Helpdesk

Iplicit

FuseMetrix

Planday

My ePayWindow

Intranet

Category: People News

  • People News 01/05/2023

    Welcomes

    Early April we welcomed Kate Goode and Martin Crage, Site Cleaners, to our Cleaning & Porterage team. Both bring many years of commercial cleaning experience.

    Josh Cuthbert joined our Enterprise as Head Chef/Team Manager (Production). Josh has over 10 years’ experience in the catering industry including a wealth of kitchen management experience from previous roles.

    Last month we also welcomed a number of casual colleagues in our Car Park, Enterprise and Historic Character teams.

    Looking ahead, in May we will be having Rhi Edwards join our Interpretation & Research team as Interpretation Coordinator. Rhi will be starting a fixed-term contract at the Museum over the next 12 months to support with the Forging Ahead project. Rhi comes from the Stourbridge Glass Museum where they worked as an Assistant Curator.

    We also want to congratulate a number of colleagues who, after our most recent Historic Character recruitment, will be taking up permanent posts this month: Ajay Pall, Amit Persaud, Andrea Williams, Bryce Bealey, Matthew Robinson, Geoff Nixon, Sebastian Edwards, Jack Price, Hannah Marrocco-Pearson, Oliver Clee, and Sam Payne.

    Farewells

    Huw Davis (Project Manager) and Andy Curtis ( Clerk of Works) will sadly be leaving us this month now that the New Historic Town is finally built. Both Huw and Andy’s enthusiasm, dedication and most of all construction knowledge have been central to bringing alive the Museum’s Forging Ahead vision.  We extend our sincere thanks to both Andy and Huw for their hard work, patience and perseverance and wish them well in their next venture.

    Matt Hunton, Site Cleaner, also left at the end of April after 5 and a half years, to further develop his career in maintenance/carpentry within the social housing sector.

    This week, Beki Challoner leaves her role as Visitor Welcome Manager. Beki managed the Museum’s Admissions function over the last 18 months, one of her most notable achievements was supporting and facilitating the opening of the Visitor Welcome Centre. Beki will be relocating to Northampton and taking on a new senior management role at Silverstone Museum.

    Our sincere thanks and well wishes to all.

    Sadly Departed

    Our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of colleagues who sadly departed over the last month:

    Sheila Shipman (Historic Character and Friends of BCLM Member, from 1980 to 2019)

    Maurice Parker (Friends of President Member, from 1985 to 2023)

  • Joanne Prescott

    It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of one of our longest-standing BCLM Community Advisory Panel members, Joanne Prescott.

    Joanne joined the panel in 2015 and has been an integral member for over 7 years, also working for the local authority, Dudley Council and UCAS. Joanne’s contribution to providing external expertise and opportunities to link into new networks has been invaluable. Joanne was passionate about Black Country history, and a great advocate in sharing a wealth of knowledge with the Museum.

    Joanne passed away after a short illness, which she endured with great courage and cheerfulness.

    Her peers and the Community Engagement Team will greatly miss her.

  • People News 20/03/23

    Welcomes

    Last week we welcomed Laura Jones, Assistant Events Delivery Manager. Laura brings a wealth of knowledge with over 10 years’ of event coordinator experience from notable organisations. Laura will work alongside both Joe Whitehouse our Events Manager and the Enterprise team in the delivery of the Museums events and associated hospitality.

    We are also very pleased to welcome back Demi Whitehouse, Enterprise Team Manager (Compliance). We are delighted to have Demi back in the Enterprise Team.

    Farewells

    Claire Robinson has secured an exciting permanent role with the Royal Air force Museum as their Exhibitions and Interpretation Manager. Claire leaves with our sincere appreciation for her hard work and our good wishes for her new role.

    Tom Law, Cleaning & Porterage Manager, will also leave us in early April after nearly 5 years at BCLM. Tom leaves us to take on a role as Operations Coordinator with Trades 24/7 and will be greatly missed by all the team.

    Nathan Poole from the Cleaning team left earlier this month, we wish Nathan all the best for the future.

    Sadly Departed

    Our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of colleagues who sadly departed over the last month:

    Joanne Prescott (Community Advisory Panel Member, from 2015 to 2023)

  • Milestone for Mavis!

    Mavis Clarke, one of our valued Enterprise staff, recently celebrated her diamond wedding anniversary of 60 years!

    In celebration of this milestone, Mavis shared with us the card she received from King Charles himself.

    If you see Mavis on your travels around the Museum, be sure to congratulate her on such a wonderful achievement!

     

  • People News (10/02/2023)

    Welcomes

    Early January we welcomed Mark Farrell as an Electrician. Mark has over 30 years’ experience and will be helping our apprentice Jake to develop his skills.

    More recently, Toni Tart joined us as Sales & Ticketing Administrator. Toni has a wealth of customer service experience and a strong sales background, having most recently worked at Motorpoint Car Sales.

    This week we welcomed Pauline Abraham to our Cleaning team. Pauline has over 20 years’ cleaning experience working for many local organisations and will be supporting the Museum over weekends.

