Category: Information Sharing

Event programme change: Peaky Blinders Nights 2020 postponed

Due to coronavirus (Covid-19) and current Government advice related to public events, the Museum has taken the decision to postpone our Peaky Blinders Nights originally scheduled to take place in September 2020.

We know many of our visitors eagerly anticipate Peaky Blinders Nights, but we felt that it was the right decision to postpone for now and look at dates in 2021 when we hope the public health situation will be more favourable to hosting this type of large-scale event.

An update on postponing this year’s event will be made public a little later today.

We’ll update colleagues as soon as we have a new dates for 2021, and with details of how the event will come back even stronger, ahead of releasing any messaging to the general public.

6 July 2020
Update 2 July

We have just a brief update this week as we’ll be communicating with everyone more fully next week with details on the August programme and information on how managers will be in contact with colleagues to update them on furlough and return to work plans.

Keeping in touch

If anyone has questions in the meantime following the letter that was sent to colleagues on Fri 26 Jun, please do email [email protected]. We know these are uncertain and difficult times for everyone. We’d encourage everyone to keep in touch with their colleagues and to check in with each other. Please do get in touch with the People Team via the email address above if you do have any questions or concerns. Alternatively, the Museum does have offer access to an Employee Assistance Programme, should you need confidential support. Access is via telephone on 0800 015 7287.

August Programme

The August programme is taking shape and plans on its operational implementation are now developing at pace. We will share specific details on the programme next week, but the key principles behind the approach are to make sure that we’re focusing on character and storytelling, as we always do, while making the most of the outdoor spaces the Museum has to offer. For reasons of safety and social distancing, the programme will work on the basis of having defined routes of travel, rather than the free-flow basis that has operated until now. Therefore, the programme has been designed to give visitors a real sense of travelling through time as they navigate the designated routes around the site.

BCLM in the news

You may have seen BCLM in the news this week too. Ninder Johal, of Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership, was interviewed at the Museum for Channel 4 News to talk about regeneration plans for Dudley coinciding with the Prime Minister’s Dudley visit on Tue 30 Jun. The Museum will also feature on BBC Midlands Today in a story about regional attractions, currently planned to be broadcast at 6.30pm on Thu 2 Jul. Please tune in, or catch up on iPlayer if you can.

In the meantime, stay safe and take care.

2 July 2020
Weekly update 24 Jun

The Prime Minister yesterday announced some important changes to relax the lockdown and, also, further steps towards opening up the economy. One of the most important parts of the announcement for the Museum was the confirmation that museums and galleries will be permitted to open again from Sat 4 July.

Whilst the announcement is undoubtedly positive news, permission to reopen does not resolve the challenges facing the museum sector – particularly for those organisations for which reopening will cost more than staying closed. Therefore, AIM (Association for Independent Museums) has published a joint statement along with the National Museum Directors’ Council and Museums’ Association calling for the Government to make a long-term financial investment in the sector to support its future resilience and sustainability. This high profile advocacy is designed to raise awareness of the issues facing museums and to keep the sector front-of-mind for policy-makers within Government. Please click here for the full joint statement.

As we’ve previously communicated, BCLM’s plan is to reopen in a phased approach from Sat 1 Aug in order to give us time to make our large 26-acre site safe and to develop a programme that engages visitors within a covid-secure environment. More details about the reopening plan and programme will be shared with colleagues as soon as possible. Both the reopening plan and programme design had already anticipated some of the measures announced by the Prime Minister. Consequently, we’re in a position to progress our plans without the need to make major changes.

It goes without saying that it’s the people working at the Museum who are the most important factor in delivering what visitors find so special about BCLM. Therefore, thank you to everyone who completed the staff survey. Almost 200 people participated in the survey ahead of today’s deadline for completion. The findings will be used at an overall level to inform the people plan for reopening.

When plans are finalised, managers will be in contact with team members to discuss the reopening and the role we can each play in successfully welcoming visitors back to the Museum over the coming months.

As businesses operating within the visitor economy now look at their strategies for reopening in line with the latest Government guidance, Black Country Chamber of Commerce are focusing their next ‘In Conversation with…’ webinar on the subject of the visitor economy. On Tue 30 Jun (2-3pm) a panel of industry leaders, including Museum Chief Executive Andrew Lovett, will be discussing the sector’s response to Covid-19 and how tourism and visitor attractions will meet the challenges ahead. To book a place on the webinar, click here.

24 June 2020
Weekly update 17 Jun

With the easing of restrictions and the opening of outdoor spaces, zoos, and some shops, we’re now entering the early stages of life after lockdown. The ‘new normal’ may have become a somewhat overused phrase in past few months, but with social distancing measures likely to be in place for some time to come, businesses like ours – which bring people together over a shared experience – will be operating in a very different environment to that which was in place pre-lockdown.

