The Big Bawdsey Online Merchandise Launch

Bawdsey Radar Museum has launched an online shop featuring a range of new and attractive Christmas gifts.

The Museum tells the story of a “world first” in the development of radar and has been recognised as Suffolk’s Small Museum of the Year 2020. Bawdsey, located on the Suffolk coast, was the first fully operational radar station in the world. The location played a key part in the defence of the country during the Battle of Britain and throughout the war.

The online shop is an innovative and exciting recent development for the museum –

Graham Randall, Chair of the Bawdsey Radar Trust said:
“The trustees recognised at the very start of the current pandemic that we needed to rethink the museum to find new ways of engaging with our audiences. Creating an online shop is one element of the new approach. This was supported by additional funding and support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which has improved the sustainability of the museum and we can continue to share the global story of radar.”

Liz Brooking, Volunteer managing the shop said:
“The gifts are inspired by the museum’s collection, many of them are made in Suffolk and are attractively designed by local artists”.

Gifts that can be purchased include:

• A bone china mug with a delightful drawing of Bawdsey Manor as it looked in 1937 when it became RAF Bawdsey. The artist, Mark Beesley from Woodbridge, is a Royal Academy prize winner
• A “Keep Calm and stay under the Radar” enamel mug, made locally in Ipswich by Star Editions.
• A range of books especially chosen to link to the radar story – from history to cookery. The “Shout and Whisper” book recounts the stories of people who were touched by events at Bawdsey and includes a cd of their experiences. It was collated by a trustee and printed locally by Felix Press.
• A “Chain Home Radar map” tea towel is made by Stuart Morris of Hadleigh.

Purchasing these gifts will support the work of Bawdsey Radar Museum and a range of local Suffolk businesses that supply the museum. Several photographs of the gifts are attached.

The online shop is at:
www.bawdseyradar.org.uk
or
onlineshop.bawdseyradar.org.uk

A very BIG thank you to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, SHARE Museums East and East Suffolk District Council for their support enabling the museum to continue developing innovative new ideas, such as online sales, during the pandemic.