Sunderland Trust volunteer Kay
Hancock’s only contact with a computer until a few
months ago was when she played a game of on-screen
solitaire!
Now Kay is one of a dedicated team
at the Trust’s Archive Centre, located in Pembroke
Dock’s historic Market building, who have already made
big inroads into a collection regarded as of national
and international importance.
Both Kay and husband Colin - who
live in Saundersfoot - are stalwart members of the
volunteer team who run the Pembroke Dock Flying Boat
Centre. They signed up even before the Centre opened two
years ago and help out in many ways. While Colin is a
member of the Workshop team, Kay is nearby in
front-of-house, meeting and greeting the many visitors
who make their way to the Centre in the historic former
Royal Dockyard.
When the Trust’s Archive Manager
and Curator, Dave Pring, began to set up the Archive
Centre last autumn Kay joined the team there too.
Said Dave: “Kay confessed that she
had never even switched on a computer but you would not
know that now. She has made tremendous progress and is a
key member of our archive team which now numbers 15
volunteers who do, on average, one or two three-hour
sessions per week.
“Since the team began to come
together in November we have worked on over 9,000 items
- ranging from photographs, documents and uniforms to
aircraft parts and models. Many of these relate to
Pembroke Dock’s remarkable naval, military and aviation
heritage.”
“I am enjoying it immensely,” said
Kay. “Both Colin and I get much pleasure from our
involvement with the Flying Boat Centre and the Archive
teams. It’s so interesting that I am now taking work
home with me, and have a computer there too.”
* The Flying Boat Centre celebrates
its second anniversary next month.
Funding for the Centre is from
the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013, which is
funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, and the
European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
This is administered locally by Pembrokeshire County
Council which also supports the operation of the Archive
Centre. www.sunderlandtrust.org.uk
Caption:
Kay and Colin Hancock at the
Pembroke Dock Archive Centre with Archive Manager and
Curator Dave Pring (left).
