A 1950s electrical shop at Beamish will help to inspire the engineers of the future after a local charity donated £100,000 to the museum.

Over the last 12 years, the Reece Foundation has donated £1m in total to The Living Museum of the to support the museum’s STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) projects.

The latest funding will allow thousands of children, families, schools, and groups to take part in hands-on STEM activities at the electrical and repair shop, which will be built in Beamish’s 1950s Town.

Read more: Police looking to reunite jewellery with owners after North East burglary spree

The exhibit will be named A Reece Ltd, Radio and Electrical Services, after North East engineer Dr Alan Reece, who founded the Reece Foundation.

Sally Dixon, assistant director of partnerships & communications at Beamish Museum, said: “We’re extremely proud of our long-standing relationship with Reece Group. The partnership was established in 2009 and has evolved and matured over time, and with the support for the electrical shop, the Reece Foundation has donated an incredible £1m to museum projects.

“Beamish is perfectly placed to support Reece in raising the profile of their key message, ‘engineers solve problems’, and we very much look forward to working with the team there for years to come, inspiring the engineers of the future. Thank you so much for your much-valued support.”

Read more: Inspirational horse rider overcomes spinal condition to land North Yorkshire award

The 1950s Town is part of the £20m Remaking Beamish project, which also includes a 1950s Farm and expansion of The 1820s Landscape.

The downstairs workshop of A Reece Ltd, Radio and Electrical Services will be an immersive space for STEM learning activities for visitors, with topics such as electronics, circuitry and basic fault finding and repairs.

Above the shop will be a bespoke STEM learning workshop set up just like a 1950s electrical repair space that will be used by a range of people including school groups, youth clubs, health and wellbeing groups, and for teacher training.

Read more: Strike action steps up at Peterlee factory over 'insulting' pay offer

The workshops are where people in the 1950s would have brought their items to be repaired.

The shop’s showroom at the front will tell the story of the increase in domestic appliances and the changes in technology during the 1950s – featuring the latest electrical items on display such as radios, hairdryers, fridges, and lighting.

Anne Reece, chair of the Reece Foundation, added: “Reece Group and Reece Foundation are delighted to partner with Beamish Museum in their mission to bring the past alive and to use it to inspire the generations of the future.

“Right now, we are realising the value of sustainability and the necessity to reduce waste – to repair and to reuse. We couldn’t have a more relevant place than the electrical repair workshop for today’s society – despite the fact it’s inside a village street from the 1950s. We must relearn and value those skills and our workshop will make a significant contribution to this aim.”

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated County Durham Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054