A planned re-opening from Sat 1 Aug

From updates on the intranet and messages that have been publicly communicated, you’ll have seen we’re planning on a phased opening of the Museum from Sat 1 Aug. A small team of colleagues from across the Museum is now working to make that date a reality, with a programme and visitor offer designed to work in a Covid-secure environment.

Planning for a phased return-to-work

The Government’s Job Retention Scheme continues to provide a lifeline and changes from 1 July mean that we will have greater scope to deploy staff flexibly, using financial support from the scheme, in order to prepare for re-opening. Given we won’t be generating visitor income until August, being financially responsible in the short term in order to do everything we can to secure the Museum’s survival in the long term is a key consideration underpinning the re-opening plan.

Therefore, the Museum is looking at plans for a phased return to work for colleagues across the organisation. Managers will be in touch with each of you over the coming weeks to discuss what returning to work could look like for you in terms of return date and how we’ll need your help to run the Museum during these unprecedented times.

Team survey and consultation

As part of consulting with everyone about returning to work, you will have been invited to complete a survey asking for your views on the subject. Please do take the time to complete the survey, as the more responses we have, the more insightful the findings will be. You can complete the survey anonymously, or share your name if you’d like to be identified alongside your responses as a way of helping managers to understand your individual needs. An invite to the survey has been sent via PlanDay, or the email address the People Team hold on your record. Please do have a look for it and fill it in. The deadline for responses is Wed 24 Jun.

And, finally…

We just wanted to share with you the outpouring of public affection we’ve seen for the Museum following news about our planned re-opening. On Facebook alone, almost 68,000 people have seen our re-opening message and more than 6,000 of those have taken the time to share their messages of support with us. That BCLM has such a strong bond with its audience is testament to everyone’s hard work and their pride in delivering a meaningful visitor experience. Therefore, planning for re-opening is concentrated on creating a safe and welcoming environment for everyone where colleagues can do what they do best and immerse people in the remarkable story of the Black Country once again.

17 June 2020
A video update from Andrew
This latest video update from Andrew talks about plans for the re-opening of the Museum in August, a reminder about welfare visits to site and the latest news from AIM (Association of Independent Museums).

Video runtime is 12m 46s. Viewing over a wifi connection is recommended if you’re accessing via a mobile.

For a summary and useful links related to the highlights mentioned by Andrew, please read on:

As a reminder, if you’d like to make a welfare visit to the Museum, you’ll need to pre-book.

Here’s what you need to do:

Members of staff who believe it would benefit their wellbeing to visit the familiar place of the Museum and have a stroll around the site, can do so as long as they abide by social distancing guidelines.
- Because of the continuing social distancing rules, we will be operating it on the following basis:-
- Strictly by appointment only between 9am and 1pm
- Members of staff only (sorry, no friends or family)
- Please note there is a maximum capacity for people to attend the site at any one time – the Duty Manager will advise you as to whether there is capacity for you to attend at your chosen time
- Anyone showing the signs of any of the symptoms of covid-19 will not be allowed on site
- There will be no facilities (e.g. toilets) available on site
We ask that staff only travel the Museum if it is safe for you to do so and we politely request that you do not post any pictures or comments on social media about visiting the Museum to avoid any potential confusion for the general public about the Museum remaining closed.

To book a visit and stroll around the Museum, please call the Duty Manager number, 07788 666161, between 9am and 1pm. Please be patient, as they continue to manage the site and may not be able to answer your call immediately. Leave them a message and they will call you back.

AIM’s virtual conference – Roads to Recovery – is taking place on 18/19 Jun. If you’d like to attend any of the sessions via Zoom click here to register. Attendance is free, but you need to pre-register for your sessions of choice.

AIM has published a Joint Statement of Intent for the Heritage Sector calling for a step-change in how the sector addresses racism. Click here to view the statement. The Museum fully supports this statement as a member of AIM.
15 June 2020
Public statement on BCLM’s planning for re-opening

The following statement has been posted on the news page of the BCLM website and a status posted on Twitter to update visitors on our planned opening date in light of recent announcements (as of Wed 10 Jun) from other visitor attractions regarding their plans for opening.

“Following ongoing Government announcements regarding re-opening of open spaces, and now wildlife attractions, we are aware that some people may assume BCLM should now reopen too.

Unfortunately this is not possible. BCLM is an accredited museum, so in accordance with Government guidance we would have not looked to re-open any earlier than Step 3, currently 4 July 2020.

Whilst we are lucky to be situated on a 26-acre largely open air site, the nature of our Museum and visitor day out, lots of small properties and close interactions with historic characters and other staff, means we need to take more time to make sure we are safe place for staff and visitors; so we will remain closed until our planned phased re-opening on 1 August 2020.

We are very busy planning the reopening, which places great emphasis on the health and safety of both visitors and staff, and have been delighted by the very large and positive reaction to our visitor survey about these measures.

