AN urgent appeal for volunteer stewards has been launched by Fordingbridge Museum to save the venue from closure.

The museum, which opened in 2000 at King's Yard, is desperately seeking new recruits to man the front desk.

Steward Chloe Jensen said, “When I first moved to Fordingbridge I did not know anyone and was looking for something to do which was interesting and where I could meet people. By stewarding I met a large number of local people but also talked to visitors from all over Britain and the rest of the world.

"Some of the most interesting encounters were with people who were tracing ancestors who had lived in the area many years ago. It was very rewarding when we were able to give them relevant information or point them in the right direction. I would say to anyone thinking of stewarding do try it. It opened many doors for me.”

Museum Manager, Philippa Duckworth told the Journal that visitors from 19 countries had visited the museum.

"It would be a tragedy if we were unable to keep the doors open because of a lack of stewards and I would appeal to people to come forward to help us out. You can commit to as much or as little time as you like, no specialist knowledge is required and we give full training and support.”

People who are interested in stewarding can drop their contact details into the museum in Kings Yard or ring 01425 655813 or 657850