This was sent to us by a parent who wanted to endorse our nomination as ‘The Most Family Friendly Museum in the UK’. We thank her for her kind words of support and we’re pleased that her son found the experience so rewarding.
“In the last few months I have been attending some of the fun sessions at the Devil’s Porridge Museum with my 9 year old son. My son is a wonderful young boy, kind, happy, brave and strong and has a particular fascination for the history of both World Wars. At the age of 4 my son was diagnosed with Severe Asthma and has had numerous stays in hospital due to severe problems with his breathing from chest infections which became very risky at times. His health particularly in the last three years has become more problematic which again has resulted in numerous hospital stays and numerous hospital appointments and continuous blood sampling all of which have taken their toll on my son’s physical and mental well-being. His medication is very strong and can have side-effects on a daily basis too which has meant plenty of time absent from school and friends and teachers who all miss my son when he is not at school. No matter how positive and happy we try to be at home in the last 12 months alone, being his mum, I have watched my son’s usually ‘bright spark of light’ dimmer due to his health which is very distressing to observe as a parent too.
However, recently Judith at The Devils Porridge Museum Team invited my son and I along to the ‘Stop-Motion Animation Workshop’ over the course of a full weekend my son absolutely loved every minute and is still talking about the workshop. Judith and the team embraced my son and welcomed him (irrespective of his health needs) into the museum to just be like any other child and young adult there within the group. My son et new people, learned new skills such as camera function and equipment and discussed the history of both World Wars, he was in his element! I could not thank Judith and The Devil’s Porridge team enough, a huge thank you doesn’t even seem to be enough when they have brought back my son’s bright spark of light. Tears of joy! Thank you Thank you.
The Devils Porridge Museum and the team deserve to win this award, it is a tremendous place, a place of respect to all those involved in both World Wars.