Photographs, medals and coins celebrating Bermuda's involvement in every Olympics since 1936, are today sitting in a small cramped office because their collector has not found any place to display them.

But Community and Cultural Affairs Minister, the Hon. Wayne Furbert, said the collection was exactly what his Ministry is interested in.

"I haven't seen it yet,'' Mr. Furbert said. "But this is the kind of thing we in Government have been talking about.

"We want to create a facility to celebrate the history and culture of Bermuda.'' Mr. Whitfield Frederick "Chummy'' Hayward, 83, has amassed this sizable collection during his varied travels with Olympic squads and cricket teams.

In fact Mr. Hayward, who was the chief-de-mission for Bermuda's first Olympic team that traveled to the games held in Berlin, Germany in 1936, has carried the Olympic flag for Bermuda more times than any other athlete.

Inside the office located on the third floor of the International Centre on Bermudiana Road, sits a montage of pictures of such famous athletes as Jesse Owens, Jack Dempsey, and Muhammad Ali.

Bermuda's first Olympic banner and Mr. Hayward's identification card from the 1936 Olympics hang from a wall to the left of the entrance. That banner marked the Bermuda Olympic Association's entry into the International Olympic Committee. In addition to historical mementos from every Olympic games since 1936, including several coins, there are also photographs of the Queen and Prince Charles, Bermudian Governors, Sir Edwin Leather, Sir Peter Ramsbotham and Lord Martonmere.

Other photos include former Miss World Gina Swainson, former Bermuda Olympic boxer Mr. Clarence Hill and the Bermuda Wanderers cricket team.

Mr. Hayward who was awarded the Olympic truce for his ceaseless service to the local athletes last year, celebrated his 83rd birthday last Sunday.

Meantime, Mr. Austin Woods, president of the Bermuda Olympic Committee, said: "Mr. Hayward's collection could be an asset the public should have the benefit of seeing especially since it goes back to 1936.

"And added to the collection the Bermuda Olympic Committee has I hope we can have an opportunity to show this to the public so they can have some understanding of how the Olympic movement has gone through over the years.'' Currently, Mr. Furbert said a facility that can borrow such collections and display them does not exist.

However, he said a committee will conduct research into setting up a facility in an already existing building because he wanted to encourage people who own collections like these to share them with the wider community.

By John Burchall