The Friends of Blake Museum was formed to promote and support the improvement of the Blake Museum. The museum is managed entirely by volunteers, and since April 2009 it has played a vital part in running the museum and caring for the collection. Under the guidance of the Curators, the volunteers carry out numerous tasks including cleaning, visitor reception, manning the shop, cataloguing, research, transcribing, assisting with school visits and assisting the curators with displays. During the Winter closure much of the maintenance work is done like painting, re varnishing floors etc. We are always keen to welcome new volunteers as Custodians. If you can spare a minimum of three hours a week we would like to hear from you. Please contact us first to arrange an informal chat. For a small subscription you may like to consider joining the Friends How to join: As a full member you can help support the museum in a financial way as well as being a volunteer. As a full member you have free entry to all of the talks held at the Museum, copies of the Blake News newsletter which is issued four times a year, and a vote at the annual general meeting. Membership subscription (2024 - 2025) Volunteer Friend - Nil Cost Individual £14.00 Family £20.00 Institution £20.00 Youth £5.00 Corporate £30. All full memberships have free access to any of the talks. Non members and Volunteer Friends will be £3.00 payable on the door. Subscriptions are due for renewal by the 1st September. Subscriptions paid after the 31st May will be held over until the 1st September Gift Aid If you are an individual tax payer, your annual subscription and any donation you may wish to make can be given under Gift Aid. The Society, as a charity, can then reclaim the tax you have paid . The payment you make then becomes very much more valuable to the Society. Application forms can be downloaded from here Please send to the address below. Application forms can be downloaded from here. Please send to the address below with a cheque. FOBM Hon. Treasurer, 5 Blake Street, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 3NB Events at the museum throughout the year Coffee Mornings take place on the first Tuesday of each month. Come and join us between 10.30am and 12.00am. All welcome. Band Concerts in the adjoining Blake Gardens (catering provided by the Friends) Selected dates in July and August Spring (March) and Christmas (November) Fairs The programme of talks takes place on the second Tues of the month. April, May, June, July and Sept. 7.30pm prompt at the museum. email: friends@bridgwatermuseum.org.uk