CREDITON Area History and Museum Society has said that "with regret" it has decided not to open Crediton Museum this year for the planned exhibition "Back to the1950s - Crediton and beyond".

The Society said: "Having examined Government guidelines for re-opening museums with the easing of Lockdown, it is not possible to put in place all the required measures to keep both volunteers and visitors safe".

The Society now plans to stage this exhibition for the 2021 season and look forward to welcoming visitors to enjoy a journey back in time, to an age of rock’n’roll, and a country emerging from wartime deprivation in a new Elizabethan age.

People who have already kindly loaned items for the exhibition this year, will be contacted in the coming weeks to ask if their loans can be extended.

Many people have taken the opportunity during Lockdown to research their family history.

The Crediton Museum Family Research team, normally based in the Museum, is still on-hand to help anyone who may need help.

They Society says that the team members are experienced genealogists, more than happy to research your ancestry on your behalf, or just to help you move on if you hit a dead end in your own research. While the Museum is closed, they are working remotely but can be contacted at: [email protected] .

The monthly programme of winter talks has already been planned and will begin as soon as Government guidelines allow.

In the meantime, it is hoped to repeat some of the previous talks via the Internet.

An announcement about this will shortly be made on the website: www.creditonhistory.org.uk and on the Facebook page: Crediton Museum.

Crediton Museum is run by volunteers who share an interest in the town and area’s local history.

They research, stage and steward the annual exhibitions, staff the Family Research Corner, study and archive documents and artefacts which are held in the Museum’s collection and host a variety of monthly talks.

As part of the community, the Museum volunteers also interact with local schools and organisations such as local Brownie troops and support other local history groups. New members are always warmly welcomed.

If you would like to know more, please contact Cheryl at: [email protected] or telephone 01363 776307.

Cheryl added: "Crediton History and Museum Society would like to extend sincere thanks to its many supporters and Friends, for their continuing help in these difficult times.

"Please continue to support the local businesses that help them to survive through their Corporate Friends scheme, and the many wonderful volunteer groups and individuals in our community who have cared for those in need during this crisis."