Once we do re-open, we will have new health and safety measures across the Museum including limiting visitor numbers. We need time to plan and install these new measures in order to ensure that we are prepared, so that we can open safely and we can stay open.

As a Museum that prides itself on being at the core of our community, and relying on visitor income for over 90% of our funding, being closed for nearly three months at this point means we must be measured in the way we begin to incur large costs again. The Government’s Job Retention Scheme has been a lifeline to us during this period and our planned reopening will allow us to create, once again, a fun day out for our visitors balanced with our fiscal responsibilities.

We completely understand the pressing needs of zoos to re-open more quickly than museums as their fixed costs have not reduced during the lockdown period due to their commitment to the welfare of their animals. Their need to create income again is particularly understandable.

Please respect our decision to remain closed at this time, and we look forward to welcoming you back to the Museum in August.

In the meantime, be safe, and keep connecting with us via our digital channels.”

Ends.

10 June 2020
Update from Andrew – 13th May

Following the government announcement on Sunday, we now know that the Museum will remain closed until the end of June and the majority of staff will remain furloughed. Our hope at this point is that we would be able to open in-line with Step 3 of the plan (which lists hospitality, leisure and public places), the earliest date for which is 4^th July.   We know however that this will be conditional on each step of the plan having the desired effect of reducing the spread of the virus (and achieving the government’s five tests for easing lockdown), as well as BCLM being prepared and able to manage the health and safety requirements including social distancing and enhanced cleaning.

Some of you may have seen the announcement yesterday from the Chancellor Rishi Sunak, which confirmed that the government will extend the Job Retention Scheme until the end of October. This is welcome news and adds more clarity to our situation. There will be no changes to the scheme until end of July and from August through to October the scheme will have greater flexibility, allowing us to bring back furloughed workers on a part time basis if that is necessary to allow for a smooth transition to opening. Further information on the alterations to the scheme will be available at the end of May and we will of course keep you updated on these developments in due course.   We will now look at different financial models to work out the best way of re-opening which allows us to make use of the financial support available.

Despite the uncertainty of a fixed opening date, we continue to work hard on planning for re-opening, so that when the time comes we are in the best possible position to welcome you and our visitors back to the Museum. Part of this involves working with other organisations such as those in the Heart of England Attractions Group (including Warwick Castle, Sea Life Centre and Lego Discovery Centre, RAF Museum Cosford and Ironbridge to name a few), on safety measures that we can put in place.

Later today we will publicly announce that we have made the decision to cancel the 1940s weekend which was scheduled for 11/12 July.   Too much crucial planning time has been missed for this event to take place, even if the Museum were able to open. We have chosen not to reschedule for later in the year as we know this event works best in the summer and there is also no guarantee that the many of the re-enactors and entertainers would be available for a different date later in the year.    We are asking all those who have purchased tickets to the 1940s evening event if they would like to donate the cost of their ticket to the Museum – as many arts organisations are also doing.

All other workshops, events and activities have been cancelled to the end of June – we will make a decision on whether events scheduled in July can go ahead based on when the Museum is able to re-open and that sufficient social distancing measures can be put in place.   All school bookings have been cancelled to the end of the school year and group bookings up to the end of June.

The Museum’s board of trustees met last Thursday for the fourth time since we closed, and they continue to be updated on the situation on a weekly basis.

I’m thankful that we haven’t faced a serious issue with the health of staff, but I am aware that there are hidden pressures, not least on people’s mental health. Please don’t forget that if you have any queries or require any support that you can always email [email protected].

Take care and best wishes

Andrew

13 May 2020
Museum Update – Wed 1 Apr

We hope that everyone is continuing to keep safe and well during these unprecedented times.

In the last week our Duty Managers and horse handlers have continued to visit the Museum site daily to ensure the safety of the site and the welfare of the horses – as you can see below this includes looking after the boats!

Many of you will have been speaking to your managers this week about the Coronavirus Job Retention scheme and how we are approaching this as a Museum. Whilst we now move to having only a handful of colleagues who are not furloughed for reasons of business continuity, safety of our estate, and the welfare of the Museum’s animals, we will continue these weekly updates so you can feel up-to-date about Museum activity still.

We’ll also be sharing content on social media when we can, so remember to check our Twitter and Facebook page for updates. You’ll see some great archive footage of Wolverhampton’s record-breaking Sunbeam Slug car (linked to our very own Broome’s Garage) on there now.

We want to thank everyone for their ongoing understanding and perseverance during what is a difficult time for all.

31 March 2020
Top tips for working from home

Working from home tips

Some of us will be working from home more than we might ever imagined over the coming days, so we’ve pulled together some of the best working from home tips we could find. There are also some links to some good articles for those of you who are trying to manage this while looking after your kids. During this unusual time our focus is on productivity, not time spent, so do discuss your situation and expected outcomes with your line manager.

