Author: IT Team

  • Staff Announcements

    After undertaking an external competitive assessment, the Trustees and myself are delighted to announce that Carol King has been appointed as the new Director of Programmes, starting on 1 July.

    Carol has worked in museums for 10 years, most recently with us since last September as Interim Head of Collections Team.  Carol’s previous role was the strategic lead for Heritage, Culture & Visitors at the National Civil War Centre, Newark.  Carol has experience with learning programmes and visitor engagement, has a degree in English & History and MAs in Culture & Colonialism and Museum Studies.

    We’re delighted that Carol will be staying with us in this new key strategic role.

    And congratulations go to Sophie (Fi) Howell, Development Coordinator who will be taking up the role of Development Manager from Monday 10 June.

  • Staff Announcements

    We will shortly be waving a fond farewell to Pat York.

    Pat joined us as a Guide/Demonstrator in 2002 and will be sorely missed by the Learning Team. We would like to thank Pat for her hard work and commitment shown to the Museum, and wish her every success in the future.

    We would like to also wish Jacqueline Gordon every success for the future after leaving us for pastures new.

  • Fire Exit Reminder

    Can we please remind staff that all stairwells and corridors across the museum site that are designated fire exits should be kept free of all materials and not be used for any type of storage. This is a legal requirement that the museum must comply with.

  • Meet the Volunteer – Wal

    In the latest in our series of ‘Meet the Volunteer’ profiles we hear from Wal who is a volunteer with the Steam Team.  

    “I started volunteering 18 years ago in January 2001. The previous year I had met with Bob Chater (previous team leader) at Claymills Pumping Station and he persuaded me to do some pipework on the steam boiler on Boxing Day!

    I mostly do pipefitting and general maintenance on the colliery site. I also operate the steam boiler. You can usually see me on Mondays and Saturdays working on or around the Racecourse Colliery, and sometimes carrying out maintenance on the Anchor Forge.

    Volunteering has given me a new found interest connected to the boiler and engines, both maintenance and repair, especially since I retired two years ago.

    The most important thing about volunteering is to pass on the interest of what a 1920s colliery was really like, with live steam and engines providing the power, to the visitors.”

  • BCLM: Forging Ahead – Public Announcement

    BCLM: Forging Ahead – Public Announcement

    I’m pleased to say that tomorrow (Wednesday 29 May) we will be making a public announcement that we have been given the final go ahead to begin our transformational £23m development project BCLM: Forging Ahead thanks to confirmation of £9.4m funding from National Lottery Heritage Fund.

    We are hoping that the media will be as excited as we are so keep a lookout over the next few days in your local press, on local radio and hopefully on TV as we share this big news!

    Thank you for your patience and confidentiality over the last few weeks – just one more day to go!

    Carolyn Sankey, Deputy Chief Executive (Development)

  • Remembrance Display Poppies

    You may have noticed that a couple of weeks ago the Collections Team changed the entry hall display case. The poppies from the remembrance display have been removed. For anyone that gave the name of a relative, you are welcome to collect your poppies over the next few weeks. Please let Jess Lambert in Collections know if you would like to have them at [email protected].

    In case anyone has forgotten, the list of names is as follows: Alfred Reynolds, Corporal John Mason, Private Frank Mason, Private Ray Bottrel, William Massey, Alfred E. Webster, Private Roland Mason, Corporal Sydney Thomas Lightfoot, William Crockford, Sgt John Joshua Wells, Private Edward Moogan, Drummer William Harold Hartland, Joseph Davies (Sapper Joe), Thomas Rowland Thexton, David Jennings, Dennis Eric Westwood, Charles Twyford, Howard Bown, Sidney Gobourn, Gersham Marsh, Edward William Gardner (Big Ted), George Gobourn, Howard David, Frederick Constable, Archie Payne, John Horace Evans, Private Joseph Roberts, Frederick Forrester, Thomas Rowland Thexton, James Williams, Shoeing Smith George Westwood, William Southall, Albert F. Holland, Private Ezra Appleby Parsons, John Payne, Emily Irene Caddick, John Caddick, Private William Gardner, Private Howard Whitehouse, Sgt Edward Long, Joseph Davies, Private Cecil Gaskill and Private William Hargreaves.

