ABOUT THE MUSEUM

Our Mission

Our mission is to preserve the history and traditions of the British Fire Service through firefighting appliances, uniforms and artefacts, leading visitors on an interactive journey of living history through major events that led to the creation and evolution to the modern Fire and Rescue Service of today.

Our long term objective is to become the national collection of Firefighting appliances, equipment, uniforms and artefacts for many generations to enjoy and learn from. We aim to become the national research library for the history of the fire service.

The Museum has four further social objectives:

To support 999 workers suffering from mental illness through a support network and by paying for private psychological treatment.
To support young people 12-25 suffering from mental illness and with Neurodiversity by providing a cadet scheme, apprenticeships, work placements and volunteering opportunities to aid the acquisition of vocational skills whilst being supported for their impairment.
To be a safety education centre to prevent death and injury, supporting campaigns run by local authorities, emergency services and safety organisations
To combat loneliness and social isolation in the community through volunteering opportunities and a people library.

OUR OBJECTIVES

To preserve the history of the UK fire service and in particular local Firefighting history. the focus of the museum will be on fire engines so they can be kept for future generations to enjoy, with the ultimate aim of constructing a purpose built museum.

To Address mental wellbeing in the emergency services community by offering a place to come and take part in the museum’s activities, building a support network.

To use revenue from the museum to pay for psychological treatment for emergency workers where they cannot quickly access the the required treatment.

To help young people who have mental illness or confidence issues by establishing a cadet scheme that delivers the same benefits of local authority cadet schemes but focuses on young people who suffer such conditions to allow them a more aware, safe and supportive space.

To provide young people who have mental illness or confidence issues with the opportunity to work in the museum, in a supportive safe space to gain work experience and confidence in an environment where they will be understood, protected and supported.

To provide these young people with apprenticeship opportunities which come from the restoration of the exhibits such as mechanic, carpentry, paint sprayer, auto electrician and more specialised trades such as wheelwrights.

To establish a volunteer scheme focussed on the specific objectives of battling loneliness and social isolation by offering opportunities ranging from restoration work to museum guides, to visitor reception to outreach and fundraising.

To provide Primary schools with an immersive experience of the evolution of the UK Fire Service from its birth as a result of the Great Fire of London up to modern day. The Great fire is on the primary curriculum.

Provide community space, for public meetings and events.