Diss Museum to host prize draw to fix 200-year-old pillar

A pair of metal detectorists have inspired a fundraising draw to help replace one of Diss Museum’s 200-year-old pillars.

For the past two years, the attraction has hosted displays and talks by Nick Bateman and Joe Edwards-Gill.

After hearing that one of the site’s seven wooden pillars, which support the roof, needed replacing, the pair offered a day of metal detecting for two people as a draw prize, as a way of raising money.

This prompted offers from all over town, with match day tickets at Diss Town FC, free MoTs and meal vouchers helping to swell the total number of prizes to more than 20.

Museum treasurer Richard Peaty said: “We recently realised that one of the seven wooden pillars holding up the front of our museum was in a very bad state.

“The damage had been fixed a number of times in an attempt to preserve the fabric of the listed building, but now the heritage team at South Norfolk Council have acknowledged it is beyond repair and needs to be replaced.”

Mr Peaty said the project has an estimated cost of £3,000, with the sale of draw tickets going well.

“We have sold around half so far and, hopefully, once people see the range of great prizes on offer, we can sell the rest,” he said.

Tickets for the draw are available from the museum until July 26, costing £2 each.

The draw – set to be called by Mr Bateman and Mr Edwards-Gill – will take place at the Market Place venue the following day at noon.

The museum is open from 11am to 3pm, Monday to Saturday, until October.