The Press Office helps fulfil the remit of building the volume and value of visitors to Chiltern Open Air Museum (COAM) by raising the profile through targeting the consumer media locally, regionally and nationally and the travel trade media.

• Developing a PR strategy and plan to stimulate demand and revenue for the Museum, to maximise the PR opportunities around each event and to ensure that the visitor experience is of high standard.

• Promoting the quality kite mark awards achieved by the Museum in 2009 (Museum Accreditation/Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge) to highlight the ongoing high standards of excellence in delivery of its visitor offer.

• Increasing the advertising equivalence value for media coverage year on year.

COAM - where is it?

Chiltern Open Air Museum is set in the beautiful Chiltern Hills - an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Near to Chalfont St. Peter and Chalfont St. Giles in South Buckinghamshire, it is easily reached from the M25 (Junction 17 - Maple Cross), the M40 (Junction 2 - Beaconsfield), and under an hour from central London.

COAM - what is it?

The 45 acre museum is a wealth of over thirty wonderfully restored buildings from town and villages around the area covering over 2000 years of history. Founded over thirty years ago, the Museum has developed into a centre of excellence in the interpretation of the built heritage of the area.

COAM - what happens there?

There are events happening throughout the year to tempt every 'would be' Roman Centurion, Jacobite from 18^th century England, medieval knight, or 'Dad's Army home guard'.

COAM - who is it targeting?

Chiltern Open Air Museum's award winning education programmes offer comprehensive school visits linked to the National Curriculum for Key Stages 1 to 4. It also offers tailor-made programmes for college and university students, as well as adult craft courses for clubs, societies or birthday parties. Guided tours, craft demonstrations, activities and catering for your group are available on request. Corporate hire of the Museum site or historic buildings is also available.

COAM - what is the quality of its delivery?

Chiltern Open Air Museum has been awarded two top prestigious quality kite marks in 2009.

• In February 2009, the Museum was awarded the new status as an Accredited Museum by the national Museums Libraries and Archives Council. This is a quality 'kite mark' to indicate that the museum meets and surpasses national standards in governance, visitor services and collections care. http://www.mla.gov.uk/what/raising_standards/accreditation

• In March 2009 the Museum was one of the first in the country to receive the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge, promising to engage in the ongoing process to sustain high quality learning outside the classroom to meet all of the LOtC Quality Badge indicators. http://www.lotc.org.uk/

29-31 AUGUST 2009
MEET THE ROMAN ARMY AT THE CHILTERN OPEN AIR MUSEUM
AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY
There is great excitement this Bank Holiday weekend at Chiltern Open Air Museum! Re-enactment and research group, the Roman Military Research Society are hotfooting it down from Hadrians Wall - where their military display team were recently part of a legion there for the first time in 2000 years - and giving the visitors to Chiltern Open Air Museum a wonderful opportunity to learn about the life of the Roman Soldiers throughout the Roman period. Visitors will be able to see living history brought back to life through a wide range of activities around the site - and even have chance to see a 2000 year old Fashion Show!

18 AUGUST, 2009
ENGLAND V SCOTLAND - BATTLE PLANNED IN THE CHILTERNS THIS WEEKEND!
Let battle commence! This weekend (August 22-23) at Chiltern Open Air Museum see the English fight the Scots in this wonderful military 'Lace Wars' event demonstrating the rivalries and fighting techniques from the 18^th Century. Visitors will have chance to meet the Red Coat Infantry Soldiers, see the British Dragoons on horseback, and witness the attempts of the much beleaguered Jacobites from 18^th Century England to overcome the English soldiers.

11 AUGUST, 2009
17^TH CENTURY CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
This weekend (15-16 August) at Chiltern Open Air Museum sees a rather unusual activity - a 17^th century trial and a public hanging! The 'Crime and Punishment' events will be happening on the Museums Village Green with the aim of demonstrating that this was public entertainment several centuries ago

8 & 9 AUGUST 2009
WORK, REST AND PLAY WITH THE TUDORS!
Celebrating the 500^th anniversary of Henry the Eighth's accession to the throne, visitors to Chiltern Open Air Museum this weekend will have chance to experience life as it was in Tudor times - working, resting and playing! Marking this historical anniversary, the Museum has invited Tudor re-enactment group, Hungerford Household, to demonstrate a country gentleman's household from the sixteenth century. Hungerford Household is a re-enactment group with over fifteen years experience of bringing the Tudor period to life at historic houses and museums throughout the UK. Chiltern Open Air Museum provides a perfect setting for this exciting event for all the family.

