Trustees of an Earby museum are asking for volunteers and finance to keep a much loved resource open.
The Yorkshire Dales Mining Museum in the Old Grammar School building in School Lane lost its Pendle Council grant earlier this year and is at risk of closure if funds can’t be found by next spring.
As well as finance, the museum needs new volunteers to keep it open and allow it to grow by opening its doors more regularly.
Treasurer Rosemary Carroll said the museum needs a modest amount of financial support to keep the “hidden gem” open and a just a few more volunteers.
She said: “We didn’t get the Pendle Council grant this year and that has put us in financial jeopardy. We really need somebody to sponsor us, more volunteers to help out and more people through the door.
“It’s a bitter blow and it would be a real crying shame if it was to close. It’s an asset to Earby. The artefacts need to be kept at a certain temperature and we need to have some sort of heating on throughout the winter as part of the insurance, so we have gas and electric bills.
“It’s a Catch 22 situation really. We need to open more but without the volunteers we can’t open more.”
The Yorkshire Dales Mining Museum started in the early 1970s as a display of Dales mining relics assembled by Earby Mines Research Group.
In 1997 a charitable trust was created and a 25 year lease on the building was signed.
After obtaining substantial grant aid from English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund, the building was completely refurbished, re-opening in 2006 and now has full wheelchair access, interpretative displays, an attractive tearoom and a small shop.
Contact Rosemary Carroll on 844127 if you can help.