Archive for December, 2008

RAF Photo Exhibitions Hot Stuff

Sunday, December 21st, 2008

The winning images from the Royal Air Force’s Photograph of the Year Competition will be on view to members of the public at the Service’s London Museum from 10th January 2009.Consisting of 12 categories ranging from “The RAF Experience” to “Technical & Engineering”, this exhibition gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse of RAF Personnel at work, rest and play both at home and in the field.

The Royal Air Force trains and employs a large number of photographers who deal with day to day technical and operational photography. Their bread and butter is the recording of aircraft and equipment damage, technical manuals, military incidents and accidents, media work and ground intelligence gathering, as well as administrative work such as photos for ID cards. But as photographers, they also get unique access to their service colleagues and equipment and they bring their creative eye to this environment.

With varying categories for professional and amateur photographers, this annual competition gives Service personnel the opportunity to showcase their talents by encapsulating in a single image the strength, character, dignity and humour of the Royal Air Force.

The reward for the successful photographer is the recognition of their talent with the successful photograph selected from all 12 categories as “PR Photograph of the Year” being used in official communications by the Chief of Air Staff, the highest ranking officer of the Royal Air Force.

Striking images range from the Engineering Category’s “Hot Stuff” to the visually stunning studies of nature in the competition’s Open Category, and the playful images of service personnel interacting with local children in Afghanistan. In total over 60 photographs will be on display in the Museum’s Milestones of Flight Gallery until mid April after which the exhibition will then relocate to the Museum’s Cosford site in Shropshire.

Rebecca Dalley, Group Business Development Manager for the Museum and Competition Judge, stated: “I was highly impressed with the standard of photography. I have long thought that the RAF training for photographers is one of the best around and this was confirmed by the excellent submissions to the competition. Knowing that many of the photographers are operating ‘in theatre’, it was great to see that they were able to take the time to prepare their submissions. There were many moving and well-thought-out images and it was a really hard choice to narrow down to few in each category. I was also delighted to see the excellent amateur photographs which were a credit to their originators. ”

Entry to the Royal Air Force Photographer of the Year Exhibition is free; as is entry and parking to the Museum. The exhibition will be shown daily from 10am to 6pm until April 19th. For further details please visit www.rafmuseum.org/whatson or dial 020 8205 2266.

Rosie Winterton MP Wins Charity Champion Award

Sunday, December 21st, 2008

At a glittering Charity Champions Awards 2008 ceremony at Millbank, Westminster, London, the Rt. Hon Rosie Winterton MP, Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber, won the prestigious Culture & Heritage Award for her support of the Yorkshire Air Museum and Royal Aeronatutical Society’s schools educational publication “Reach for the Sky”.Nominations were made by these and other charities, who wished to acknowledge the support of MPs to their projects and voting was undertaken by all UK MPs.

The new book, which has been carefully designed to fit into the National Curriculum Key Stage 2 and recent government guidelines, was issued free to all 26,000 primary schools in Britain this month. In accepting the award from top celebrity Esther Rantzen at the ceremony, Rosie Winterton said: “It has been a real pleasure to be involved with this worthwhile project which has been undertaken by these two charities.”

Yorkshire Air Museum Director Ian Reed, speaking at the ceremony in London, said they were delighted that Rosie had won the award which demonstrated her real support to the project, which she officially launched in London in June this year.

“We couldn’t have done it without her”, he said. “Aviation is Britain’s second largest manufacturing industry, employing over 260,000 people, and this country remains at the forefront of aerospace design and technology. It is important that this is reflected in the teaching and enthusing of our young children.”

Mr Reed also praised the support of Yorkshire Forward, British Airways, Virgin Galactic and EADS Astrium (European Aerospace Defence & Space Company) in this project.

www.yorkshireairmuseum.co.uk

Aviation Pioneers Exhibition Set to Fly After Heritage Lottery Funding

Monday, December 8th, 2008

The Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial is celebrating today after receiving confirmation of a substantial Heritage Lottery Fund grant towards its new ‘Aviation Pioneers’ exhibition.Ian Reed, Museum Director, comments: “This funding will, at long last, enable the wonderful stories of these world-famous Yorkshire based pioneers to be told in a thoroughly modern and interactive way for all ages, using historic artefacts alongside the latest computer and display technology”.

“Aviation Pioneers” will cover the work and discoveries of the world renowned “Father of Aeronautics”, Sir George Cayley of Brompton near Scarborough; Sir Barnes Wallis, designer of the R100 airship at Howden and his deputy, Nevil ‘Shute’ Norway, author and York based aircraft manufacturer, plus world-record aviator Amy Johnson from Hull and famous Leeds based aircraft manufacturer Robert Blackburn.

The exhibition will be of national importance, reflecting the growing reputation of the Museum within British aviation heritage. There has not been a major, permanent exhibition encompassing Yorkshire’s pivotal role in the development of aviation before now, and this additional funding will allow a ‘state of the art’ exhibition to be produced. The £100,000 permanent exhibition will explore the social importance of the discoveries and achievements of these Yorkshire based aviation pioneers and is planned to be opened in Spring 2009.

Fiona Spiers, Head of HLF, Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “This project will help bring the stories of aviation to life for everyone to explore. HLF is dedicated to supporting projects that open up our heritage for locals and visitors to learn about and enjoy and the new exhibition will be a great addition to one of York’s many interesting museums.”

http://www.yorkshireairmuseum.co.uk/