THE next Bata Heritage Centre Open Day will be held on Saturday, 10 October. Admission is free.

It will be another two-centre event as follows:

• 10:00 – 13:00 – Building 13 (the old admin building of the Bata factory), Thames Industrial Park, Princess Margaret Road, East Tilbury, Essex RM 18 8RH
• 10:00 – 16:00 – East Tilbury Library, Princess Avenue, East Tilbury, Essex RM18 8ST

It is recommended that all those attending the Open Day head for Building 13 initially where ample WC facilities are available. There will be three optional guided walks around the Bata estate which will leave from Building 13 at 11 am, 11.30 am & 12 noon and will finish at the Library. Booking in advance for these tours is essential, Email [email protected] to reserve your place.

Please let organisers know the time of your preferred walk and the number of places required. The tours are very popular and can fill up quickly. If your preferred choice of tour is already full, you will be offered alternative walk times. A donation of £5 per person is suggested and this will be collected at the start of the tour. If the demand for walks is high, organisers may be able to arrange an additional one. However, this is dependent on volunteer availability.

Also, during the morning in Building 13, if you wish to find out more about family members or friends who worked at Bata, one of the volunteers will be on hand to search records and database for you. Articles and photographs can be printed and the volunteer will outline the costs, which will depend on the number of items you would like. These would be sent to you in the days following the Open Day.

At 1:15pm, or just after the last tour arrives at the Library – whichever is the later, there will be a free, illustrated "Heritage Talk" at the Library and all are welcome to attend.

**Open Day special offer – For just £8, combine the purchase of an informative booklet about the history of Bata at East Tilbury (normally £4) with your donation for the tour.

In addition to the displays in Building 13, in the museum at the East Tilbury Library, there are many more exhibits from the heritage collection to view, together with more photo-boards. The Library is the base where records are kept and research facilities are available. Here you will find out more about the life and times of the Bata factory and those living on its residential estate between the 1930s and the early 2000s.