Two visitors look at some of the historic shirts on display as part of the exhibition.

Leicester City FC legend Steve Walsh kicked off the new new Exhibition ‘From Shed to Stadium – 125 years of Leicester City Football Club’ in style last Saturday.

The exhibition, a partnership between the football club, a long-standing member of the Leicestershire & Rutland Museums Forum, and Leicestershire County Council examines the history of the club over the past 25 years by looking at the clubs ups and downs, cup successes, the 43 million fans that have passed through the turnstiles as well as notable managers, directors and, of course, players. 

Steve Walsh visited the exhibition last Saturday to talk to fans visiting on opening day and described the exhibition as ‘fascinating’. 

Other fans stayed to listen to club historian John Hutchinson’s talk about the club’s Fosse era from 1894 – 1919. 

Steve Walsh and LCFC historian John Hutchinson relive the club's glory years

The exhibition features amazing objects from Gary Lineker’s world cup shirt from 1986 to Jonny Duncan’s ball from 1924 and Adam Black’s boots as well as some more unexpected items that the club has collected over the years. 

From Shed to Stadium is open until 21st March – see the Snibston website for more details.

LCFC Launch photo - LCFC leading goal scorer Matty Fryatt with club historian John Hutchinson and museum staff

The new year is here and Snibston is heading for the top of the tables as it sets to launch its new exhibition ‘From Shed to Stadium – 125 years of Leicester City Football Club’.

Working in partnership with the club and its historian, John Hutchinson, museum staff have selected the cream of memorabilia, photographs and stories to show to fans across the county. The exhibition forms part of the club’s 125 celebrations and will be supported by a series of talks and events, also at Snibston.

Back in December, John Hutchinson invited fans to remember happy times, and the best ever matches, during a reminiscence workshop held at Snibston. People from across the county came to share their fond memories and to meet the team responsible for the exhibition. Some even allowed their memories to be recorded for the club’s archives so a legacy could be left for future fans. John Hutchinson, LCFC archivist and history expert, said “The reminiscence workshop was a great success. I met some very interesting people with wonderful stories to tell, and I thank them for making the effort to attend. I do hope they will came back and see the exhibition this month; it’ll be a real treat for them.” The Reminiscence Workshop was the second event as a prelude to the actual exhibition and followed a Memorabilia Workshop, held back in October, from which some items were actually selected for display in the exhibition.

Ernie White, Leicestershire County Council Cabinet Member for Museums, said: “This exhibition will be a wonderful start to 2010; something to really look forward to. The council and Snibston are delighted to be part of the 125 celebrations and we hope that fans will come along and see the exhibition and enjoy what’s on show. Football is about people and communities, so just think who has been involved during the last 125 years – the number of families and supporters’ clubs, and of course, local players and its employees – they have all made a difference to this great football club. It really is something for people to celebrate across the whole county.”

The two-month exhibition, From Shed to Stadium – 125 years of Leicester City Football Club, will run from 16th January until 21st March 2010. To be held in the free-to-view Community Gallery, it will showcase football strips, iconic objects and photographs reflecting the history of the club which was founded in 1884.

A series of supporting events have been planned during the next few months and fans are invited to take part. John Hutchinson will be holding a series of free talks which will give fans the chance to learn even more about the club’s history and to ask questions.

Leicester Fosse – 16th January, 1pm

Promotion Seasons – 6th February, 1pm

Cup Finals – 20th February, 1pm

Memorabilia – 6th March, 1pm

For younger fans, Snibston and the club have co-ordinated a series of LCFC in the Community Skills Workshops during February and March, which will enable children to learn from professional coaches. Further information on all events can be obtained on the events pages of the Snibston website or by calling Snibston on 01530 278 444.

Snibston is now appealing for knowledgeable fans to help with the exhibition through a monitoring role – to be on hand to assist with visitor queries and to keep vigilant over the more valuable items on display. It is an opportunity for life-long followers of the club to gain a sense of ownership over the exhibition and anniversary celebrations. People wishing to volunteer should contact Amanda Hanton, at Snibston, on 01530 278 444.

