Aerospace Bristol launches Engineering Futures Appeal

The museum plans to open a Conservation-in-Action Workshop where experienced volunteers will work alongside young people to conserve aircraft such as the Bristol Bolingbroke.

Aerospace Bristol has today revealed details of its new Conservation-in-Action Workshop and launched an appeal to help fund the project.

The charity behind the museum, Bristol Aero Collection Trust, has announced that the workshop is set to open in Summer 2020, with aircraft such as the Bristol Bolingbroke to be conserved inside.

The conservation work will take place inside a grade-II listed building, dating back more than a century, with experienced volunteers working alongside young people to pass on their engineering skills and knowledge. As well as preserving Bristol’s aviation heritage, the project aims to inspire the engineers of the future and enable early-career engineers and apprentices to gain vital practical experience.

Jess Stone, a former volunteer at the museum who went on to join the Airbus Graduate Programme, said: “Throughout my time volunteering at Aerospace Bristol, I was lucky enough to work alongside many volunteer engineers and was hugely inspired by their work and stories. I felt so much pride in my city’s aerospace industry and heritage, and the experience really fuelled my passion for engineering. I can’t wait for the new workshop to open next summer, as I’m sure many young people will be inspired, just as I was.”

Amy Seadon, Learning & Community Engagement Manager at Aerospace Bristol, said: “The new workshop will allow young people to learn traditional engineering skills through work experience programmes and skills sharing sessions alongside our experienced conservation team. Practical encounters with STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths] in action like this are key to inspiring the next generation to engage with these subjects and enable them to see themselves as the engineers and scientists of the future.“

The Conservation-in-Action Workshop will also enhance the experience at the museum, allowing visitors to get up close to conservation work taking place on Bristol aircraft ‘brought out of hiding’ from the museum’s collection.

One of the aircraft set to enter the hangar is Bristol Bolingbroke 9048. The WWII bomber was donated to Aerospace Bristol by one of the founders of Bristol Aero Collection, Graham Kilsby in memory of his later Father. Bristol born aviation historian and photographer W.K. Kilsby.

The aircraft served with the Royal Canadian Air Force in Nova Scotia and Alaska, before falling into disrepair in storage in Los Angeles. Having been rescued by Mr Kilsby and transported to the UK some years ago, the Bolingbroke was formally signed over to Bristol Aero Collection Trust – the charity behind Aerospace Bristol - in November 2019.

Paul Jones, Conservation Manager at Aerospace Bristol, said: “The new workshop will provide a fitting home for our important conservation work and the Engineering Futures appeal will give our volunteer team the vital tools and resources they need on a daily basis. For instance, £10 could purchase rivets to be used on the aircraft, £25 might cover the cost of specialist work wear, or £50 could enable a young person to gain hands-on experience of heritage skills. As a charity, we rely on this support to make our work possible and preserve our heritage.”

Aerospace Bristol volunteers have already started working on the aircraft in a makeshift workshop, but are very much looking forward to moving into their new home.

Graham Kilsby (right) meets Aerospace Bristol’s Conservation Manager, Paul Jones (5th from left) and museum volunteers, as he signs over the Bristol Bolingbroke to Aerospace Bristol.

Anna Bishop, Volunteer Coordinator at Aerospace Bristol, said: ”I can’t thank our fantastic team of volunteers enough for their hard work and enthusiasm. The current workshop is far from ideal, but they always do their absolute best and give a huge amount of their time to share their knowledge and expertise. The new workshop will be a fantastic addition to the museum and will allow us to expand our volunteer programme and increase volunteering opportunities.”

The Conservation-in-Action Workshop is set to open in summer 2020 and will become the third publicly accessible aircraft hangar at the museum, joining the Concorde Hangar, which houses the last Concorde ever to fly, and the grade-II listed Hangar 16S, which houses the main museum exhibition and Learning Spaces.

The project was kick-started by a generous grant from Biffa Award, a multi-million pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through awarding grants to communities and environmental projects across the UK. However, further funding is required to deliver the workshop, as well as the necessary resources and equipment, in time for Summer 2020.

The Engineering Futures Appeal has been launched to address the funding shortfall and ensure that Bristol’s precious heritage is preserved for the future.

To find out more and support the appeal, visit Engineering Futures Appeal