Bletchley  park  celebrates  LESBIAN  GAY  BISEXUAL  TRANS  HISTORY  MONTH  &  LIFE  OF  ALAN  TURING

As part of the annual Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans (LGBT) History Month, Bletchley Park will be celebrating the lives and achievements of the LGBT community at a special event on Sunday 28 February.  Among other things, the event will focus on the life and work of codebreaker, Alan Turing, during his time at Bletchley Park, with special lectures and films.

Alan Turing who was one of many great mathematical minds who worked at Bletchley Park during World War Two.  Although openly gay at this time, his sexuality was not considered an issue by the Park authorities and colleagues.  He was appreciated for his great intellect and for his contribution towards breaking the Enigma codes and the development of the Bombe machine, all of which helped to save thousands of lives and to shorten the war by two years.  Later of course, his sexuality was to be the cause of his downfall.

• The Wartime  Achievements of Alan Turing  at Bletchley Park - Frank Carter, a college lecturer in mathematics and a longtime guide and researcher at Bletchley Park.

• Why we need to claim our history - Tony Fenwick, co-founder or LGBT History Month.

• Local issues around LGBT History Month and Bletchley Park - John Goss from Q:alliance, which provides information, support, representation and fun for all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people who live, work and play in the Milton Keynes area.

A selection of films will be shown in the Bletchley Park Enigma Cinema, plus a documentary about the life of Alan Turing on the Pink Punters Rainbow Bus.  Visitors can also see the office in which Alan Turing worked in Hut 8 and the Bombe machine, invented by Turing with Gordon Welchman to speed up the process of breaking the Enigma codes.

For visitor information, contact 01908 640404, info@bletchleypark.org.uk, or go to www.bletchleypark.org.uk

 Editor’s Information

• Cost of the Annual Season Ticket is: adults £10, concessions £8 (OAPs and student with valid ID card), children £6 (aged 12 to 16 - children under 12 admitted free of charge) and a family ticket £22.50 (two adults and two children aged 12 to 16).  Tickets include a guided tour (subject to availability) and/or the use of an audio guide.  On-site parking is £3 per car.
  
  
• Bletchley Park is open  every day except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day: 

• 1 November to 31 March: weekdays, weekends and Bank Holidays 10.30am - 4.00pm.
• 1 April to 31 October: weekdays 9.30am - 5.00pm, weekends and Bank Holidays 10.30am - 5.00pm.

• Photographs are available as jpegs on request

Press contacts

• Claire Urwin, Events and Publicity Manager, Bletchley Park Trust, 01908 272 655,  curwin@bletchleypark.org.uk
• Caroline Murdoch, Redworks PR, 01869 810 443, caroline@redworks.co.uk.