Tuesday, 5 June 2018

The Andrews Labor Government has announced a new round of funding for the War Heritage Collections Training Program and Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Harriet Shing is encouraging Gippsland ex-service organisations to lodge an Expression of Interest.

The program is a great opportunity for ex-services organisations to receive expert training and support to help them protect, preserve and increase access to their military history.

Training helps recipients produce a report identifying conservation, significance and exhibition priorities, repair and stabilise memorabilia and exhibit and digitise collections.

Recipients also receive up to $5,000 bursary for the conservation, digitisation or archival needs of their collection.

The War Collections Training Program has been a highly successful part of the Victorian Government’s Veterans Heritage Project, run in conjunction with Museums Australia (Victoria).

Previous recipients include:
• Wangaratta RSL Sub-Branch;
• Melbourne Legacy;
• Lara RSL Sub-Branch;
• Dandenong Cranbourne RSL Sub-Branch;
• Ringwood RSL Sub-Branch.
The ex-service organisations that have already participated in the War Collections Training Program have preserved items such as clothing, weapons, medals, and souvenirs from a range of conflicts such as WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam.

All the collections can be seen at victoriancollections.net.au.

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Harriet Shing:

“Gippsland has an extraordinary history of sacrifice, dedication, selflessness and also loss in the conflict of war, and it’s our duty to preserve these stories and memories for generations to come.”

“I encourage all local ex-service organisations to take advantage of this important opportunity to access additional support.”