A much-loved County Durham colliery pavilion has been saved from the threat of permanent closure and transformed into a new heritage museum.
The Chilton Heritage Centre has officially opened its doors, marking the completion of a major £270,000 restoration scheme designed to preserve the history of Chilton and Windlestone.
Project co-sponsor Ben Race said the museum will celebrate a town whose "human history and social history is incomparable to other places".
The building at the Miners’ Welfare Recreation Ground had fallen into severe disrepair.
Chilton thing (Image: KAITLYN ASHBY)
Recent condition reports warned the site faced imminent closure over safety concerns before a community campaign stepped in to save it.
The project was spearheaded by local filmmaker Ben Race, of Capture Films, and Sue Reece, the chair of the Miners’ Welfare Recreation Ground Trust - who also serves as the independent Mayor of Chilton.
The pair worked alongside regional partners - including specialists from the Beamish Museum, the Miners’ Welfare Recreation Ground Trust and the Durham County Council heritage team - to deliver the facility.
After making his five-part documentary series, “Chilton And Windlestone, 150 Years”, project archivist and curator Ben Race was left with “thousands of photographs, documents, videos, and stories”.
He said: “Once I'd finished the films, I didn't know what to do with them.
"The Miners' Welfare Trust had this building that was falling into disrepair and needed a use.”
Project co-sponsor Mayor Sue Reece swapped her formal mayoral regalia for a volunteer T-shirt to celebrate the opening day.
The shirt features a 1964 Northern Echo photograph of 'The Lads' volunteers Benny Hewitt and Barry Shaw sitting with friends outside the Regal Cinema before it closed that year.
One of them, Barry Shaw, joined other original 'Lads' Benny Hewitt and Derek Slater at the centre's launch.
Mr Shaw explained that the friends were on a seat where they all used to congregate across the road from the picture house.
A Northern Echo photographer asked if they would agree to get their picture taken in front of the Regal, because it was closing down that day. It's that picture which features on the T-shirt,
Benny Hewitt, left, and Barry Shaw, two of the original 'Lads' (Image: KAITLYN ASHBY)
Mayor Reece explained that local community surveys revealed a strong public affection for the pavilion, which has since been recognised as a non-designated heritage asset for Durham despite facing potential closure due to severe disrepair - driving the urgent need to restore it.
“I met Ben at one of his documentary screenings, and it was just serendipity really, that we were able to bring the two problems we were trying to solve together and put in a heritage lottery bid,” she said.
Ben Race, left, and Sue Race, right, pose with one of the many visitors on launch day (Image: KAITLYN ASHBY)
The new centre, which has just celebrated its centenary, includes a physical exhibition.
It also has a community hub, café and digital archive of hundreds of historic photographs, documents, videos and other items donated by the public or sourced by Mr Race.
Organisers have also launched a mobile-linked heritage trail, allowing visitors to navigate key historical landmarks across Chilton using their smartphones.
The pair heavily credit local volunteers, who they say all contributed to the restoration by providing material or going down to paint.
The centre has recruited a volunteer coordinator and aims to sign up at least 50 more volunteers.
The scheme aims to give residents qualifications in ground maintenance, customer service and heritage preservation while bringing in younger volunteers to keep the centre running.
Take a look at some of the displays inside the centre:
Displays inside the new Chilton Heritage Centre, which celebrates the history of Chilton and Windlestone (Image: KAITLYN ASHBY)
Visitors can explore photographs, documents and other material preserving Chilton and Windlestone's past (Image: KAITLYN ASHBY)
The new Chilton Heritage Centre brings together material documenting generations of local life. (Image: KAITLYN ASHBY)
Archive photographs are among the exhibits on display inside the newly opened Chilton Heritage Centre (Image: KAITLYN ASHBY)
One of the displays telling the story of Chilton and Windlestone at the new heritage centre (Image: KAITLYN ASHBY)
Mr Race said: “This place has an incredible history that stretches far beyond just the mine, which is what most people associate with these small villages.
"There was a mine here, and now there isn't.
"But the human and social history here is incomparable to other places.”
Organisers hope the venue will become a lasting community asset, linking established mining families with newer generations moving to County Durham.
Read more
Thousands flock to Redhills as Durham landmark begins new era
Bishop Auckland heritage festival returns with classic cars, talks and exhibitions
'More important than the Bayeux Tapestry' - Terry Deary hails County Durham project
They explained that the museum ensures these materials remain in public hands.
Mayor Reece said: “If the new people moving into Chilton and Windlestone begin to love the area as much as those of families that have been here for a long time, it's really important that we keep the heritage going for future generations.”
The Chilton Heritage Centre is now open to the public.