Museum volunteers praised for hard work

Rother council chief executive Derek Stevens praised the work of the Society of Bexhill Museums on Monday.

The council invested 900,000 in a 2m-plus expansion scheme which saw the opening of new costume and social history and motoring heritage galleries last year.

The Rother-owned building is run by the 500-member society. Volunteers man the reception area and shop and act as custodians, researchers and fund-raisers.

The Rother chief executive told museum board members on Monday that, together with Rother's Next Wave project, the museum was a key element in attracting visitors to Bexhill.

He was responding to society head of fund-raising John Betts at the launch of the museum's forward plan.

A forward plan is a key element in seeking external funding for future museum projects.

Mr Betts has developed the document on behalf of the society's board. The new plan will take the society forward to 2014, a big year for the museum when it will celebrate its centenary.

The forward plan stresses the future importance of audience development.

Mr Betts said museums were now seen as a service industry. Surveys indicated that it was not just museums' collections that were important but the friendliness with which visitors were greeted.

The forward plan highlighted the need to engage town organisations which didn't normally visit the museum.

This would require a commitment in both time and staffing.

The development of the society was therefore of prime importance if the museum was to continue to play an important role in the economy of the town.

Mr Betts said the society was developing a marketing strategy but economic restraints restricted its scope.

The Rother chief executive described the forward plan as "logical, sensible and I think very achievable."