Call Out To Next Generation to Preserve Our History

Martinborough is a town and community that is extremely rich in history, much of which is held and preserved in our own local museum – the Martinborough Colonial Museum.
But now, after some five years of hard and thorough work by a group of dedicated volunteers, the call is out for more active support to ensure this special place in our town is retained and treasured into the future.
Chair of the Martinborough Colonial Museum Trust, Derek Wilson, says there has been an immense amount of work completed in the last five years to get the museum collection to a point where it is secure, valued and well managed, with appropriate funding and volunteers to ensure visitors and locals alike can enjoy it.

“We are so fortunate to have this wonderful record of our town,” Derek says. “Martinborough has a rather unique and rich history. From pre-European-settlement days to the settlement and establishment of the town, through to today where it is an increasingly attractive place to live, and a wonderful tourist destination. The town continues to evolve and grow, and it is exciting to see.
“We have managed to get the Museum into very good shape, with robust governance and processes in place, but we now need to identify new volunteers to help look after it in the future. Frankly, those of us who have been managing this revitalisation project are in the oldest generation and looking to step down at some point soon.
“We need the younger generation to contribute their time and skills from here. It’s not a huge ask, but an important one. Whether it’s becoming a trustee, providing computer, accounting or other such services, rostering on for opening hours, the more on board the better.”

Work completed to date includes:
• establishment of a legal charitable trust to govern and operate it
• valuation completed by top valuers, Webbs of Auckland
• professional advice on documentation of the collection
• liaison and agreement with District Council on a range of issues
• application and receipt of grants for ongoing running costs
• development of a collections policy, with advice from Te Papa
• negotiation and agreement on insurance
• physical improvements to museum to help with its appeal and to protect the collection
If you are able to help preserve this local treasure, please contact Derek Wilson on 06 306 7922.