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  • Vehicle Donation Drives Forward Our Fundraising Campaign

    Our Forging Ahead £1.9m fundraising campaign is off to an excellent start today thanks to the Patrick Foundation of Kings Norton who have pledged a gift of £500,000 towards the project plus a donation of five vintage vehicles from the Patrick Collection.

    Following the arrival of the Austin 10 and Alvis Speed 25 Saloon in December, the remaining three donated vehicles – a 1960 Morris Minor Van, a 1963 Daimler Dart SP250 Sports and a 1965 Daimler Majestic Major Saloon – arrived at the Museum today (Fri 5 Jan) and despite the wet weather, it was a wonderful sight to see them pulling in off the Tipton Road.

    The foundation has also pledged an annual donation of £30,000 per year for the next ten years to support the Museum and the maintenance of its heritage vehicle collection.

    In recognition of this generosity, we’re naming the lower ground floor of the new Visitor Centre ‘The Patrick Gallery’ and Jordan’s role as Junior Motor Mechanic will from now on be referred to as ‘The Patrick Foundation Junior Motor Mechanic’.

    The Patrick Foundation’s Trustee, Alexander Patrick CBE DL, is widely known for his charitable work and was awarded a CBE in 2012 that recognised his support for charities. The Patrick  Foundation has previously supported several of the Museum’s past projects, including our much loved access vehicle ‘Doris’.

    We envisage all five vehicles to be a regular feature of the new 1940s-60s town once it is built. For now, we will be housing them in existing Museum vehicle shelters.

  • January 2018 Diary Dates

    Some dates for your diaries:

    Wed 10 Jan & Thu 11 Jan – all staff meeting, 9am-10am, Hall 2 (attendance is only required at one)

    Mon 15 Jan – staff social, from 5.30pm, Workers Institute

     

  • Volunteers- We Need You!

    The Christmas events are fantastic fun for all of those that attend….the aftermath and the clean up operation not so much! (Although there will be mince pies!)

    The cleaning team do a great job of ensuring that the Museum maintains high standards of cleanliness but they could really do with some extra help after the Christmas evening events and we are appealing for some goodwill from staff to volunteer to help on the mornings of 9th,10th, 16th and 17th December between 8am-10am. 

    If you are able to offer to help please let HR (Michaela) know ASAP in person, via email or by telephone.

    Thank you! 

    [email protected]

    0121 521 5619 

    Internal 238

  • Diary Dates – BCLM: Forging Ahead drop-in sessions

    The first of the planning applications for BCLM: Forging Ahead is due to be submitted to Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (DMBC) on Friday 8 December 2017.

    The application will include extensive project designs for the new Visitor Centre and new historic development, many of which you will have already seen. However, we will be holding two staff and volunteer drop in sessions at 9am on Thursday 14 December and Wednesday 20 December in which there will be an opportunity to view all of the designs that will be submitted as part of the application.

    Members of the project team will also be on hand to answer any questions you may have.

    Please feel free to drop-in during either session, both of which will take place at 9am in Hall 2 so that staff who work on site can attend before their working day.

     

     

    Other Forging Ahead related news

    We have recently updated the Forging Ahead FAQs – saved within the Museum documents tab above – in light of some recent questions. Please do take a look.

     

     

  • VisitEngland Attraction Quality Scheme 2017 – Results

    The Museum has maintained its high score of 85% in the most recent Visit England quality assessment (VAQAS).

    This is great news and follows a visit by a Visit England assessor on 12 October – a term-time day to allow comparison with previous assessments carried out during the summer holidays.

    The assessment scores the Museum against a number of set criteria, a full set of which – including scores – can be found in the ‘Market Research’ folder of the Museum documents tab above.

    Here are some highlights from the assessors feedback:

    The pre-arrival section is scoring an impressive 100%, as the website, social media activity and leaflet are all examples of great practice.

     

    The 1.30pm Tour of the Boat Dock, the 2.00pm Cinema showing and the 3.25pm Mine Tour were all sampled and provided excellent interpretation of the exhibits.

     

    It was fabulous to see the groups of school children thoroughly enjoying their visit to the Museum, especially playing with the authentic games in the street outside the Station Road Cottages.

