Post Office Inquiry to work with The Postal Museum on project to mark impact of Horizon scandal
The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry has today (18 September) announced that it will be working with The Postal Museum on its upcoming Legacy Project.
Created alongside those affected, the Legacy Project will mark the Horizon scandal in history and ensure its effects cannot be forgotten.
Earlier this week, a group of current and former sub-postmasters, as well as family members, met with the Inquiry and The Postal Museum to discuss their aspirations and visions for the museum’s involvement in the project.
Secretary to the Inquiry Leila Pilgrim said: “The Legacy Project will mark the Horizon scandal in our nation’s history, respecting the devastating impacts it has had on countless lives.
“This is an important milestone, and I look forward to seeing The Postal Museum take forward this aspect of our Legacy Project work.”
Laura Wright, CEO of The Postal Museum, said: "We are proud to be working with the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry and the focus group participants on the upcoming Legacy Project.
“As an independent museum created to share the history of the postal network in Britain, stories of postal workers have always been essential to us. It is crucial that those affected by the Horizon scandal can tell their stories, in their own words, and that we help them reach as wide an audience as possible. Further details will be announced in due course."
This partnership with The Postal Museum follows a series of workshops in which a focus group of people impacted by the scandal shared their ideas for a Legacy Project.
Over the course of four meetings, the group of 12 current and former sub-postmasters or family members discussed what they wanted from the Project. Many referenced a desire to work with The Postal Museum to create a lasting legacy for the scandal. Other ideas were shared as part of the focus group and further information about these will be provided in due course.
What is a legacy project?
When public inquiries conclude, there is often a memento or activity to remind the public of the issue that was investigated by the inquiry. This type of activity is focused on legacy.
In this Inquiry, the Legacy Project is a collaborative piece of work with input from a focus group of sub-postmasters to understand how to mark the Horizon scandal in history so that its effects are not forgotten.
The Inquiry has also held a series of engagement events to better understand people’s thoughts and views about the Legacy Project.
Submissions received through the Inquiry’s listening project, In Your Own Words, will also help shape the project.
ENDS
About The Postal Museum
The Postal Museum is an independent museum and archive in London which tells the story of British postal communication and its impact on global society, from the reign of Henry VIII to the present day. The museum hosts interactive and family-friendly permanent and temporary exhibitions, special events, learning activities, modern research facilities, a shop and café. The collection features over 60,000 objects including vehicles, uniforms, pillar boxes, maps and stamps. It is also home to Mail Rail, London’s hidden Post Office underground railway, reopened as a visitor experience in 2017.
The museum is the public identity of the Postal Heritage Trust, a charity created to protect and share Britain’s rich postal history and heritage. The museum opened in its current location in Farringdon in 2017. In 2027, The Postal Museum will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Mail Rail and the 10th anniversary of the museum. Ahead of the anniversary year, the museum has embarked upon Enhancing Mail Rail, an ambitious project which will significantly improve the accessibility and experience of Mail Rail. Further plans will be announced in due course.
