The Rifles’ Berkshire & Wiltshire Museum redevelopment project
The Rifles Berkshire & Wiltshire Museum is home to over 250 years of military heritage, service and stories, from the Regiments of Foot to The Royal Berkshire and The Wiltshire Regiments, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire) The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment and on to the modern-day Rifles. We preserve the memories of the people who have served in, and with, our regular and reserve battalions, through operations and conflicts across the globe. For over 40 years we have kept our stories alive in the minds of visitors from all over the world. To secure our future into the 21st century, we need to keep up with the changing expectations of museums. So, between November 2024 and March 2025, the museum will undergo an exciting major redevelopment to enable us to continue to capture the public imagination with our stories of ‘Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage.’
Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage. This is your story. Update25 will bring our history, to life, redeveloping all our display areas and using the best modern and interactive technology. Our new displays will be themed, educational, full of light, sounds and movement, engaging and immersive. We will showcase our history, interwoven with personal stories of service, battles, courage, military equipment, and the changing nature of conflict. In this way we will put the visitor into our old boots!
The Supporters Wall will bring our history to life by connecting visitors to your story of service.
This prominent display will feature real life profiles sealed on wooden tiles which rotate to reveal a summary of service. Visitors can interact with the wall and look through a manuscript which has a full page for each person, with more pictures and life and service details. Your photographs and history can also be recorded in our on-line archives.
As well as being featured in the manuscript and the wall, you’ll receive two VIP tickets to the re-opening event, planned for Spring 2025, and a personal copy of the full manuscript. This is a unique and enduring opportunity to be a visible part of our history and support us in bringing it to life.
All who have served or been attached to our regular and reserve regiments (including ‘in memoriam’) have the opportunity to be featured on the wall, in return for a donation of £499. Due to space limitations, there are only 99 tiles available. To secure your place, complete the attached application form and send your deposit. If you have questions, then email Update25@thewardrobe.org.uk
Download the brochure
Guidance Notes
Completing your Application Form for the Supporters Wall
What do you need to do right now?
- Complete the Application Form
- If you are a UK taxpayer, please also complete the attached Gift Aid Form. Please ensure you do so as it allows us to claim a further amount from HMRC
- All forms (Application Form and Gift Aid) have been created if applying on line via a form on our website(s) you will not have to email the forms. Simply hit Submit and they will come to us at Update25@the wardrobe.org.uk
- When applying on line via a form on our website(s) you will not have the opportunity to save your form with a file name. Please simply hit the Submit button. You will be emailed a copy of your application
- Title your email with “Supporters Wall” followed by your Surname and initial(s)
- Pay your deposit donation of £49 by BACS (ideal) or by cheque. See the section on Payment Details in the Application Form for exactly how to do this, so we can track all of your donation payments
- Alternatively send the completed forms and/or payment to:
Supporters Wall
Trust Manager RWMT
The Wardrobe
58 The Close
Salisbury
SP1 2EX
How does the process work?
- You complete the forms, send them to us and pay your deposit donation. Your place on the wall and all the other associated benefits are now secure!
- We send you a full instruction pack with details on what information and photographs we need for the wall and the manuscript
- You supply the required information
- We edit it appropriately, format and lay it out, and return it to you for proofing
- You approve the content and pay your donation balance of £450
- We produce your Supporters Wall tile and entry for the manuscript
- We send your VIP tickets and details of the opening event, planned for Spring 2025
- You come to the opening event, see the redeveloped museum and the Supporters Wall, collect your manuscript and enjoy the day and the hospitality
- We record all your information in our digital archives for future generations
When should I apply?
As soon as possible. We have a limited space and can only fit 99 tiles on the wall, on a first come first served basis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to apply for a place on the Supporters Wall?
Applications are open to anyone who has served in our antecedent regular or reserve regiments, up to and including the Rifles, or who has been attached to any of those regiments.
How will you decide where my information goes on the wall?
Once we are ready for production there will be a draw to place people in positions. It is not done alphabetically or by rank. All positions on the wall are just as good as each other – at a good height and clearly visible.
Can I be put on the wall next to my brother?
If you are part of a family or friendship group, then when the first member is drawn the rest will be allocated adjacent positions, if you so wish. Simply make your request in the relevant part of the required information, which will be contained in the full instruction pack.
What happens if I change my mind and want to cancel my place?
This depends on where we are in the preparation, design and production process. We will, of course, try to refund donations where we can.
How do I apply for someone else or “in memoriam”?
Complete an Application Form with your details (so we can liaise with you) and make the reservation donation payment using their name as the payment reference (see payment instructions on the Application Form for how to create this reference). Complete the second table in the Application Form “for someone else” with the details of the person you wish to apply for/commemorate.
We appreciate comrades may wish to join together for funding, but we ask that there is a lead applicant who coordinates you all and pays the deposit and later the balance of the donation. If you are joining together to fund a place for someone else, please DO NOT submit a Gift Aid form for that application, as you may collect donations from a number of people.
If you are also applying for yourself, please submit your own (separate) form, with a Gift Aid form if you are currently a UK taxpayer.
