NEWS MARCH 2008
Museum has wins lottery grant for development project.
NEWS OCTOBER 2007
Following its success at the 2006 Suffolk Tourism Awards MEAL scooped the award for Sustainable Tourism at the 2007 event. The museum was conferred the honour due to its work promoting environmental and community awareness. MEAL undertakes a number of programmes which ensure that it contributes to the well being of its environment and the community.
The museum manages its estate organically, grazing Red Poll cattle and Suffolk sheep which promote rare breeds. It farms Large Black pigs which become bacon or sausages and are sold through our deli. Visitors are given an understanding of local food and its 'journey' from field to fork. Working with the Suffolk wildlife trust MEAL set aside former arable land as a wild flower meadow.
Museum Director Tony Butler says “We use local suppliers for building works and are ensuring that lights in our historic buildings are replaced with energy saving bulbs. Litter points around the site are twin bin so visitors can 'sort it for Suffolk'. We have installed picnic furniture fabricated from recycled plastic.
The MEAL activity programmes promote the biodiversity of Suffolk. There are guided walks around our nature reserve and traditional activities such as hurdle making using wood coppiced from the estate. There are demonstrations of traditional charcoal making which visitors can buy in our shop.
The museum's social enterprise which produces horticultural products organically has helped people with disabilities and offenders to gain valuable skills and experience.
Our catering franchise is a Suffolk family firm who source products from local suppliers, particularly meat, vegetables, salads and cheese.”
NEWS MAY 2007
Sadly Remus, thought to be the oldest Suffolk Punch in existence, passed away on Wednesday 2nd May having celebrated his 28th birthday the week before. He will be greatly missed by so many. Read some of the many tributes here.
MARCH 2007
The Museum has started a Social Enterprise which will be selling fruit and vegetables and making hanging baskets. The enterprise provides training and employment to people who are disadvantaged in the mainstream labour market. Read all about it here.
The Museum’s plans for development are proceeding apace. Our application for a development grant from the National Lottery will be submitted later this year. To read more about our plans and see the studies that have been produced click Here.
OCTOBER 2006
The Museum of East Anglian Life has won the Suffolk Tourism Awards Community Award thanks to its legion of volunteers. The museum provides a huge range of interesting activities for all sections of Suffolk society. For several years it has worked with the Stowmarket Resource Centre for Adults with Learning Difficulties who have helped create a beautiful Bee Garden at the museum. The museum has also collaborated with HMP Hollesley Bay providing community rehabilitation work placements for offenders coming to the end of their sentences. Their contribution has been invaluable, helping to create the 3 km River Rat trail in the museum's wetland meadows.
Museum Director Tony Butler says," This museum is at the heart of our local community, in fact it's a little community all of its own. Our youngest volunteer, Luke Johnson is 6 and helps look after the small animals whilst the most mature is 85 year old David Yorke who runs the Friends shop. We welcome everyone, as volunteering is as much a social activity as it is about giving back to the local community. Last year we benefited from a total of 39,000 hours given by volunteers". On winning the award Tony adds, "this a marvellous recognition of all the opportunities the museum is able to provide to people who would not normally be able to get involved with cultural activities"
