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  • Record visitor numbers for Feb half-term

    Over the course of the 9 days of February half term, we welcomed an astonishing 14,804 visitors with 12,258 visitors attending between Monday 18 & Sunday 24 Feb. This is 63% ahead of budget and 43% more than the same week last year.  This makes Feb half term 2019 the best on record by far and actually comparable to Whitsun Week in 2018.

    What’s more – people had a great time!  12 of the 19 reviews left on Tripadvisor over the last 7 days awarded the Museum 5 stars, including the one below:

    ‘Marvellous Museum’

    I had an absolutely lovely day at Black Country Living Museum. Such a lovely environment filled with excitement, joy and happiness… I had a very special and memorable day and I will totally come back.

    Well done and thank you to everyone involved!

  • Update: Pension contributions

    The government introduced automatic enrolment in 2012 to help employees and workers get the retirement they want. Since then, millions of employees and workers, supported by contributions from their employers, have begun saving into a workplace pension. The next step is for the minimum amount paid towards your workplace pension – by the Museum and by you – to increase to 8%. This will help towards building your pension pot for your future.

    From 6 April 2019, for individuals in the Auto Enrolment Pension Scheme, the Museum will contribute 4% (currently 3%), and you will be required to contribute 4% (currently 3%) from your qualifying earnings, making a total of 8% paid into your retirement savings.

    Did you know that:

    • Saving into a workplace pension is a simple and easy way to help ensure you get the kind of retirement that you want
    • The earlier you begin saving, the more time your savings have to grow. You can also choose to save more than the minimum if you wish
    • The money will remain yours, including the contributions made by your employer, even if you change jobs
    • When you retire, you will be able to choose how to use your pension savings

  • Peaky Blinders Nights – Staff & Volunteer Tickets

    Peaky Blinders Nights tickets go on sale to Members, staff & volunteers on Wed 27 Feb.

    Staff & volunteers can purchase their tickets between 8.30am and 9.20am  on Wednesday morning in the Admissions building (card payments only) and from then on, during normal admissions’ hours.

    Please take the time to familiarise yourself with the ‘Staff tickets for Events‘ Policy which has been slightly changed in light of feedback received last year.

  • Research opportunity to visit Imperial War Museum

    We have 10 places available on a voluntary research visit to the Imperial War Museum on Tuesday 19 March 2019.

    Why are we going?

    The Imperial War Museum (https://www.iwm.org.uk/) explores conflict and its impact on people’s lives, recording conflict and difficult histories. We are visiting to take inspiration from IWM, to share ideas and to see how other museums tackle difficult histories within a learning environment. We will be looking at trails, activities and interpretation methods used to inform visitors. Everyone attending will be asked to complete an activity work book, which will be collected at the end of the visit. This is a great opportunity to see the work of a highly regarded national museum, and to get to know other members of staff, volunteers and supporters.

    Exhibitions:

    Making a New World: explores how the First World War shaped society, using immersive live music, performance and public debates.

    The Holocaust Exhibition: The Holocaust Exhibition tells the story of the Nazi persecution of the Jews and other groups before and during the Second World War.

    MIMESIS: African Soldier: Millions of African and Colonial soldiers contributing to Victories throughout the First World War.

    Moments of Silence: Moments of Silence, exploring the origins, history and future of remembrance rituals.

    Life after the First World War in Photography: Through a rich collection of photographs, discover the innovation and resourcefulness that shaped regeneration of the World Post-War.

     

    Who is it available to?

    Any member of staff or volunteer.

    Please note, the cost of the trip is being funded by the Museum. You will not be paid to visit the Imperial War Museum unless you are a contracted staff member and have permission from your line manager to attend as part of your role.

    How to reserve your place?

    If you would like to attend, simply email [email protected] leaving your name, team and contact telephone number.  Tickets will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

    Pick up and drop off

    Leaving BCLM at 8am and leaving London at 5pm

    Approx. return time at the Museum 8.00-8.30pm

  • Morning Briefings are Changing from 13 Feb

    We’re changing the way we do our daily briefings to bring everyone who interacts with our visitors together.  It’s to try and ensure that everyone receives the same information about things that might affect the visitor experience and that everyone is given greater context into the wider operation and performance of the Museum.