There’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to working from home and we understand that everyone will want to find a way that works for them as an individual. However, we hope some of the pointers below prove useful.

Get dressed

Getting dressed will not only improve your state of mind, it will psychologically prepare you to start work.

Whether you need to change into “work clothes” depends on the type of person you are and the video calls you might have each day.

Establish boundaries

Set your working hours and communicate these to your colleagues. Once you have set these hours stick to them. Routine is important to manage work-life balance while working from home. Make sure you schedule in regular breaks that get you up and moving around and take you away from work and remember to sign out from work emails and messaging apps at the end of your day.

We understand that working hours may need to change as this situation evolves; that’s fine,  just communicate that to your team

Have a dedicated workspace

If space allows try and choose one area in your home to be your workspace, ideally with a decent chair that supports your back. If possible, keep your bedroom free from work and if your workspace is in a communal area (kitchen/living room) clear down your workspace at the end of your working day, both these will help maintain separation between work and home.

If you are sharing your workspace with others who are also working from home communicate at the start of the day what important points you have in the day and when you have video calls.

Get out and about (if you are not self-isolating), but remember to maintain social distance from others.

Working from home doesn’t mean you have to stay inside all day and now that you are no longer travelling to BCLM or walking across site all day it is important you go outside and get some fresh air.  A different perspective will give you thinking space and fresh eyes on any tasks you are struggling with. But remember when you are out to maintain a social distance of 2 metres (6ft) from other people to reduce the risk of the infection spreading.

If you are self-isolating or government guidance changes it is still important to take regular exercise. Make sure you set time aside to exercise in your home. There are lots of home yoga and training classes that don’t require any equipment available online.

Work atmosphere

Be in regular contact with your team throughout the day, via email, Teams but also by phone and video call. It doesn’t have to all be work related so share uplifting or funny things to make each other smile.

Embrace video calls. Connecting face to face with our colleagues and external partners, albeit virtually, will be a really important way of supporting each other over the coming weeks.

If you are used to working in a noisy open plan office (Rolfe St!!) and you find home working too quiet, put the TV or radio on quietly in the background and this actually might help you focus.

Keeping yourself informed

This is an evolving situation so do keep yourself informed. We will communicate with you via PlanDay, and email, but do keep checking the intranet for the latest information.

It’s also important that you keep informed by watching or reading the news, but don’t have it on in the background constantly. We suggest turning off automatic news notifications and instead setting aside a couple of points in the day when you check the latest news.

Remember to socialise afterwork

Remember to make time to call friends and family after work and make virtual plans with those you can’t visit. There are a number of digital platforms that will help you stay in touch and connected to those you care about during this time, for example Zoom and Houseparty for group video calls and Netflix party for communal film watching and chat.

Advice for working from home with children

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/coronavirus-working-from-home-parents-children-tips-routine-a9414261.html

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/tips-working-home-children

26 March 2020
Weekly update – Wed 25 Mar

We hope that everyone is keeping safe and well during these difficult times.

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on Monday evening to increase social distancing and stay at home measures, only essential staff have been on-site in order make the Museum safe and secure during the period; this includes our Duty Managers and horse handlers in daily and Maintenance and IT teams supporting from home but ready to be onsite in case of an emergency.

The Museum Board will be meeting, via video conference, tomorrow (Thursday 26 March) and the sole agenda item is how we are responding to this once in a generation event.

You’ll have also seen the measures that the Government has announced to support employers and employees; including the Coronavirus Job Retention scheme. This very important, and welcomed, policy offers a lifeline to heritage organisations like ourselves and we will continue to communicate with you via separate notices about how we will be moving forward with this.

Following the announcement of the Museum’s temporary closure, we’ve been heartened by the messages of support we’ve seen from our visitors and local community, particularly on social media. In response, we’ve launched a donation (https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/supportBCLM) and ‘buy a ticket for when we re-open’ campaign that has been received very positively. This will help us to raise funds and keep the Museum top-of-mind for visitors when we re-open and we can welcome people back. Some of the fantastic comments we’ve received are below:

‘I have many happy memories of this place and hope to make many more in years to come. It’s a wonderful place and I am happy to show my support. Stay safe everyone and I look forward to seeing you.’

‘Keep up the fantastic work you do, you have built up a wonderful facility for all to see what it was really like to live and work in the Black Country. It would be a crying shame to see it disappear.’

‘Visited many times with my Brother who has now passed away! In his memory I am donating to your Museum!’

‘Glad to help this fabulous museum.’

‘Great place to visit with the young and old alike. We can’t wait to come back and enjoy another visit soon.’

‘Love BCLM, had some great memories there, hope this helps.’

We want to thank everyone for their patience, understanding and perseverance during what is an unprecedented time in history.

25 March 2020