Monday May 21, 2012
Bata Reminiscence and Resource Centre
What?
- The Bata Reminiscence and Resource Centre is a self-funding organisation set up to collect the memories of people who have lived and worked within the British Bata Community at East Tilbury in Essex over the past 70 years
- The Centre hosts a collection of photographs, recorded and written memories, copies of the Bata Record Newspaper and other items from the community
When?
- The site was designated a Conservation Area in 1993
- The Centre formally opened in 2002
How?
- the BATA 70 years ago
© Bata Shoe Company, Canada
- The Centre was a community driven project resulting from local enthusiasts’ dedication to preserve the area’s memories and history, with the support of the wider community
- In April 1993 the Estate and Factory became designated as a Conservation Area with strict controls on building alterations and development
- The Bata Reminiscence and Resource Centre was opened in April 2002 by Mrs Sheila Plampton who was the first baby born on the Bata Estate
- The £3.5 million project involved funding and support from a number of sources including the MLA East of England, East of England Development Agency, Heritage Lottery Fund, and Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation
- The centre was expanded with the refurbishment of the library in 2007
Summary
- Since the library opened it has topped the league of libraries of a similar size in Essex for visitor and issue figures. Visitor figures for the first quarter rose from 7000 in 2005/6 to 11500 in 2006/07
- The number of young users, bucking the national trend: 31 children’s books are issued each hour compared to an average of 17 in similar libraries in Essex
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