VOLUNTEERS past have been honoured for helping to maintain an historic Stourbridge landmark which lays on a packed of programme of events throughout the year.
The Bonded Warehouse in Canal Street has been hosting community events since 1985 when a decade’s worth of restoration was completed by dedicated voluntary workers.
Today, the venue is at the heart of many favourite community events in the calendar – the most recent of which was the annual open weekend held on October 21 and 22.
Ahead of the event, which attracted thousands of visitors, it had been decided that an honours board should be installed to recognise the efforts of the main stalwarts of the trust who gave their time, skills and energy to restore, manage and maintain the facility over the years.
Local artist Meg Gregory handcrafted the memorial board from scratch and this was officially unveiled by the Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Andrea Goddard, and chief executive of the Canal and River Trust, Richard Parry, at the 2023 open weekend.
Trust chairperson Ian Cowdale said: “Without the efforts of many people, I believe the Bonded Warehouse would now be no more than a distant memory suffering the same fate as other listed structures in the locality.
“The Stourbridge Town Canal Arm has only survived thanks to the volunteer activity at the Warehouse.
“As visitors stand and admire the new honours board and use the facilities today they can, just for a moment, remember the hard work put in by a dedicated volunteer force.”
The trust is responsible for maintaining the standard of the area it controls along the Stourbridge Arm and for maintaining the Bonded Warehouse and associated buildings and structures in Canal Street.
New volunteers are always needed to get involved and help the trust fulfil its aims.
Anyone interested can find out more by visiting thebondedwarehousestourbridge.co.uk
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