Category: Key update

We are pleased to announce that David Middlemiss will be joining the Museum as our Director of Development & External Affairs. David will commence his responsibilities officially on the 2 September 2024.  However, he will be at the Museum for five familiarisation days during July and early August, to meet his team, wider colleagues and attend scheduled events. David will also take this opportunity to become familiar with important information, like the budget and targets for 2024, our audiences, key partnerships, funders, as well as current priorities for his team.

David attended Cambridge University and the London Business School and comes to the Museum after a Director role at Bicycle Association of Great Britain, CEO at Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust, and Rutland Cycling, and a senior international role with ExxonMobil.

Whilst David currently lives in Lincolnshire, he has strong roots to the Black Country and he and his family are regular visitors to the Museum.

Following a review of the Constitution and Terms of Reference, the Staff Consultative Forum has been renamed the Colleague Consultative Forum (CCF) to reflect the decision to include volunteer representatives, in addition to employees and casual workers.

The Museum recognises that effective and timely communications and consultations with its colleagues (which includes employees, casual workers and volunteers) are an essential part of managing a successful museum and will make a significant contribution to achieving the Museum’s vision and mission.

Further information can be found in the updated Constitution and Terms of Reference.

Elected CCF Representatives will come from the following constituents:

• Salaried 2
• Historic Characters 3
• Visitor Welcome & Admissions 1
• Enterprise 1
• Cleaning & Recycling 1
• Casuals 2*
• Volunteers 2*

*In the interest of ensuring a cross representation of the Museum, the 2 representatives in these constituencies cannot be from the same team.

Please note that volunteer and casual representatives may be asked not to attend meetings where matters specific to employees only are to be discussed.

Due to the introduction of a Volunteers consistency, we would like to invite nominations for volunteer representatives (x 2). In addition there are vacancies in the following constituencies; Salaried (x 1), Enterprise (x 1), Cleaning & Recycling (x 1) and Casuals (x 1). Please note that participation of volunteers on the CCF remains on a voluntary basis.

If you would like to be considered as a CCF Representative, you will need a colleague from the same constituency as you to propose your nomination and the name of another colleague, again within the same constituency, who seconds the nomination. Unsure about which Constituency you fall under? Find out here.

The closing date for nominations has been extended to Wednesday 24 July 2024. Elections will be held following this date if we have multiple candidates for a single role. In the event that a candidate for nomination is unopposed, their constituents will be invited to endorse their candidature.

To put yourself forward, please complete and return a nomination form (which can be found here) to the People & Culture team (based at Canalside) either by hand, deposited in the black post box outside the People & Culture office, or via email to [email protected].

All employees (who have successfully completed their probationary period) are eligible to apply, with the exception of the Leadership Team. Casual workers may only apply

to represent the Casuals constituency and volunteers may only apply to represent the Volunteers constituency. As a reminder, the current CCF Representatives are:

Constituency – Representative(s): 

Salaried: Elizabeth Peters, Lisa Bate*.

Historic Characters: Emily Banks, Greg Dunn, Matthew Robinson.

Visitor Welcome & Admissions: Lisa Edwards.

Enterprise: 1 x vacancy.

Cleaning & Recycling: 1 x vacancy.

Casuals: David Ball, 1 x vacancy.

Volunteers: 2 x vacancy.

*First term coming to an end therefore constituent post up for nomination.

Under the terms of the Colleague Consultative Forum Constitution, representatives can stand for two terms. Current representatives who are reaching the end of their first term and would like to stand for another term will be required to complete the usual nomination process and will be subject to election if necessary.

We would like to inform colleagues about upcoming improvement works on the two horse paddocks, including the restoration of the area between the existing paddock and the Fairground.

• Dates & Times:
  • Monday 8th to Friday 12th July (five days)
  • Monday 15th to Friday 19th July (five days)
  • Daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

The road between the Toll House and the Fairground will be closed off to pedestrians (including visitors) during the specified times, except on weekends. Please access the bottom end of site via the alternative route (past Jerushah).