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Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum Is A Winner!

The Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire, scooped top honours in two categories at the Northamptonshire Heritage Awards, winning Best Event and The People’s Choice Award.

The awards, which are supported by Renaissance East Midlands, are a celebration of the work taking place in the county’s museums, heritage sites and historic houses. The winners were announced at a high profile ceremony at Kelmarsh House last night, Thursday 23 July 2010.

As part of the awards, members of the public were invited to vote for their favourite museum, historic house or heritage centre, with the Canal Museum winning this coveted accolade.

The Museum also won the hotly contested Best Event award for its popular ‘Village at War’ event. Organised by the Friends of the Canal Museum, the popular period event is now a firm fixture in the East Midlands calendar. Over the first weekend in October, the canal-side village is transported back to the 1940s with period re-enactments, tea dances, Lindy Hop dance demonstrations, vintage canal boats and displays of World War II military vehicles.

Louise Stockwin, Assistant Museum Manager, said: “We are absolutely delighted to win these two awards. Winning the People’s Choice Award is especially rewarding as it is fantastic recognition of the hard work put in by both the Friends of the Museum and staff to making the Canal Museum a lively, attractive and interesting place to visit. We are so pleased that so many people have enjoyed their visit to the Museum and Stoke Bruerne.”

David Blagrove, Chairman of The Friends of the Canal Museum said: “Winning two such prestigious awards is testimony to all the effort put in by volunteers and staff and is especially welcome after gaining a runner-up placing in the Community category of the Waterways Renaissance Awards earlier this year. We are delighted that so many people voted for the Museum, demonstrating that it is indeed a popular visitor attraction for all the family.”

The Canal Museum is located in a restored corn mill, situated alongside the Grand Union Canal in the beautiful village of Stoke Bruerne. The museum vividly tells the story of our inland waterways and the people who worked on them. The fascinating insight into the transport system which was fundamental to the industrial revolution in Britain is complemented by the ‘living canal’ with its flight of locks, boats and historic Blisworth Tunnel.

The museum is one of the three leading waterway museums managed by The Waterways Trust. Together they hold the National Waterways Collection which is designated by government as being of national importance. For more information about the museum, activities and events call 01604 862229.

The Friends of the Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne are a local community group established after a public meeting in March 2006 to offer direct support to, and supplement the work of, the museum through volunteer activity and fundraising.