By Penny Thompson, Community Organiser
The Colliery group is in its infancy and members are made up of local residents who have previously worked in the mines and also people who have had family members who worked in the mining industry locally. The group’s main aim is to celebrate the rich history of colliery and campaign to have a low carbon footprint colliery museum erected on the old Silverwood mining site for educational purposes.
The group has been running since September 2019 and have regular meetings, with membership increasing with each meeting. I have supported the group in collating information from each member as to why they have an interest in a colliery project and what they hope to achieve. I have also supported the group in putting together a spreadsheet of members names and volunteer hours. I have also introduced Clifton Learning Partnership and RMBC’s Arts and Culture department. The group have linked in with the National Coal Board Museum and a local group called Dinnington Colliery Boys for support.
We are hoping to formalise the group pre-Christmas and support them in putting a strategy plan together for the next 3 years. The group went on a dry pub crawl on Saturday 14th December promoting the group, raising awareness locally and advertising the groups meeting which was on Wednesday 18th December 2019. The next event I am supporting to raise money is a Full Monty show which is to be held at East Herringthorpe social club, we have already had interest with men who would like to take part, as well as a local comedian who has offered to compare the show.
The group has agreed a group name and have designed a logo, I’m currently also supporting the group with a local councillor application for t-shirts to sell and for the committee, as well as a Dictaphone. I have discussed Rotherham Federation membership with the group who seem interested in joining.