High Street Foundation Blog: Co-operation on Wheels Exhibition

Left to Right: Museum Trustee Mervyn Wilson, Mayor of Rochdale Councillor Peter Rush, Museum Manager Jenny Mabbott and young people from Sparth Community Centre

A new exhibition has been unveiled at the Rochdale Pioneers Museum to celebrate the Tour de France coming through Rochdale Borough on Sunday 6 July. The ‘Co-operation on wheels’ exhibition explores the link between cycling and co-operatives and will be on show until 25 October. There are a range of bikes and cycling memorabilia on display, from original Co-operative Wholesale Society delivery bikes to one of the latest road bikes used by professionals today.

Highlights to the exhibition are the skinsuit worn by Bradley Wiggins after he became world individual pursuit champion in 2003. There is also a toy pram, produced by the same CWS factory in Tyseley, Birmingham that made bikes. Those with a keen eye may also notice the tiny toy bike made in the likeness of a Birmingham Co-operative Society grocery bike.

"We challenged ourselves with this exhibition, as we wanted to engage a wide range of visitors from families to cycle enthusiasts. Not only are there lots of new things to see, there are things to do too", says Jenny Mabbott the Museum Manager who has been in charge of the exhibition from the planning phase to its launch. "We have also worked with Rochdale Youth Service and kinetic sculptor Richard Dawson to create a cycling themed a piece of art to go alongside the exhibition and the result is really impressive".

This clever art installation has been created by young people from Sparth Community Centre and is made up of old bike parts. It will be unveiled at the Museum’s Tour de France Countdown Party event on Saturday 28th June.

The Co-operation on wheels exhibition is suitable for all. Alongside the artefacts and information on display there is also a range of interactive elements including a Tour de France themed four in a row game, design your own Tour de France jersey, a cycling wheel of fortune game, an exercise bike cycle challenge, a gears building set and acetate shapes to design your own window display.

More information about both the Co-operation on wheels exhibition and Tour de France Countdown Party can be found on the Museum’s website www.rochdalepioneersmuseum.coop. Alternatively you can call 01706 524920 or e-mail museum@co-op.ac.uk.