    The VAQAS assessor was delighted to hear of our plans for a new Visitor Welcome as part of BCLM: Forging Ahead as the current facilities at Rolfe Street are currently holding back our scores.

    Feedback will be used to continue to improve our offer for all visitors.

     

  • Free Entry for National Lottery Players

    On Saturday 18 November, we’re offering free entry to National Lottery Players as a thank you for the funding we’ve received from The Heritage Lottery Fund towards BCLM: Forging Ahead.

    All people will need to do is show their lottery ticket for draws between 13 & 26 November when they arrive at the Museum for free entry (Terms & conditions apply – see below).

    We hope that lots of people will visit – some of whom may never have visited before – so please give everyone on that day the same warm welcome as ever and let’s get them excited about Forging Ahead.

     

    Ts & Cs

    Valid for entry to the Museum on Saturday 18 November between 10am and 4pm only. Lottery ticket shown must be for a National Lottery game (including Lotto, Euromillions, Thunderball, Hotpicks and National Lottery scratchcards) between 13 & 26 November (proof of online National Lottery play valid). Each valid proof of play shown admits one person free of charge. Maximum of 5 proofs of play per party. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer. Free entry does not qualify for an UnChained Annual Pass.

     

  • Friends of President win Marsh Volunteer Award

    Last week, the Friends of President won the Marsh Team Volunteer Award for their efforts in operating and maintaining President and Kildare. President is registered as part of the National Historic Fleet (www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk)

    The Award recognises the Friends of President efforts in undertaking regular maintenance of both boats, training of new members and most importantly their operation on canals and waterways.  Through their efforts, the sight, sound and smell of a steamer with a butty in tow can still be enjoyed and appreciated.

    Now in its seventh year, the Marsh Volunteer Awards recognise outstanding volunteers in the conservation or operation of historic vessels in the UK.  The Marsh Volunteer Awards are supported by the Marsh Christian Trust.

     

  • Change to door entry codes

    On Tuesday 14 November the following door entry codes will change:

    New codes
    Rolfe Street Office – 6823
    Hartills Office – 6823
    Morralls Office – 6823
    Cupboard opposite reception desk – 6823
    Guide Hut – 6823Z

    Please do not pass new codes to contractors or other third parties without written authorisation from Jonathan White – Operations Manager.

  • Christmas Greenery Appeal

    Can you help the Museum decorate the site for Christmas, by donating greenery please?

    We are looking for evergreens, including holly and ivy, as well as fir cones, to help us create festive evergreen displays to decorate the site. If you can spare any from your garden we would be grateful for donations of greenery over the next few weeks as we prepare the site for Christmas.

    The Santa Hunts and ‘Christmas in the Home’ start on Saturday 25 November this year so we will start preparing key buildings from Monday 20 November and continue the following week.

    If you can bring in any materials you can deposit them:

    • Outside the guide hut (please tell the Duty Manager, who can alert Collections to move the greenery)
    • First floor – Cast Iron House
    • By Reception before 10am – please let someone in Collections know so the greenery can be moved before 10am.

    If you can’t bring in greenery w/c 20 or w/c 27 November we will be in need of greenery throughout December to replenish and for a ‘Christmas in the Home’ activity.

    Any queries please speak to Clare/ Grant in Collections (ext. 223) or Steven Hearn (ext. 294).

  • Hut 14 – A New Addition to the Museum

    On Monday 6 November, work to reconstruct former ‘RAF Hut 14’ at the Museum will begin.

    Formerly of Elmfield School in Stourbridge, Hut 14 was acquired by the Museum earlier this year to provide an additional space for school lunch facilities and school holiday & event activities. It will be temporarily reconstructed in the cleared area opposite the Workers’ Institute until a permanent location is sought as part of BCLM: Forging Ahead.

    Martin Evans Construction will be undertaking the reconstruction works, aiming to complete their scope of works by Christmas.  Our in-house Historic Buildings Team will then undertake additional works so that Hut 14 is ready for use by schools in the Spring Term of 2018.

     

    A bit about Hut 14

    Barrack Huts are numbered. The number 14 was chosen for this particular hut as it was collected from 14 Love Lane, Stourbridge. Further research is required to establish the exact dating of the Hut but it is thought it may be a World War One design.