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Category: Museum Notices

  • Our Board of Trustees

    Our Board of Trustees

    Unfortunately, because of competing circumstances, Professor Martin Levermore regrets that it is no longer within reach to continue as Chair of Black Country Living Museum. Martin is deeply disappointed by this, and wishes the Museum continued success as a key anchor institution in the region. The Museum wishes Martin well with his other regional responsibilities and his interest in the value of the Museum to the Black Country.

    The Museum is pleased that existing Trustee Duncan Bedhall will Chair the Board of Trustees, as he did so ably in 2025. Duncan is supported by fellow Trustees Jonathan Badyal and Caroline Southall as Deputy Chairs, ahead of a new search for a Chair later in 2026.

  • Museum access: Tuesday 6 January

    Museum access: Tuesday 6 January

    With sub-zero temperatures forecast overnight again tonight, we will be continuing our recommendation that any non-essential colleagues should work from home where possible tomorrow (Tuesday 6 January).

    For anyone that needs to be at the Museum to carry out their work, please take extra care when walking through site. Stick to gritted paths only. It is not currently advisable to walk along roads around the Museum. Teams have prioritised gritting pathways to key locations at the Museum. As best as you are able, please remain in one place for the day and avoid unnecessary walking across the site.

    If you must be on site, and are able to come in later, we recommend that you make your journey after the morning rush hour. Not only will this give the Museum team more time to prepare the site, but main driving routes should also be clearer.

    The following training sessions that were scheduled for Tuesday 6 January have been postponed to Wednesday 14 January:

    • Museum Social Media
    • Volunteer Manager Training

    Anyone who was booked on to these sessions has been contacted directly. If you have any questions about training sessions please contact [email protected].

  • Robert Plant concert – join the draw to get a free ticket

    Robert Plant concert – join the draw to get a free ticket

    Following filming that took place at the Museum to promote their new album, we have been offered some tickets by Robert Plant for his Saving Grace tour at the O2 Apollo, Manchester on Monday 15 December at 7pm. We have 4 tickets available. Please send an expression of interest to [email protected] or pop into Hartill’s office and Jo will ensure your name is included in the draw. Please do this by the end of the working day on Monday 8 December.
    You will need to cover your own travel expenses.
  • Captured a Moment? Share your photos from Big Bostin Thank You, Peaky Blinders Night, and any other Museum moments!

    Captured a Moment? Share your photos from Big Bostin Thank You, Peaky Blinders Night, and any other Museum moments!

    If you took any photos or videos during these events or if you have any other great museum-related moments, please share them with [email protected].

    By submitting your content, you’re granting permission for it to be included in the upcoming January Reset video.

    Thank you for helping us celebrate and showcase the BCLM spirit!

  • Alan Allcock (1948-2025)

    Alan Allcock (1948-2025)

    We are deeply saddened to share with colleagues that Alan Allcock, longstanding Transport Volunteer, passed away on Sunday 9th November.

    Alan first joined the Museum in June 2013, and for over 12 years he was an almost-daily presence on site. Those who knew him will remember him as a real gentleman and great supporter of the Museum, whose dedication did so much for the care and preservation of the transport collection.

    He loved the buses in particular. With spanner in hand, Alan’s knowledge, skill, and ingenuity helped the Museum overcome many an engineering challenge over the years to keep the fleet on the road. Each vehicle was like a living thing to him, and he would regularly speak to them as if they were family. Surprisingly, this often seemed to have a positive effect!

    Alan will be dearly missed for his quirky humour, enthusiasm, and kindness, as well as his remarkable contribution to the Museum over the years.

    Should anyone wish to send a card or message of condolence to Alan’s family, or enquire about funeral arrangements, please speak to any member of the People Team or email [email protected].

    We understand this news may be upsetting. If you would like to talk, support is available through our Mental Health First Aiders on 07918 348919. You can also contact the EAP scheme by calling 0800 756 0861, quoting “Perkbox” and “Black Country Living Museum”.

     

  • Body Worn Cameras

    Body Worn Cameras

    Continuing our commitment to enhancing colleague and visitor safety, we will be rolling out the use of body worn cameras over the next couple of weeks.

    Body cameras are being deployed to help reassure colleagues and visitors and help reduce and de-escalate any confrontational incidents. The cameras will also provide an accurate record of incidents, allowing for a fair and proportionate response, and provide evidence of any criminal acts for reporting to the Police.

