Meet the committee

Committee

The following people sit on the committee for the 2023-2024 year:

President Alastair Fletcher
Vice-President David Verran
Secretary Robin Dowie
Treasurer Gail Lyons
Committee Helen Cornelius
Rod Cornelius
Keith Eaglesome
Tim McBride
Bill Rayner

Tania Simpson (from August 2023)

Dave Veart
Admin/Researcher Anna Clarke

To contact anyone on the committee please email info@devonportmuseum.org.nz

President’s Report 2022-3 year

DEVONPORT HISTORICAL AND MUSEUM SOCIETY INC

It is always good to welcome people of all ages and backgrounds into the museum, and to see the pleasure on their faces as they recognise a place to explore. While developing a very visual presentation of ideas and stories, this is balanced by the opportunity to touch and interact with items. We value this response to the efforts our team continues to make in providing this venue of local stories.

This museum society has always been about place and people. As a voluntary and inclusive group, we seek to collect stories, visual images, and items which are used to help locals and visitors appreciate this unique corner . It is the last land on earth to be settled. Through location, and geography, the peninsula has always been attractive for settlement, and thus contested. In this lie many of our stories.

The redevelopment of the school history curriculum, to include an understanding of local history, has been one of the most significant changes this year. The groups of children, parents and teachers has added many to our numbers, and the response from schools has been excellent. We are working with the Navy Museum to make this a coordinated visit. There is also a return to pre covid visiting patterns from locals, wider city and national origins, and returning overseas visitors. We find so many people have long connections with this place.

Thinking back to our Annual Barbecue, and our more recent 45 th birthday gathering, we can be confident that we have a strong community team supporting this museum. This is our voice in the community, and the eyes and ears which recognise stories and items the museum will add to the collection. As some are no longer able to make the same contribution as in the past, we seek to focus on their key enthusiasms and skills, to keep them in the team. You can help to find us those who are retiring or have some time on their hands, to join the active team. Whether this is on the committee, on opening rosters, on maintenance and displays, please help us to keep the team strong.

Finance is an issue for us all. For 45 years we have had strong support from a succession of Councils, starting with the Devonport Borough Council, and currently from Auckland Council through the Local Board. This has been a valued annual base grant which has allowed us to develop our research, communications, education, and plaque programmes for the community. Our building maintenance is supported by the investment of the Patterson bequest.

In this current city financial climate, we ask that the significant contribution we make to conserving and sharing local stories for all, continues to be supported.

Thank you to the community for your support. Thank you to the museum team who bring such skill and enthusiasm and who welcome others into the team.

He Tangata, He Tangata, He Tangata....the most important thing is people.

Alastair Fletcher May2023