27 JULY 2009
MEET SHARPES RIFLES 'BEHIND THE SCENES'AT THE CHILTERN OPEN AIR MUSUEM
Fans of TV series Sharpe will have chance to get 'behind the scenes of this favourite television drama and meet one of the stars. This weekend at Chiltern Open Air Museum visitors will have the exciting opportunity to meet 'Rifleman Harris' actor Jason Salkey.

20 JULY 2009
ARBORFIELD ADVENTURERS HOLIDAY CLUB 17 - 20 AUGUST
Arborfield Adventurers Holiday Club!
Calling all families! The annual action packed Arborfield Adventurers Holiday Club is planned for this summer - from 17 - 20 August at Chiltern Open Air Museum. The Museum and the Friends of the Museum jointly run holiday club sessions for 5 - 12 year old children in August each year based in the Museum's traditional buildings and site.

20  JULY 2009
AMAZING LINEUP FOR CHILTERN OPEN AIR MUSEUM CLASSIC VEHICLES SHOW
Classic Vehicle enthusiasts of all ages will be flocking to Chiltern Open Air Museum this weekend for the fourth annual Classic Vehicles Show. The well loved event with be showcasing a wide range of vintage cars, motorcycles, bicycles, Landrovers and even a fire engine!

14 JULY 2009
NORMAN SEIGE AT THE CHILTERN OPEN AIR MUSEUM!
This weekend gives visitors to Chiltern Open Air Museum the unique opportunity to learn about siege warfare from Norman times - and to witness the firing of missiles from that era. Early medieval re-enactment group, Conquest, who are dedicated to recreating the Norman, Anglo-Norman and Plantagenet (Angevin Line) period of English history from the Battle of Hastings until the death of Edward I, will have a living history encampment at the Museum and will be demonstrating how Norman soldiers lived during their military campaigns.

10 JULY 2009
CHILTERN OPEN AIR MUSUEM WELCOMES ATLANTIC STORM!
This years Annual Heavy Horse Show at Chiltern Open Air Museum was its usual huge success. The regular event was made particularly special with the addition to the regular team of horses of a six week old Suffolk foal called Atlantic Storm. She was given this name because she was born in the middle of a terrific storm during an event! Suffolk owner Heather Keeble usually brings at least two of her Suffolk Punches to the show each year and this was a wonderful sight for the visitors as there are so few Suffolks left. The foal took part in the breed parade and Heather also displayed a ladies carriage drawn by one of her Suffolks.

6 JULY 2009
MUSEUM INVADED BY VIKINGS AND SAXONS!
A major invasion in planned this weekend in the Chilterns!  This weekend at Chiltern Open Air Museum military Viking Group Valhalla, the largest and oldest Dark Age battle combat orientated re-enactment society in Europe, will be 'invading' the Museum with some rival Saxon warriors. The soldiers, with their wives and children, will live in their encampment on the Museum site over the weekend and will demonstrate all aspects of the soldier's lives.

7 JUNE, 2009
PELICANS SPOTTED AT CHILTERN OPEN AIR MUSUEM!
A visit to Chiltern Open Air Museum this weekend (13 - 14 June 2009) will provide a glimpse into the medieval way of life as a small flock of historic interpreters from the 15^th Century Living History group, 'Pelican-in-her-Piety,' makes their annual visit to this interesting and lively Museum.

19 MAY 2009
LET BATTLE COMMENCE AT THE CHILTERN OPEN AIR MUSUEM
There is great excitement this Bank Holiday weekend at Chiltern Open Air Museum! It will be transformed into the new province of 'Britannia' with the visit by 'Vicus', who are an Iron Age and early Roman re-enactment group. Visitors will be able to see living history brought back to life through a wide range of activities around the site, combat demonstrations - and even have chance to see a 2000 year old Fashion Show!

