Christmas Spice

Our 2007 Christmas Exhibition - Christmas Spice - was launched on 7th December at a very successful and well attended preview evening. There were 55 people at the launch where Mark Macleod, Project Development Officer, was given a presentation to thank him for all his work in the last 15 months and to wish him well in his new post with the Scottish Museums Council in Edinburgh. Mark is taking up the role of Membership Development Manager from 7th January, 2008. Mary Kean, Friends Chairman, commented on his hard work, enthusiasm and how he had helped the Friends Group progress. He will be sorely missed.

"Christmas Spice" tells the story of The Spice Routes, Explorers, Christmas Spices plus a look at "Old Spice" and "The Spice Girls". During the course of the exhibition, which closes on January 18th, schoolchildren will be given the chance to attend workshops on mincemeat making, pomander making and also to take part in a competition to find the hidden spice horde. On opening the exhibition, Chris Bridgeford, Friends Secretary and Volunteer Co-ordinator, thanked the group of volunteers who have been working on the exhibtion since May. This group of junior and senior middle-aged attended volunteer sessions every Tuesday and many did a considerable amount of work at home.

Jean Mortimer, one of the volunteers, painted eight watercolours of the spice plants. These watercolours play an integral part in the exhibition and were to be offered for sale at the end of the exhibition. However all eight paintings were bought up by eager Friends on the opening night. Due to the popularity of the paintings we will be looking at producing prints in the New Year.

The volunteers are going to take a well deserved break until the New Year so the volunteer afternoons should begin again in January.