    Thank you for your help in creating this exhibition.

    Jessica Lambert Assistant Curator (Collections Access)

  • Room Bookings Update

    From 25 May the co-ordination of bookings for Halls 1 & 2, Rooms 2/3 and the WI Committee Room will change from Jon White to Tom Law.

    Bookings should continue to be requested through the usual process using the Outlook calendar.

  • Celebrating Success for Volunteers’ Week

    All volunteers are invited to join us for a simple buffet lunch and refreshments to celebrate the success of our volunteers.

    Saturday 1 June

    12 – 2.30pm, Hall 2

    If you’d like to attend, please RSVP to [email protected] no later than Tuesday 28 May

    Please note: Numbers are limited so spaces will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis

  • New Leadership & Management and Staffing

    Following extensive consultations the move to the new structure is nearing completion and will take effect from Monday 3 June. Following briefings with the new teams last week I am pleased to confirm colleagues in the following new roles:

    Nicola Rowe, Head of Museum Operations
    Management of all visitor-facing operations, events management, visitor and formal educational engagement, commercial activities, ICT, costume production, on-site transport, visitor admissions, security, car parking and duty management. Reports to Managing Director.

    Mel Weatherley, Head of Programme Development
    Originating programmes which effectively engage audiences in the history of the Black Country and its connections to and impacts on, contemporary life. Develop themes, topics subjects for Museum activity and the stories we tell, collaborating with colleagues across the Museum and developing external partnerships. Reports to Director of Programmes.

    Hayley Merchant (nee McCafferty-David), Head of Collections Care & Management
    Care, management and development of the Museum’s collections including collections strategy, developing external partnerships, maintaining Designation and Accreditation standards, management of Collections Care & Management team. Reports to Director of Programmes.

    Jon White, Engagement Operations Manager
    Manages the Museum’s visitor and formal educational engagement operations, duty management, security, on-site transport, costume production and car parking, to optimise customer service and visitor experience. Reports to Head of Museum Operations.

    Giles Hammond, Museum Enterprises Manager
    Leads on the Museum’s food&drink and retail activities, to optimise financial results, customer service and visitor experience. Reports to Head of Museum Operations.

    Tim Shields, Transport Manager
    Manages the Museum’s road and rail transport and other motorised equipment, including historic and modern vehicles. Reports to Head of Site Conservation, Transport & Maintenance

    Liam Parkes, Engineering Manager
    Project managing, advising on and overseeing the maintenance of the Museum’s historic mechanical, industrial and operational collections, including boats. Reports to Head of Site Conservation, Transport & Maintenance.

    Clare Weston, Researcher
    Research into the history of the Black Country and the Museum’s collections to inform programme development. Reports to Director of Programmes.

    Helen Taylor, Collections Manager
    Care, management and development of the Museum’s collections including for example access to collections, acquisitions, conservation, appropriate use and display. Reports to Head of Collections Care & Management.

    Ricki Boden, People Administrator
    Assists the People Administration & Support Manager to deliver effective Human Resources systems and administration such as recruitment, induction and training, payroll, pension and volunteers.

    The new leadership, management and staffing structure can be viewed in full here.

    A number of vacancies still remain which are/will be being recruited to in the coming weeks and months, internally first and externally if required. Do keep an eye on the intranet for these opportunities.

    If you have any questions do get in touch with Helen Astill, [email protected] or on 219.

    With thanks for your cooperation and patience during this process.

    Andrew

  • Annual Trustee & Staff Event

    We will be holding the Annual Trustee & Staff Event on Thursday 30 May at 5.30pm (until 6.30pm) in Hall 2.  This is an opportunity for staff to meet Trustees and vice versa, for the Board to set out their most important strategic issues and for staff to ask questions about them.  It will also be an opportunity to celebrate the success of the Museum over the past year, particularly with regards to BCLM: Forging Ahead.

    More details about the format will follow shortly, but please save the date.

    If you would like to attend, please let Jo know by emailing [email protected] or contacting your line manager.