leoscalifornia.org

Family hope to save museum’s treasures

0 Comments | Sentinel, The; Stoke-on-Trent (UK), Jul 27, 2010 | by DAVID JOHNSON

MEMBERS of the Wedgwood family have launched a campaign to protect the Wedgwood Museum’s collection from being broken up and sold off.

Support for the attraction has come from the UK and across the world.

The museum is under threat after being saddled with a Pounds 134 million pension fund deficit claim from the Wedgwood Group Pension Plan.

It was thought the company scheme would be taken over by the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) following the collapse of Wedgwood and sister firm Royal Doulton last year.

But the PPF could not legally accept the scheme as there was still a surviving solvent organisation with fund members connected to it – the Wedgwood Museum in Barlaston.

Lawyers for the museum argue its treasures cannot be sold off because they are protected by “permanent endowment” status, but it will be months before a judge makes the final decision.

Tom Wedgwood, pictured below, a direct descendant of company founder Josiah, said: “The upcoming court case is a potential tragedy for all of us in North Staffordshire.

“We have had enough bad news, with closures and job losses in the pottery industry.

“I don’t understand how such a ludicrous case has arisen and I urge common sense to prevail.

“Why would anyone donate money or family possessions to trusts if the Government can introduce new legislation that means they are sold off ? “Now we are in a ludicrous position when we might have to try to raise funds to buy back and re-donate all the pieces which were originally donated by Wedgwood ancestors and cousins and previous generations of factory managers.” The family has launched a website and Facebook profile SaveWedgwoodMuseum to spearhead the campaign.

Dr Alan Wedgwood, head of the Wedgwood family, said: “When members of the Wedgwood family donated parts of their personal collections to the museum trust over the course of the last two centuries, this was done as an act of social philanthropy, in the belief the collection would be preserved for all future generations.

“New government legislation should not be introduced which can cause the subsequent break up and sale of this historic collection.”

The campaign team says auction house Christie’s has valued the collection at Pounds 20 million, meaning the PPF would still have to find the bulk of the Pounds 134 million shortfall.

And supporters believe it is unfair to hold the museum to account because five out of 7,000 Wedgwood Group pension fund members work for it.

Tom Wedgwood said: “I want to stress to all Wedgwood pensioners that even if the collection was sold, it would not mean extra money for them.

“It would just mean the PPF has to pay less into the compensation scheme when it eventually steps in.”

A “permanent endowment” covers any asset which trustees cannot spend because of a restriction in the charity’s governing documents.

To visit the campaign website go to www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/ wedgwoodmuseum

Birthday girl Ingrid goes on mission to aid flood victims

0 Comments | Western Daily Press, Jul 27, 2010 | by ALAN WILLIAMS

A Somerset woman has celebrated her 24th birthday in style by heading to Brazil to deliver emergency humanitarian aid.

Ingrid Criddle, from Windmill Hill near Taunton, turned 24 on Saturday, and on the same day she flew to Recife in Brazil to work with international disaster relief charity ShelterBox.

This will be Ingrid’s first deployment with ShelterBox since she completed her ShelterBox Response Team training in June this year.

More than 600 ShelterBoxes have already been sent to Brazil after horrific flooding left close to 100,000 people homeless in the regions of Pernambuco and Alagoas. Another 460 boxes are set to be sent in the coming weeks.

Each green ShelterBox contains a disaster relief tent for an extended family, cooking utensils, a stove, blankets, water purification and storage equipment, a tool kit, a children’s activity pack and other vital items.

They are delivered to families in most need immediately after disaster strikes, anywhere in the world.

Before flying to South America, Ingrid said: “I’m really excited to be putting all the skills I learnt throughout the training period into practice.

“Ever since I found out about ShelterBox I’ve been blown away by the simplicity of what they do.

“When I discovered there was an opportunity to become part of the team that work on the ground physically delivering the boxes, I jumped at it and now can’t wait to carry on the great work the other teams have been doing in Brazil.”

Earlier this year, Ingrid cycled nearly 2,000 miles from Somerset to Istanbul, Turkey, and raised Pounds 2,000 for Shelter-Box.

She completed the epic ride wild camping along the route and passing through France, Germany, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and finally Turkey.

Ingrid travelled to Brazil with three fellow SRT members who will be taking over from the current team on the ground.