New playground inspired by Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier to be built at the Fleet Air Arm Museum
Funding of £74,350 has been secured to transform the entrance to The National Museum of the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm Museum (FAAM) with an exciting new playground inspired by the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth, one of the new aircraft carriers due to enter Royal Navy service in 2017.
Aircraft from the Fleet Air Arm are routinely deployed on carriers and the launch of two new Queen Elizabeth Class ships presents an exciting opportunity for both visitors and the local Royal Navy community to engage with the museum, its collection and story.
The project will significantly alter visitor’s first impressions of the Fleet Air Arm Museum and introduce the inspirational story of Royal Navy aviation in a novel, attractive and engaging way.
The funding issued by the Viridor Credits Environmental Company, is sourced from The Landfill Communities Fund, an innovative tax credit scheme enabling landfill operators to contribute money to organisations to benefit a wide range of community and environmental projects in the vicinity of landfill sites.
Gareth Williams, Funded Projects Manager at Viridor Credits Environmental Company said: “The Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton is an important part of aviation heritage in the South West, and the new play area will enhance its status as a local attraction for visitors and local families alike.”
Marc Farrance, General Manager at the Fleet Air Arm Museum (FAAM) added: “We are delighted to secure this funding stream from Viridor Credits. This is a great opportunity for the museum to develop its visitor experience as we tell the ongoing story of naval aviation heritage. 2017 is set to be the year of the Carrier programme and the world will be transfixed by the scale of these vessels. We hope to be able to capture a little bit of that excitement here!”
The museum’s aim is to carry the theme of the new Queen Elizabeth Class playground throughout the entire site. This work will also set the foundation for other potential future funding bids and a larger development plan for the future. Plans for a crowdfunding campaign to assist will be announced early in 2017.
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