2018 ended on a low note for us, but 2019 has started on a positive one. We would like to thank everyone who supported us in the “Tesco Bags of Help scheme”. We received the second prize of £2,000 which will be very helpful. The rules of the scheme mean that we cannot use it for running costs such as the rent, but it will help in many other ways. The lease with the CDC is still under negotiation, but at the moment it has not increased since last year. There has been some electrical work carried out in the cottages to transfer the electricity supply from the main hospital building. No date has been given for the demolition of the latter but it is hoped that it will not interfere with access to the shelter section of the Annual Exhibition which is now open.
During the closed season apart from cleaning, tidying and the application of woodworm killer to a number of exhibits, two in particular underwent major renovation. Last year in the act of moving exhibits to loan some to the British Legion for an event in the Parish Church, our Avro Lincoln bomber model crash landed on the concrete floor of the air raid shelter. This caused major damage to the nose area, rear gun turret, under carriage and removed one propeller assembly. Thankfully restoration was possible and after a couple of months work it has now returned to its place in the display. The restoration gave opportunity to examine the possibility of getting the four engines working which has not been possible since we inherited the model. Unfortunately one of the electric motors was beyond repair, but a replacement was imported from the far-east and now the engines will operate with the aid of a battery pack. Below are a couple of before and after images. Others can be found in the Gallery.


For the new season the toy display in the cottages was reorganised and the model aerodrome moved to make it more visible. At the end of last season the original motor driving the four defiant models on their tower became unreliable. The motor came from a control system on a Blenheim bomber, so after over 70 years of loyal service it has been retired. A new geared motor has been fitted which we hope will last for another 70 years.

Last season our bride, in her magnificent wedding dress made from parachute silk, was rather lonely. She is now accompanied by her husband who must have been away winning his impressive row of medals. The children in the photograph are from another branch of the family!

By way of a distraction, Scrappy Grace impersonating Sir Winston Churchill.
