Nick Larkin reports on the offers of help and donations made to assist the Isle of Wight Bus & Coach Museum get back to normal following flooding
A museum’s struggle to get back to normal after severe flooding has attracted massive public support. A JustGiving page raised £4,000 for the Isle of Wight Bus & Coach Museum in seven days.
“People have been generous and kind. We are gratified by the support we have received,” said museum secretary Jonathan Lamb. “We’ve even had people coming into the museum asking how they could help. There has been a lot of emotion. People love the place.” Local organisations had also helped and offered support.
The cost of damage caused after the flooding, which happened overnight on 24-25 October, is expected to be more than £5,000.
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None of the 20 or so vehicles were damaged but a major part of the museum’s sales stock was destroyed along with workshop equipment including an electrical voltage converter. The kitchen was badly affected with two fridges and a dishwasher ruined.
In the week following the floods, the museum building was professionally sanitised as part of the long process of getting ready to open to the public again. A limited open day proposed for Sunday 5 November was cancelled. The premises, a 1930s former Southern Vectis depot at Park Road in Ryde, was bought by the museum in 2014 and could not be insured due to being on a flood plain.
The museum is run entirely by volunteers. On the previous weekend to the flooding, its Wightrider running weekend had attracted 45 visiting vehicles, many from the mainland. With recover efforts well underway, “we are determined to be back bigger and better than ever next year,” Jonathan concluded.
Donations can be made via the JustGiving page, and full details of the museum can be found via its website at iwbusmuseum.org.uk.
