BRADFORD Police Museum, which has been closed throughout the Covid pandemic, is looking for people to support its flagship vehicle collection.
Its unique fleet of vehicles includes one of the first Austin Metros to come off the production line in 1980, a 1960 Ford Consul police car, plus five motorcycles dating back to the 1960s.
The independent museum has a number of historic vehicles in its collection, many of which have been star attractions at classic car shows – including the popular Bradford Classic events hosted in City Park.
Bradford Police Museum – based at Bradford City Hall – is seeking sponsorship for the historic vehicles, as it prepares to reopen its doors to the public again in June, subject to national guidelines.
Martin Baines, director of the museum, said: “This historic collection of vehicles is very eye-catching and is a real feather in Bradford’s cultural cap.
“To ensure that the cars and bikes are looking their best and accessible to the public, there are costs involved, which is why we’re
looking to the community for help.
“As we seek to reopen the museum safely, we’ll be making sure that our collection is stronger than ever, and we can only do that with the help of our sponsors.
“With Bradford bidding to be the next UK City of Culture, it’s of added importance that we are properly caring for our district’s historic treasures.”
Potential sponsors will be able to enjoy advertising rights and exclusive access to the museum and its collections.
Anyone interested is asked to contact Mr Baines on 01274 510245, 07798518035 or via email on info@bradfordpolicemuseum.
The Bradford Police Museum itself is a registered charity and a member of the Association of Independent Museums. It is run and operated by a team of enthusiastic volunteers and relies entirely on donations and small grants to run.
Since opening in 2015 the museum has gone from strength to strength and has become a popular venue for tourists and visitors.
In line with Government restrictions, the museum has been closed throughout the Covid-19 pandemic but is planning a phased reopening from June 2021.
This time last year, Mr Baines had said that they were anticipating a bumper spring and summer season following a revamp of its visitor offer.
It had also prepared a series of fully-booked ‘ghost tours’ and special group visits, all of which had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Baines made a plea then for donations and support as one of the many local culture and tourism facilities hit hard by the lockdown.
The museum is situated on the site of the original 19th Century police station in City Hall which was operational between 1874 and 1974.
The museum gallery covers the history of policing from the inception of the Bradford Borough Police force in 1848 right up to the present day.
As well as the vehicles, exhibits, documents and memorabilia at the museum includes decorated truncheons, a riot helmet, cutlasses, 1970s communication equipment and the first tape recording ever used in court.
Also on the site are around 20 cells, where prisoners were held until 1990. Illusionist Harry Houdini escaped from one of the cells, despite being handcuffed.
For more information visit its website at bradfordpolicemuseum.com.
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