[Museumfriends] Honour guard for petitions

[Barry Say]

Castle Morpeth Borough Council are having a "Have your Say" event at 
the Ponteland Leisure Centre on Saturday 20th November. The meeting 
runs from 9.30-12.30 and they have agreed to accept the Chantry 
petitions at around 9.15-9.30. 

We are trying to get together an Honour Guard of Smallpipers to 
illustrate the degree of concern over the Bagpipe Museum. If anyone 
fancies turning out to this please get in touch with me, either by e-
mail or phone 01670 860215. The Council would like some idea of how 
many will attend and I am trying to get a rough idea of numbers by 
Tuesday evening.

This is *not* a protest. 

As we understand it, a confidential report on the consultation on the 
Chantry is being prepared by Ken Dunbar. This will be presented to 
the General Management Committee on 23rd Nov. When we hear their 
proposals we may decide to pipe in Morpeth Market Place as a protest.

You have probably heard that the Bagpipe Museum have purchased a set 
of drones made by John Dunn for John Peacock. This was bought with 
funds from the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne and 
matched funding from a fund operated by the Victoria and Albert 
museum. In order to provide these funds, the V&A required assurances 
about the future of the Bagpipe museum and a representative spoke to 
Mr. Dunbar by phone.  We do not know what was said, but the funds 
were granted, so we have some hope that CMBC may be taking a more 
positive approach to the museum than has been apparent so far.


So, I repeat, if anyone wants to turn out at Ponteland at around 9.15 
on Saturday 20th November, please contact me as soon as possible.

Barry Say

Barry.Say at nspipes.co.uk
01670 860215
------
List Administrator
Museumfriends at nspipes.co.uk