weeks the Pilgrims Gallery has welcomed some very special visitors! We hosted our first school group – a group of school councillors – and a group of Cub Scouts working towards their Local History badge. The children loved hearing a sample of William Brewster’s stories in the study, with images from his life flickering magically in the fire; playing with the games in the gallery space and following a trail to answer quiz questions.
The School Councillors were a vanguard group testing out the Gallery for future class visits. They seemed to approve and we hope to see them again as we are getting bookings and enquiries from schools to visit, host our engagement officer and borrow the education boxes we are developing. On the 7th of November, we are holding a drop-in for teachers at the Pilgrims Gallery where they can find out more and meet the team.
William Brewster’s mirror in the Gallery was ideal for the Cub Scouts who needed to find out about the life of a famous local person from history. While at the Musuem, the Cub Scouts also created a plan of the town and found out about Retford’s town crest in order to gain their local history badge.
“The Cubs and their families enjoyed their visit.”
Cub Scout Leader
During half term the Museum ran lots of activities for young and young at heart visitors, including some with a Mayflower Pilgrim theme. One day our Heritage Engagement Officer led sessions making broomsticks based on 17th century besoms. Through the course of the day, dozens of besoms were made and the sessions were extremely popular.
“It was great fun helping the kids make their besoms and we had a very busy day!”
Rob, Heritage Engagment Officer
Illuminate Lantern Making
A lantern making workshop also took place at the Museum during half term, with dozens of children creating fabulous willow lanterns which they are invited to bring to the Illuminate parade in Retford. Illuminate parades will be taking place across the Pilgrim Roots region in November with events at: Gainsborough (16th November); Bawtry (17th November); Boston (21st of November); Retford (22nd of November); and Worksop (27th of November)! There will be more willow lantern sessions taking place in some schools across the region after half term.
Lanterns were also created at Ordsall Church’s Spooky Spectacular Halloween party. The congregation and Bassetlaw Museum staff had been saving milk bottles for weeks ready for this special kind of recycling – the kind that involves coloured cellophane, glue and glow-sticks! A member of the Gallery’s staff was on hand to encourage creativity, do the fiddly bits of tying string and remind the children, plus their grownups, about the parades in November.
“We had some cutting and sticking experts this evening: all the lanterns look amazing! If families come along to the Illuminate parades, their lanterns can be supplied with LED lights to make them even more spectacular than they are now.”
Isabelle, Project Support Officer
The Teachers Day drop in is from 10am-6pm at the Pilgrims Gallery (DN22 6LD) on the 7th of November – tea and coffee will be provided and all local educators are especially welcome.