RAF Coltishall Heritage Centre

Aim

To create a Heritage Centre at the former RAF Coltishall site to display exhibits, archive documents and provide educational facilities.

THE RAF STATION COLTISHALL HERITAGE TRUST

RAF COLTISHALL HERITAGE CENTRE - PROPOSAL

Background

RAF Coltishall played a significant role in the defence of the United Kingdom immediately from its opening in 1940. Uniquely it was the only Battle of Britain station to remain an operational base for fighter aircraft throughout its history. When the station closed in 2006, the Ministry of Defence was approached but was unable to provide a building on the site to create a heritage centre and so the contents of the station history room were split between the Coltishall Memorial Rooms at the Air Defence Radar Museum at Neatishead in Norfolk and the City of Norwich Aviation Museum at Norwich airport. We firmly believe it is time that the collection was reunited and returned to its natural home.

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The RAF Station Coltishall Heritage Trust (RAFSCHT) has been formed and acknowledged by the RAF. The Trust will be applying for charitable status as soon as we meet the criteria laid down by the Charity Commission.  We and our partners in the Spirit of Coltishall Association (official custodians of the RAF Coltishall Collection) believe that any heritage centre should be on the original site of the station. This would make the collection more relevant and more accessible when assembled under one roof whilst also providing a fitting memorial to all those who served on the station. And in addition, acknowledge the enormous regard that the station continues to be held in by the people of Norfolk and beyond.

Proposal

It is therefore proposed that this project be taken forward in two stages. Firstly, the RAFSCHT to locate and lease a suitable building on site to house the RAF Coltishall Collection. Secondly, identitfy and carry out the necessary work to bring it up to a standard that meets its proposed use and provide safe access for the public.

The Heritage centre would provide:

• A home for the display of exhibits in the RAF Coltishall Collection.

• An archive of documents and other material.

• Educational facilities for students and others to study the Station’s   history.

• A small café and associated facilities etc .

• Facilities for use by the local community such as a conference room and classrooms for adult education and meeting rooms for clubs and societies.

• Facilities for our associates the Norfolk Fire Service Museum.          

The building would be run by the RAFSCHT (as a charitable trust) taking on running costs and the necessary legal and financial responsibility for the building with the Spirit of Coltishall Association (already the MOD/RAF accredited custodians for the RAF Coltishall Collection) running the “museum” aspects of the project in partnership with the Trust.

Crowd Funding Drive

This project is very much community based and we would wish that both the local and ex Coltishall personnel should have the opportunity to participate in the effort to achieve our aim.

Our intentions are:

• Funds donated via the Crowd Funding drive would be used to establish a Heritage Centre on the site.

• All those donating will receive “founder” status permitting them free access to the Heritage Centre and its displays for life.

• All donors who opt to join our mailing list will receive updates on the progress on the project.

• All donors will be invited to attend a guided tour of the former RAF Coltishall site and a visit to the temporary Heritage Room currently in No 4 Hangar.

• All donors names will be recorded on a wall of support in the foyer in the Heritage Centre.

• Commercial/corporate sponsorship will be recorded with their company/corporate names/logos displayed prominently in the foyer.

The Crowd funding drive is an opportunity for those who retain a strong affiliation for RAF Coltishall to play a key part in ensuring that the station retains a place in the minds and hearts of the people of Norfolk and further afield. Furthermore in contributing to this effort, donors will have the satisfaction of playing their own part in the history and Heritage of an iconic Battle of Britain Station.

This project successfully funded on 14th April 2017