Libby Neumann hard at work on the upcoming series, Heritage Rescue. Photo suppliedFormer Ashburton College student Libby Neumann will star on the new season of Heritage Rescue as the show’s design assistant.

After completing her study at the University of Otago, she returned home to Mid Canterbury and worked over the summer holidays as an intern at the Ashburton Museum.

But very quickly, the opportunity to appear on television came calling.

The Choice TV show is about to air its second season featuring Brigid Gallagher, from Time Team, travelling the country to visit a different heritage site each week.

Neumann is currently on the road with Heritage Rescue and told the Ashburton Guardian she was “loving it so far”.

“I’m really happy with the final design of both of the museums we’ve done,” she said.

“We also have so many interesting stories to tell in those episodes.

“The entire team is really friendly and I am learning a lot.

“I’m loving working with Rose Evans, who is a very experienced museum conservator and expert.”

New Zealand has more than 600 museums and heritage sites, from large impressive institutions with plenty of staff and resources, to humble, out-of-the-way collections manned by volunteers and fighting for survival.

During the series, Gallagher and her team of specialists, call on the local community to lend some elbow grease, and together they reorganise the existing exhibition, create new exhibits, discover fascinating stories behind some of the significant artefacts in the collection and ensure these items are displayed respectfully and according to protocol.

Neumann completed her Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA(Hons)) in Classics last year, and prior to that, a double major in Classics and Theatre Studies.

An air date for the show is yet to be announced.

By Megan Gnad © The Ashburton Guardian - 28 February 2017