    Farewells

    Helen Farrell from the Cleaning team left earlier this month, we wish Helen all the best for the future.

    After just over 6 years at the Museum, Demi Whitehouse (Enterprise Team Manager) will be sadly leaving us in mid-February to take on a new role as Catering Operations Manager with Drayton Manor Park and Zoo. This is an exciting promotional role for Demi and we wish her every success.

    Louise Troman, Project Coordinator Forging Ahead, will also be leaving us in mid-February after just over 2 years at BCLM. Louise’s role was a  temporary role to support the Forging Ahead Project and as the project is reaching its final phases Louise has understandably secured a permanent role with an organisation focusing on heritage restoration. Louise leaves with our sincere appreciation for her hard work and our good wishes for her new role. Hopefully Louise will be back to see results of her contribution later in the year.

     

    Sadly Departed

    Our deepest sympathies to family and friends of colleagues sadly departed over the last month:

    Mervin ‘Bob’ While (Volunteer in the Historic Character team, previously Friends of BCLM, from 2013 to 2020)

  • Eulogies for George Price

    The wake for George Price, a long-standing and much-valued volunteer, was held last week.

    Three eulogies were delivered remembering George and his contribution to the Museum, particularly the rediscovery and excavation of Brook Shaft. Please click the links below if you would like to read what was said.

     

     

  • People News Update (08/12/2022)

    People News Update (08/12/2022)

    Welcomes

    We are delighted to confirm that Rory Shannon will be joining as Museum Enterprises Manager. Rory will provide leadership for our Enterprise Managers and brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and most of all enthusiasm to this important role.

    We have also appointed Donna Cooper to the role of Team Manager (Historic Characters). Donna replaces the role previously held by Lindsay Butler.

    Both Rory and Donna will be attending the Museum in December for some familiarisation days ahead of their official start date in early January.

    We are also pleased to welcome Bethany Taylor who joins the Collections team in the temporary role of Collections Development Assistant to support with the final stages of the Forging Ahead Project.

     

    Farewells

    Mark Howles, Enterprise Operations Manager left at the end of November to pursue a promotional role with Drayton Manner Park and Zoo.

    After 5 years with the Museum, Ed Sidaway, Electrician, will also be sadly leaving the Museum in December to expand his experiences in the industry.

    Mai Williams (Sales & Ticketing) left the Museum at the of November.

    We wish Mai, Mark and Ed all the best for the future.

     

    Sadly Departed

    Our deepest sympathies to family and friends of colleagues sadly departed over the last month:

    George Price (Volunteer from 1970s to October 2022)

    Ken Bradley  (Volunteer from 1970s to January 2020)

    Christine Parsons (Site Cleaner from September 2016 to October 2022)

    Mike Hessey (Collection Volunteer for several years up to 2015 and Museum Patron)

    If any colleagues would like to reach out to the families of the above or enquire about funeral details please email [email protected].

  • Chris Parsons

    It is with great sadness that we share the news that our colleague Chris Parson passed away on Wednesday, 23 November, surrounded by her family.

    Chris, who had been diagnosed with cancer, had been a much-valued member of the Museum’s team as a Site Cleaner, a role she had held since 2016.

    Throughout the last 18 months of her illness, Chris’s optimism and positivity were truly inspirational. Up until very recently, Chris had been holding on to the hope of returning to her role at the Museum, and even visited the Museum as recently as last month.

    Chris was a fun character to be around and she will be very much missed by all those that had the privilege to know her.

    Our thoughts are with Chris’s family at this difficult time, especially her daughter Emma, who had previously worked on the Museum’s reception desk in Rolfe Street.

  • George Price

    It is with sadness that we must pass on the news that George Price, a long-serving volunteer at the Museum, recently died.

    George had been helping out at the Museum for many years and he was a mine of information on old industrial processes. He helped preserve the Price Pearson beam engine, by keeping a careful eye on it in storage for many years, and this engine will be in pride of place in the new brickworks. George helped the Museum document over 100 photos of the taking down of this beam engine, so that we can understand the technical detail captured in the photography.

    He also helped the Museum identify key pieces of equipment from Smith Edge Tools, again which had been in storage for many years and will form part of the new industrial quarter. In particular with George, if you had a mining query, he was the person to go to, because if he didn’t know, he would soon turn up at your desk armed with information.

    Sadly George passed away, without any known family.  His funeral arrangements are therefore being determined by Sandwell Council, who have advised it could be as late as January 2023, before this takes place. We will share the date as soon as we are made aware of it.

     

     

  • People News (Update 27/09/2022)

    Welcomes

    This month we have welcomed a number of new Historic Characters to our Engagement Ops team.

     

    Farewells

    Manahil Waseem left this month after coming to the end of her fixed term contract with us. Manahil supported our “Unwrapping the Past” collections project as Project Coordinator. She is continuing her work with Derby Museum and Art Gallery.

    We are also saying goodbye to Kevin Lowe, Historic Character/Metalworker, who has decided to retire at the end of the month, after 22 years at the Museum, to spend some well-deserved time with his wife and family.