Over 40 residents attend The Bunker’s open day

More than 40 residents were welcomed to Hatfield Police Station on Saturday (20 April) when officers hosted another open day at The Bunker.

Free to the public, The Bunker is a museum in the station’s basement and it celebrates the Grade II listed building’s heritage as a former aircraft factory. It was created as a public engagement initiative to foster better relations between the police and the local community, particularly schoolchildren.

The Bunker has become a popular local attraction and Saturday’s open day saw 46 visitors walk through the doors. Many had personal connections to the De Havilland aircraft factory that it was once home to.

Those who visited were given a tour of the museum by PCSO Anne Devine, from the Neighbourhood Policing Team, and Police Support Volunteer Alistair Hodgson. They learned about the building’s remarkable history through the various photos, historical items, original film footage, dioramas and models on show.

The open day also gave residents the opportunity to speak with PCSO Devine about any local crime issues affecting them.

PCSO Devine said: “It was an extremely busy day for us in The Bunker but it was all worth it to see the smiles on everyone’s faces! We arranged the open day after places filled up fast for March’s open day. This one also filled up quickly and so we arranged a May open day which is also now fully booked! It’s great to see that the public are so enthusiastic and we can’t wait to keep showing more people around.

“We heard lots of fantastic stories from attendees who had personal connections to the Bunker. A lot of them had family members who had worked at the De Havilland aircraft factory. It was a privilege to give them the opportunity to step back in time and relive treasured memories.

“One of our rooms in The Bunker explains the history of policing and it’s always a pleasure to speak to residents about this. We then explain the world of modern policing and it presents an opportunity for residents to raise any thoughts or concerns about local policing in Welwyn Hatfield. This is really important for us as we want to ensure that the public are getting the service they need from us.

“I would like to thank everybody who came along. We can’t wait to welcome more visitors in May.”

For more information about The Bunker, visit The Bunker website (opens in a new window). More open days will be announced in due course.

The Bunker can facilitate visits from local community groups, such as schools, Brownies and Cubs etc. If you are a local community leader and would like to book a visit for your group please email PCSO Anne Devine (opens in a new window)

Join our new community messaging platform Herts Connected (opens in a new window) where you will receive free local police messages. You can also choose to receive messages from Neighbourhood Watch, Action Fraud and the Police and Crime Commissioner if that’s what you select when you sign up. 

You can use our community voice platform ‘echo’ to let us know what you think we should be prioritising in your area. Your feedback will help towards shaping our local policing priorities, initiatives and campaigns. Visit Echo (opens in an new window) and tell us your thoughts.

Photos of residents visiting the bunker