17 MAY 2009
LOCAL MUSEUM SEEN BY NEARLY FIVE MILLIONS VIEWERS!
Chiltern Open Air Museum is celebrating its appearance on the popular BBC programme 'The One Show' which was viewed by almost five million viewers. The programme was aired last week with celebrity presenter Germaine Greer investigating the history of laundry from early times to washing machines and Laundromats today.

11 May 2009
VANISHED HISTORIC EXHIBIT BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE!
A once common but now vanished feature of the Chilterns landscape has been brought back to life at Chiltern Open Air Museum thanks to a generous grant of £8,300 from the Chilterns Conservation Board. Visitors to the Museum have the opportunity to see at first hand the newly constructed historic lambing fold project, already being put into good use with the birth of the new seasons first lambs. The exciting new addition to the Museums extensive range of rescued and reconstructed local buildings will add a fascinating insight into how lambing used to be in the area and demonstrate local lambing practices.

8 MAY 2009
FREE BEER FOR DADS!!
Free Beer for Dad's on Fathers Day?
Finding a great treat for Dad on Fathers Day this year couldn't be easier. Just head for Chiltern Open Air Museum with the family on that day and the museum will be giving away free Wychert beer from the Vale Brewery to the first hundred lucky fathers visiting the site at Chalfont St Giles!

25 APRIL, 2009
MAJOR SKIRMISH AT CHILTERN OPEN AIR MUSEUM!
Visitors to Chiltern Open Air Museum this Bank Holiday weekend - 2 - 4 May - could find themselves witnessing a major skirmish between the Roundheads and the Cavaliers. The Marquis of Winchesters Regiment of the English Civil War Society will be encamped at the Museum over the three days, and their 'friends' from the Roundhead Army of Oliver Cromwell, will be visiting to ensure there is plenty of excitement on site!

22 APRIL, 2009
VIKINGS AND SAXONS SIGHTED IN BUCKS!
If you see Vikings and Saxons next weekend around Chiltern Open Air Museum, do not be alarmed! It is the popular re-enactment group The Dark Ages Society 'warriors' and 'villagers' visiting the Museum over the weekend of 25 & 26 April to get in training for the 2009 season.

4 APRIL, 2009
'KING HENRY THE EIGHTH I AM, I AM!'
Henry the Eight would have felt very at home this Easter Weekend at the Chiltern Open Air Museum – particularly seeing his 16^th century Kings Portrait Painter Holbein in action!

2 APRIL, 2009
EVERYONE AN EASTER EGG WINNER!
Award winning Chiltern Open Air Museum is gearing up for their exciting Easter Bank Holiday Family Fun weekend. The fun packed weekend includes on Sunday and Monday the exciting Fire Eater, 18th century ‘Mannered Mob’ Re-enactment group, together with the opportunity to have your portrait painted by King Henry the Eighths Portrait Painter Holbein! And of course, the traditional annual Easter Egg Hunt.

17 MARCH, 2009
GREAT TURNOUT FOR 'START OF THE SEASON' MUSEUM BRIEFING
Chiltern Open Air Museum has held its annual 'Start of the Season' briefing meeting for volunteers and the turnout was excellent, with many 'newcomers' attending to find out more about becoming a Museum volunteer. The Museum Director, Sue Shave and her team presented a lively resume of the work that has gone on over the winter months and the exciting developments which visitors can enjoy over the next season, which starts on 28 March and runs until the 30 October...

16 MARCH, 2009
SOVEREIGN THE RED NOSED SHIREHORSE
Sovereign, the resident Shire Horse at the Chiltern Open Air Museum was intrigued by visiting school children at the museum last Friday sporting red noses with red hair so decided to join in on the fun with a red nose of his own ~ he is seen here with farm volunteer Verena Clark trying on his own ' shire horse size ' red nose.....

5 MARCH, 2009
NATIONAL FIRST FOR CHILTERN OPEN AIR MUSEUM
Chiltern Open Air Museum is one of the first museums in the country to be awarded the highly prized 'Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge'...

Jacky Brookes
Press Officer, Chiltern Open Air Museum
marketingcoam@btconnect.com
Office Tel: +44 (0) 1494 871117
Mobile No: 07970 053883
Fax No: 01494 872774