Pioneers Museum goes bananas

Museum volunteer Liesl Beckles with Mervyn Wilson in a banana suit

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Mervyn Wilson, Principal and Chief Executive of the Co-operative College and a Trustee of the Co-operative Heritage Trust, appeared in a banana suit at the Rochdale Pioneers Museum on Wednesday 19 February after the Co-operative Heritage Trust gained new regular donors and one-off donations to hit an initial fundraising target of £100.

Mervyn appeared at the Museum’s Jumbo Fairtrade Tea Party, which celebrated the anniversary of the Co-operative Wholesale Society which started 150 years ago with a tea party at Jumbo Farm in Middleton.

Around 130 people attended the event which included a wide range of activities for all ages including making a dough cake, hosting a mini tea party, decorating a Fairtrade cookie and making a Fairtrade badge, keyring or fridge magnet.

Visitors found out about this year’s Fairtrade campaign, ‘Make bananas fair’, by watching short films and joining Mervyn in dressing up in a banana suit!

Grown-ups enjoyed a nice cup of Fairtrade tea or coffee and explored the new ArcHive learning resource ‘Trading with the world.’

One young participant said “I liked it when I got to make and decorate a cookie and making a keyring.” And a parent commented “the kids really enjoyed the play dough and the tea party. They loved and are proud of their badge.”

Jenny Mabbott, Museum Manager said “we thought the event was very successful, it was great to see so many families exploring the museum, having fun and finding out about Fairtrade at the same time”.

The Co-operative Heritage Trust, which collects, safeguards and makes accessible the artefacts and documents held at the National Co-operative Archive and Rochdale Pioneers Museum and aims to inspire people about the origins, development and contemporary relevance of co operation through lifelong learning and research, still needs your support.