A long standing volunteer at The Helicopter Museum (THM) in Weston-super-Mare has won a Lifetime Achievement Award from Aviation Heritage UK, the umbrella body for all the aviation museums in the country. Alan Norris has been a member of The Helicopter Museum for almost 50 years. 

Alan began his association with the collection in 1974, when he visited the Avon Air Day at the old Weston airfield and manned the museum’s Bristol Belvedere helicopter to allow the public to see inside. Subsequently he became involved in restoring other helicopters in the collection and in 1980 was one of the original signatories to the constitution and incorporation document that saw the growing museum become a registered charity. 

As a Trustee Alan next set up a membership scheme to encourage support and then began a merchandising scheme to sell souvenirs at airshows to further raise funds. His next contribution was to become the museum’s Restoration Manager, introducing long and short term restoration schedules, health and safety rules and branded overalls for all the restoration technicians. In this role he oversaw the restoration to display condition of at least eight helicopters, as well recovering new exhibits from sites across the country and even overseas. 

More recently Alan set up the first museum website in 2001 which he ran for 20 years until handing it over to a new webmaster, but remains active as a trustee and hands-on volunteer to this day. The Chairman of The Helicopter Museum, Elfan Ap Rees, has praised Alan for his dedication over the past 50 years, and said his award is especially well deserved and an example to all of the enjoyment that volunteering in museums can bring.