What if I don’t want my details to be available online?
That is no problem. Just let us know when you complete your instruction pack and we will not upload the service details you have supplied, we will just use them for this discreet project.
Can I pay by instalments?
This payment method creates additional administration for you and us. Please pay the deposit to secure your place and then you will have time to make provision for the remaining payment.
When will the final donation of £450 be required?
We need to receive your final donation payment within 30 days of making the request to you. This will fund the production of your tile, construction of the wall and printing of the manuscript. We expect to request the final amount of your donation towards the end of 2024.
Why is the cost £499, this may be too high for some?
There was debate on the “price point” for this particular scheme. In addition to keeping our history alive, this is a major way of raising funds for the project, without which we cannot achieve the quality of redevelopment we would like. We hope that we have set this at a level which is affordable to most – and balanced the package and the effort of running the scheme and collating histories etc.
Pricing such an opportunity at £100 and creating a digital wall (even if that were appropriate) would mean getting 500 applicants and involve a huge amount marketing, administration, collation and management
Other fundraising events are in discussions – all suggestions are welcome.
Some of our ‘in memoriam’ (fallen) must get a place on the wall – but this will be expensive
The Supporters Wall is not a memorial wall. There are a number of other places that we remember our fallen, in books and in the memorial garden. The category was introduced as someone might want to apply for their deceased father who was in the R Berks. If groups of comrades wish to band together and raise the donation, agree with the deceased family and provide the narratives and photographs then we would be delighted to receive these applications, which could include those who have died as a result of, or during their service.
Why are there only 99 Spaces?
There are a number of factors that led to the limit of 99. The main one is space. We have so many stories to tell in the museum and many objects to show, so space is limited. We also want to hit the target of 99 (success) and people often need an element of incentive to act – space may run out – rather than an unlimited, sign up anytime offer. We are communicating the offer as widely as possible, so it is up to people to apply in good time.
Where will the Supporters Wall be located and built?
The location of the wall is inside the museum space (initially it has been placed in the entrance/reception area which is to undergo some remodelling.) The wood selected has been used before by the designers and there is no problem on longevity. Sealing the photographs under Perspex protects and sustains them. The wall is placed out of direct sunlight
Why not a Digital Wall?
Consideration was give to a digital wall and other options. We took advice from the designers, looked at other schemes and talked to the hosts of educational/schools visits. We also considered the target audience and what may appeal to them.
From this we designed something that was physical, interactive, can cope with multiple users, does not create too much loiter time, balances the needs of affordability, and set up costs v contribution (revenue) – which will include not just the construction of the wall, but all the verification, layout and proofing of narratives/stories and the necessary liaison and exchanges with applicants. This is a considerable effort.
Also we are having at least 3 and possibly 4 other interactive areas, lots of background sounds and “film reels” and photo shows going on throughout the display, so the chosen wall provided an area of contrast and a “solid” exhibit that people can touch and use.
Therefore we didn’t feel that a large interactive screen was the best fit in this instance.
About 50% of our visitors are generally ‘just passing by’, some are local people, some have come for events. We hope they will spend a couple of minutes by the wall and turn a few tiles. We can also include the wall in children’s trails (‘find out how many brothers are in row three…’ ). If they are interested in a person or group then the longer narrative will be available. The wall is not a research object. In addition we will store narratives of those featured on the wall in our digital archives which can be searched and viewed via our website.
Application Form
Boost your donation by 25p of Gift Aid for every £1 you donate Gift Aid is reclaimed by the charity from the tax you pay for the current tax year. Your address is needed to identify you as a current UK taxpayer. This form does NOT require a signature. This option is included in the application form.
Complete your application Now! – Click the button below
Places are limited so, to avoid disappointment, please apply early and make your reservation. When applying please read and follow the “Completing your Application Form for the Supporters Wall – Guidance Notes” carefully before completing the Application Form
The opportunity is available to all who have served with, or on attachment to, our antecedent regular or reserve regiments, up to and including The Rifles.
Ad-Hoc Donation option
Alternatively, if you would just like to make a donation to the redevelopment project, please make a BACS payment to:
- Account Name: Rifles Wardrobe and Museum Trust
- Sort Code: 30-96-26,
- Account Number: 85891460,
- Payment Reference: U25DONATION
What does the future hold?
Here are some early computer designs of possible themes and displays. The outline and detailed designs are ongoing and more will be published on the museum website in due course.
What’s happening at The Wardrobe this summer?
Also attached is a flyer with the Wardrobe summer schedule of events, should you be able to attend any. The museum is always seeking new volunteers, so if you can support please contact the Curator, Bethany Joyce (email assistantcurator@thewardrobe.org.uk)
Become a trustee
If you are interested in becoming a Trustee then please read the relevant attachment by selecting the button below
Becoming a Volunteer.
We are always looking for volunteers to support with visitor reception and hosting, research, archiving and preservation and to help out tending our garden and habitats. If you are interested in supporting us as a volunteer please contact Bethany Joyce at the Wardrobe for further details. You can email her at: Curator@thewardrobe.org.uk
