Being a Friends’ volunteer offers the opportunity for more involvement in various aspects of Museum life: helping at special events; the planning and staging of Friends' activities; the mailing of the Friends' quarterly Newsletter and working in the Friends' office. 

Some Friends help in the new Archives Reading Room, which includes John and Josephine Bowes' bills and receipts, the works on paper collection and many antique prints.  An on-line database is being created to catalogue the Museum's collections, enabling easier access for the public.

Other areas in which volunteers may help include the new Textile and Costume Gallery, the Archaeological Hub and the newly create Museum allotments.

Currently we need:

         URGENT!  Friends needed who would be willing to donate an hour or two to help Rosie Bradford to input some data onto a spreadsheet - this could be done from home. That section of the spreadsheet could then be emailed to her to copy and paste onto the master sheet.The aim is to get the Bowes Museum mentioned in every coach tour brochure in the country.  If you can help, contact the office asap.

        Tour guides to offer visitors and visiting groups free tours around The Museum twice       

        daily during the Summer months.  Training will be given; for more information contact

        Mr and Mrs Stanley Baker on 01833 631298.

        For more information, or to offer your help please contact:

FOBM, The Bowes Museum  

Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8NP

email friends@the bowesmuseum.org.uk

01833 690606 extension 233(voicemail)

Following the AGM on  17 May 2011 the following members were elected:

Committee for 2011-2012.

Patron:                                                             The Earl of Strathmore

President:                                                         The Hon Harry Vane

Vice Presidents :                                                
                                                                         Fiona Turnbull
                                                                         George Laing
                                                                         Nancy Swinbank
                                                                         Lesley Taylor  

Chairman:                                                         Heather Scott OBE

Vice Chairman:                                                  Caroline Peacock

Hon  Secretary:                                                 Annie da Costa

Hon Asst Secretary:                                           Susan Kirkbride

Hon Treasurer:                                                  Catherine Elgey

Hon Asst Treasurer:                                           Mary Collard

Events Committee Convenor :                            Moppet Cooke-Hurle

Events Committee Secretary:                             Susan Kirkbride

Marketing Group Chairman:                               Heather Scott OBE

Marketing Group Secretary;                               Annie da Costa

Music Group Chairman :                                    Shelagh Turner

Music Group Secretary:                                     Louise Farrington

Press and Publicity:                                           Ian Reid

Newsletter Editor:                                             Caroline Peacock

Committee: 

Moppet Cooke-Hurle( 2012) Ian Reid ( 2012)  Shelagh Turner (2013)  Susan Kirkbride (2013)

Gerald Blake  (2013)  Claire Bromley (2013) John Bird (2014) Sue Grifffiths (2014)  Jonathan Peacock (2014)

Co-opted:

Membership secretaries:                                Susan Gardner and Shirley Richardson

COLLECTIONS FUND

With a generous donation from an individual member of the Friends and matching funding from the Friends organisation, the Director of The Bowes Museum now has an immediate source of income for acquisitions.

Initial funding of £10,000 was provided by a member, who wishes to remain anonymous, and an equal amount was given by the Friends to set up this fund. It will enable the Director to purchase an item for the Museum Collections without the delay necessitated by contacting all the members of the Committee individually or waiting for the next meeting of the Executive Committee.

Other donors will be approached to augment this fund in future.

This funding does not preclude the Director from seeking further and additional funding from the Friends’ organisation.