    The cameras will be worn by a limited number of colleagues, including Duty Managers and Duty Leads. They will be used specifically for capturing footage of emerging or ongoing incidents involving visitor confrontation, such as aggressive, disruptive, offensive of threatening behaviour. Cameras will only be switched on for a limited time. For example, by the wearer on approach to an emergency call involving a visitor, or during an interaction with a visitor, when the interaction shows signs of confrontation. Cameras will be switched off again immediately after an incident has concluded or when it is apparent there is no cause for concern. Body worn cameras will not be used as a management tool to record colleague performance. Any footage taken will be uploaded as soon as possible to a secure folder and kept for as short a time as possible.

    If you have any queries or concerns regards the use of Body Worn Cameras, please contact Jon White [email protected] or Nick Sellers [email protected]

  • Print Room folder clean-up and signage storage reminder

    Print Room folder clean-up and signage storage reminder

    Dear colleagues,

    A quick reminder that the Print Room folder in the Canalside office is not a place to store documents. Once you have printed what you need, please remove your files from the folder.

    All existing documents in the Print Room folder will be deleted in one week, so please make sure you move any posters or signs you want to keep to a safe folder before then.

    We also want to remind everyone about the Signage folder, which is where notices for visitors, menus, and programme posters are stored:

    S:Signage

    For your reference, a copy of the old Print Room documents has been saved in the Signage folder, just in case you need to check anything.

    Finally, a big thank you to our IT team for helping make the Print Room more spacious, tidy, and easy to use.

    Thank you.

  • Sunday 7 September, 3pm – Emergency Alert Test

    Sunday 7 September, 3pm – Emergency Alert Test

    The Government will be testing the Emergency Alerts system this Sunday, and your phone is likely to make a loud noise even if it’s on silent. If you are working in a visitor facing role on Sunday, please be mindful of this if you need to have your phone with you in your station.

    What is the Emergency Alerts test?

    On Sunday 7 September 2025 at 3pm, the government will carry out a national test of the Emergency Alerts system. This means most mobile phones and tablets across the UK will receive a test message, accompanied by a loud siren-like sound and vibration that will last for about 10 seconds.

    The message you receive will clearly state that this is a test and that no action is required on your part. The alert will come through even if your device is set to silent mode, which is an important feature of the system designed to ensure people receive warnings in genuine emergencies.

    To find out more about the test, please visit the Government website.

  • All Colleague Briefings – September 2025

    All Colleague Briefings – September 2025

    As part of our continual programme of ensuring engagement and communication across the Museum’s operational and strategic activity, we will be holding briefings to update all colleagues on the Museum’s progress for 2025.
    These briefings will take place on:
    • Tuesday 9 September (in Hall 2).
    • Friday 12 September (in The Workers’ Institute).  
    • Saturday 13 September (in The Workers’ Institute).

    All the briefings will commence at 9am, finishing at 9.30am.

    • Many of you will already be scheduled by your line managers to attend one of these sessions. If you have not yet been scheduled, please contact your line manager.
    • All contracted colleagues are mandated to attend these sessions. We would also strongly urge colleagues from both our volunteer and casual community to all attend.
    • You only need to attend one of the briefing sessions.

    Can you please sign up using the following link: All Colleague Briefings September 2025

    Slips will be available for colleagues to submit questions or comments in advance.  These can be submitted anonymously, which is especially helpful for anyone unable to attend or who prefer not to speak up on the day. We will place some in break areas, but they will be available from line managers at morning briefings.
    If you have any trouble signing up for the briefing because you do not have a BCLM email address, please speak to your line manager who will be able to add your name for you.
  • Colleague Consultative Forum – Nominations Open

    Colleague Consultative Forum – Nominations Open

    There is currently a vacancy on the Colleague Consultative Forum (CCF) within the volunteer constituency. As a nomination has been received, we would like to ask for any further nominations for the volunteer representative position.

    The closing date for nominations will be Friday 27th June 2025. Elections will be held following this date if we have multiple candidates for this role. If the candidate for nomination is unopposed, volunteer constituents will be invited to endorse their candidature.

    If you would like to be considered as a CCF representative for the Volunteer constituency you will need;

    • To be engaged by the Museum as a volunteer.
    • Have a colleague who is also a volunteer propose your nomination.
    • Have another colleague who is also a volunteer second your nomination.

    In the interest of ensuring a cross representation of the Museum, the 2 representatives in the Volunteer constituency cannot be from the same team. Therefore, nominations will only be accepted from volunteers outside of the Community Advisory Panel.

    To put yourself forward, please complete and return a nomination form to the People Team (based at Hartills) either by hand, deposited in the black post box just inside the entrance to Hartills offices, or via email to [email protected].