LCFC leading goal scorer Matty Fryatt with club historian John Hutchinson, County Councillor Ernie White and museum staff

Leicester City Football Club have launched the 125 exhibition, ‘Shed to Stadium’, that will take place at Snibston Discovery Museum from 16th January until mid March. For more information, see the press release on LCFC’s website:

http://www.lcfc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10274~1841763,00.html

The winners were announced at a ceremony at Stapleford Park last night (Thursday, July 30).

Launched 20 years ago by Leicestershire County Council and the Leicestershire and Rutland Museums Forum, the awards recognise the work of volunteers to preserve the area’s rich heritage.

The winners are:

Best project – Leicester City Football Club, for “Foxes’ Footsteps” (highly commended: Ashby Museum and Lutterworth Museum)

Award for work with children and young people – Ashby Museum, for Junior Friends of Ashby Museum (highly commended, Sir John Moore Foundation and Moira Furnace)

Best exhibition – Hallaton Museum, for “Rituals, Hoards and Helmets” (highly commended, Castle Donington Museum)

Best event – Sir John Moore Foundation, for the Rat Pack Evening (highly commended, Ullesthorpe Windmill) •

Museum of the year – Hallaton Museum (special mention, Castle Donington Museum)

Achievement award – Swannington Heritage Trust and Castle Donington Museum

Ernie White, Leicestershire County Council’s Cabinet member for Better Places, said: “I’m delighted with this year’s awards – not just for the winners, but for everyone who entered, as the standard was so high. “Hallaton is a worthy museum of the year, with its impressive new exhibition about the major Iron Age hoard found there.”

Around 1,000 volunteers run 40 independent museums in the area and they attract 250,000 visitors per year. The judging panel included heritage consultant Heather Lomas, Jim McCallum from Voluntary Action Leicester Shire and a panel of young people from CYCLE, the county’s youth council. For further details about community museums and the awards, see www.leics.gov.uk/community_museums

The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Heritage Awards ceremony will take place at Stapleford Park, near Melton, on Thursday, July 30. Top prize is a plaque and £100.

Launched 20 years ago by Leicestershire County Council and the Leicestershire and Rutland Museums Forum, the awards recognise the work of volunteers to preserve the area’s rich heritage.

A total of 20 different museums and heritage groups had submitted 35 entries for six different awards:

* Best special project
* Best exhibition
* The award for work with children and young people
* Best special event
* The achievement award
* Museum of the year (chosen from one of the entries to the five categories)

Around 1,000 volunteers run 40 independent museums in the area and they attract 250,000 visitors per year.
The judging panel includes heritage consultant Heather Lomas, Jim McCallum from Voluntary Action Leicester Shire and a panel of young people from CYCLE, the county’s youth council.

For further details about community museums and the awards, see www.leics.gov.uk/community_museums
For media interviews, please contact the press office on 0116 305 7046 or Rob Clarke on 0116 305 4140.

Exhibitors this year include Coalville Heritage Society, Whitwick Historical Group, Wigston Framework Knitters Museum, Castle Donington Museum, Foxton Canal Museum, Railway Vehicle Preservations  and Rutland County Museum. Other museums are represented with information and /or a banner.

Why not pop along and see what some of the independent museums are up to – you might get some inspiration for a summer holiday trip to somewhere you have never been before, or discover one of the counties’ hidden gems. While you are at Snibston, why not pop in and see the current Anne Frank exhibition as well.

Both the Forum exhibition and Anne Frank exhibitions are free (charges still apply if you wish to visit other galleries). Opening times are the same as Snibston.

As happens every year, I’m gobsmacked to find out about some of the things that you are up to, even though i like to think that I am in touch with most of your fairly regularly. Brilliant exhibitions, amazing work with children and young people, fabulous projects and events that I am so gutted to have missed – but I can’t come to them all (more’s the pity).

The entries in the ‘achievement’ categories emphasise how far Leicestershire & Rutland museums have come – some over a number of years, other in a much shorter time – some over only a few months.

But enough of me going on – take a look at a summary of each entry by visiting the awards page of our blog.

Winners will be announced on 30th July!