    Those who are in non-visitor-facing roles will also be joining the briefings once a week on a day of their choice and on the second Wednesday of every month, Andrew Lovett will join the session to give a briefing.

    We will be kicking off the new briefings with an address by Andrew on Wednesday 13 Feb at 9.15am in the WI.

    From then on, all briefings will take place in the WI unless you are informed otherwise. On a daily basis, they will begin at 9.30am, will last no longer than 10 minutes and will be delivered by alternating members of the Museum’s management team.

    Andrew’s monthly address will begin at 9.15am.

    Please do arrive promptly so that the briefings can start on time and our front line colleagues can then get into position ready for opening.

     

  • Our Round 2 Application to The National Lottery Heritage Fund

    Yesterday (Monday 4 February) we hosted The National Lottery Heritage Fund.  The visit forms an important part of their assessment of our £9.4m funding application towards BCLM: Forging Ahead, and if successful, will mean we can start work on the ground in the early summer.

    It was terribly important that our guests from the NLHF met as many people as possible, and I was so delighted that this included staff, volunteers, members of our Community Panels, our friends from Black Country Touring, Museum Trustees, local MPs and representatives from stakeholders, including Ninder Johal from the Local Enterprise Partnership, Peter Knott from Arts Council England, and Sarah Norman Chief Executive from Dudley Council, as well as the Midland Metro Alliance. We even had a video message from West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street.

    From my perspective, the day was a great success and ended with colleagues in the Bottle & Glass and a great sense of pride in what everyone had done, and is doing, to make the Museum a success.

    We now have a seven week wait until a decision is made, although we will continue to take forward preparations, on the assumption that the decision is in our favour.

    I especially want to thank everyone who was at the Museum today and had a role in organising, performing, directing, transporting, cleaning, catering, tech-ing, talking with and answering questions from the NLHF.  You were all terrific and can be very proud of the part you played.

    Thank you.

    Andrew

  • Doo’s Staff Room Now Open

    As of Wed 23 Jan, the staff room above Doo’s will re-open following its refurbishment.

     

  • Road Maintenance Update

    All pot holes in the main Museum road have now been filled and the improvement works to the main car park are progressing well. Stave-con will be back on Monday and Tuesday to complete the works.

    There are also a few small pot holes on the bridge into the village that will also be filled while our contractor is still on site. All works are on schedule to be finished and rubble removed before we open to the public on Wednesday.

    Thank you for your patience.

  • Recent Staff Changes

    The New Year has brought some staff changes.  After many years at the Museum, Kay Reynolds, one of our Receptionists, has left, and in the coming days so too will Katy Price, Development Manager, for a new role with English Heritage in Wiltshire.  Lucy Bennett, Head of HR, has also moved on to pursue new opportunities.

    We wish Kay, Katy and Lucy well and thank them very much for the contribution they made to the success of the Museum.

    Katy will be having a farewell get together on Thursday 17 January in the upstairs of the WI from 4.30pm if you would like to say goodbye.

    We’ll let colleagues know about any interim arrangements we’ll be putting in place over the next couple of weeks.  In the meantime, Michaela Fallon-Williams will be taking-on extra responsibility and should be your first contact for any Human Resource-related matters.

  • Calling all Archers fans!

    Archers fans – get your wellies on and join us on a trip to ‘Ambridge’!

    BBC Birmingham Tours at the Mailbox are launching a brand new Archers tour in the spring, but before going live to the public, the BBC are looking for Archers fans to help them give it a proper test run.

    All About The Archers pilot tours are free for BLCM Staff, friends and family; and are happening on:

    • Thursday 31st January at 10.30am and 1.30pm
    • Saturday 2nd February at 3pm
    • Thursday 14th February at 10.30am and 1.30pm
    • Saturday 16th February at 3pm

    Get an exclusive sneak peek around The Archers radio drama studio and the chance to record an iconic Archers scene. Plus find out if you really know your Grundy from your Aldridge, your Bridge from your Brookfield in our special Archers Quiz!

    Interested? Email [email protected] to find out more and to book a tour.