Tag: Shuttleworth

Following a successful grant application to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), the Learning Team at Shuttleworth are excited to be launching a new project focused on developing and enhancing the visitor attraction’s special education needs and disabilities (SEND) provision.

On 5 November, invited guests – including Autism Beds, Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum, EPIC – Luton Parent Carer Forum, EMBRACE – formerly Beds & District Cerebral Palsy Society, Special Schools Forum – convened by Central Beds Council, CBC SEND Team (early years and schools), Mencap – Bedford & Luton, and more – will attend a launch event for the project, which will see Shuttleworth actively engaging in consultation and co-production with ‘critical friends’ to understand the developments required to make the visitor attraction a more inclusive place of heritage, learning, and excitement.

The receipt of this UKSPF funding will allow the team to access expert support during this project, including commissioning award-winning sensory consultants Collar & Cuffs as facilitators. The project will also involve: co-creating workshops and developing sensory resources, establishing a pilot group of local SEND school representatives, community groups, families and providers, creating a bespoke ‘What to expect’ video with supporting print resources, and establishing bespoke communication symbols to better reflect the Collection and Garden at Shuttleworth.

The project is intended for people of all ages with SEND, as the team hope to make Shuttleworth a go-to destination for everyone.

Learning Co-ordinator, Matthew Studdert-Kennedy, said, “We’re really excited to be launching SENsing Shuttleworth on 5 November. We hope that we will be able to significantly improve our SEND offering in order to be an accessible and appealing cultural space for all audiences.”

You can find out more about learning opportunities at Shuttleworth by visiting www.shuttleworth.org/learning

Shuttleworth is delighted to have received the H. Hughes & Son Ltd navigational compass from the infamous R38 airship. The artefact was recovered from the wreckage of the R38 – the then largest airship ever built – after it crashed in Howden, in 1921 whilst on its way to America. It was originally presented to Dr William Impey Baker, whose Grandson, Robert Hattersley, has now gifted the item to Shuttleworth.

The R38 airship was originally commissioned in spring of 1918 as a counter weapon to the Zeppelin. However, building was not completed at the Cardington hangars until the war had ended. Instead, a deal was struck with the United States of America for the purchase of the airship – then, the largest airship ever built at 699ft long, 86ft in diameter, and with a capacity of 2,750,000ft³.

After successful flight tests that saw the airship reach speeds of 71mph, the commissioning flight was set for 24 August 1921 from Howden in Hull, up the River Humber and on across the Atlantic to America. With a great deal of media attention and huge crowds of spectators along the river, the R38 took flight but shortly split in two as it turned. As the fuselage broke in half, an enormous explosion led to awful scenes. One of the nearby spectators, Dr William Impey Baker, attended the rescue party to help as many of the injured crew as possible. 44 of the 49 British and American crew lost their lives. Following the incident, the H. Hughes & Son Ltd compass was recovered from the wreckage and presented to Dr Baker in recognition for his unpaid work in the rescue effort on that fateful day.

Over 100 years later, on 10 October 2024, Robert Hattersley, the Grandson of Dr Baker, presented the navigational compass to Jean Munn, Head of Engineering, and Stuart Gray, Vehicle Manager, at Shuttleworth.

Stuart Gray, Vehicle Manager, said, “We are so delighted to have received this navigational compass from Robert Hattersley and the Baker family. As well as being made by the company responsible for some of the navigational equipment installed in WWI aircraft, the R38 itself was constructed just a short distance from Shuttleworth at Cardington. We hope that our visitors will enjoy being able to see this remarkable piece of history on their visits to the Collection.”

Visitors can see the compass on display in Hangar 1 at Shuttleworth; to book a 30-day return admission ticket to the Collection and Garden, visit www.shuttleworth.org