Heritage Open Days 2009 10 - 13 September
For the last eight years the Kingston upon Thames Society has taken over the organization of this event locally from the Council. The programme reached an all time high last year of 30 odd sites being open to the public for the occasion. Registration for this year's event will shortly begin and I shall shortly be approaching owners and managers of regular participants asking them to register again. What is even more important is my search for new participants. A penalty of our past succes in enlarging the programme is that this, with every succeeding year gets more difficult. So, if any readers of this column know of an organization or building which would be of general interest if listed in our programmes please contact me at info@kingstonuponthamessociety.co.uk
For those who are unaware of what Heritage Open Days is all about, it is an opportunity to visit people and places which are not normally open to the public. In some cases the building may be open to the public at other times, but for the period of Heritage Open Days additional displays are put on specially. One example of this is the Crown court where, of course, justice is dispensed in public. The years they participate they put on a fantastic programme of mock trials and tours of the cells. Last yesr they had over a thousand visitors checked through! Unfortunately, they cannot afford to do it every year.
The Society receives a grant from the Council to publish a printed programme of what is open and when ( sites are open at specific times of their own choosing within the four days of the event) and the Society supplies the libraries, the Museum and the Market House Tourist Information Office with copies. The event is organized nationally by the Civic Trust and there will be national publicity for it; the whole programme will be up on the Civic Trust Heritage Open Days web-site. In past years we have had some trouble getting the programme up on our own web-site but we are hoping to do better this year.
finally can I repeat my request for suggestions for additions to this year's programme. Just e-mail me and I shall do the rest.