Category: TV Feed Main News

  • Meet the Volunteer – Wal

    In the latest in our series of ‘Meet the Volunteer’ profiles we hear from Wal who is a volunteer with the Steam Team.  

    “I started volunteering 18 years ago in January 2001. The previous year I had met with Bob Chater (previous team leader) at Claymills Pumping Station and he persuaded me to do some pipework on the steam boiler on Boxing Day!

    I mostly do pipefitting and general maintenance on the colliery site. I also operate the steam boiler. You can usually see me on Mondays and Saturdays working on or around the Racecourse Colliery, and sometimes carrying out maintenance on the Anchor Forge.

    Volunteering has given me a new found interest connected to the boiler and engines, both maintenance and repair, especially since I retired two years ago.

    The most important thing about volunteering is to pass on the interest of what a 1920s colliery was really like, with live steam and engines providing the power, to the visitors.”

  • BCLM: Forging Ahead – Public Announcement

    BCLM: Forging Ahead – Public Announcement

    I’m pleased to say that tomorrow (Wednesday 29 May) we will be making a public announcement that we have been given the final go ahead to begin our transformational £23m development project BCLM: Forging Ahead thanks to confirmation of £9.4m funding from National Lottery Heritage Fund.

    We are hoping that the media will be as excited as we are so keep a lookout over the next few days in your local press, on local radio and hopefully on TV as we share this big news!

    Thank you for your patience and confidentiality over the last few weeks – just one more day to go!

    Carolyn Sankey, Deputy Chief Executive (Development)

  • Room Bookings Update

    From 25 May the co-ordination of bookings for Halls 1 & 2, Rooms 2/3 and the WI Committee Room will change from Jon White to Tom Law.

    Bookings should continue to be requested through the usual process using the Outlook calendar.

  • New Leadership & Management and Staffing

    Following extensive consultations the move to the new structure is nearing completion and will take effect from Monday 3 June. Following briefings with the new teams last week I am pleased to confirm colleagues in the following new roles:

    Nicola Rowe, Head of Museum Operations
    Management of all visitor-facing operations, events management, visitor and formal educational engagement, commercial activities, ICT, costume production, on-site transport, visitor admissions, security, car parking and duty management. Reports to Managing Director.

    Mel Weatherley, Head of Programme Development
    Originating programmes which effectively engage audiences in the history of the Black Country and its connections to and impacts on, contemporary life. Develop themes, topics subjects for Museum activity and the stories we tell, collaborating with colleagues across the Museum and developing external partnerships. Reports to Director of Programmes.

    Hayley Merchant (nee McCafferty-David), Head of Collections Care & Management
    Care, management and development of the Museum’s collections including collections strategy, developing external partnerships, maintaining Designation and Accreditation standards, management of Collections Care & Management team. Reports to Director of Programmes.

    Jon White, Engagement Operations Manager
    Manages the Museum’s visitor and formal educational engagement operations, duty management, security, on-site transport, costume production and car parking, to optimise customer service and visitor experience. Reports to Head of Museum Operations.

    Giles Hammond, Museum Enterprises Manager
    Leads on the Museum’s food&drink and retail activities, to optimise financial results, customer service and visitor experience. Reports to Head of Museum Operations.

    Tim Shields, Transport Manager
    Manages the Museum’s road and rail transport and other motorised equipment, including historic and modern vehicles. Reports to Head of Site Conservation, Transport & Maintenance

    Liam Parkes, Engineering Manager
    Project managing, advising on and overseeing the maintenance of the Museum’s historic mechanical, industrial and operational collections, including boats. Reports to Head of Site Conservation, Transport & Maintenance.

    Clare Weston, Researcher
    Research into the history of the Black Country and the Museum’s collections to inform programme development. Reports to Director of Programmes.

    Helen Taylor, Collections Manager
    Care, management and development of the Museum’s collections including for example access to collections, acquisitions, conservation, appropriate use and display. Reports to Head of Collections Care & Management.

    Ricki Boden, People Administrator
    Assists the People Administration & Support Manager to deliver effective Human Resources systems and administration such as recruitment, induction and training, payroll, pension and volunteers.

    The new leadership, management and staffing structure can be viewed in full here.

    A number of vacancies still remain which are/will be being recruited to in the coming weeks and months, internally first and externally if required. Do keep an eye on the intranet for these opportunities.

    If you have any questions do get in touch with Helen Astill, [email protected] or on 219.

    With thanks for your cooperation and patience during this process.

    Andrew

  • Annual Trustee & Staff Event

    We will be holding the Annual Trustee & Staff Event on Thursday 30 May at 5.30pm (until 6.30pm) in Hall 2.  This is an opportunity for staff to meet Trustees and vice versa, for the Board to set out their most important strategic issues and for staff to ask questions about them.  It will also be an opportunity to celebrate the success of the Museum over the past year, particularly with regards to BCLM: Forging Ahead.

    More details about the format will follow shortly, but please save the date.

    If you would like to attend, please let Jo know by emailing [email protected] or contacting your line manager.

  • Black Country Business Festival

    The Black Country Business Festival is an annual, two-week Festival incorporating hundreds of free business events which take place throughout the Black Country region. The Festival is a fantastic way to demonstrate the Black Country’s strengths, innovation, commerce, culture and huge investment potential to the rest of the world.

    Details of all events are listed on the website: https://www.blackcountrybusinessfestival.com/

    If you are interested in attending any of the events please seek approval from your manager prior to booking your place.

  • Planned Maintenance Programme 2019

    Planned Maintenance Programme 2019

    Each year, we set out a Planned Maintenance Programme to address identified issues that impact the visitor experience and the safe operation of the Museum.

    The Planned Maintenance Programme for 2019 can be found within the Museum Documents section of the intranet.

  • P60’s 2018/2019

    The P60 data for the tax year 6 April 2018 to 5 April 2019 is now available. Log in as you would for your payslip and you will see a P60 icon where the document can be accessed.

  • Volunteer Coffee Mornings

    Our next coffee morning is next week, Monday 29 April. We hope that these coffee mornings give you the chance to come in and have chat with us, meet fellow volunteers, and catch up on Museum news. We’d love it if you could attend.

    For info, the dates of future coffee mornings are below:

    Tuesday 21 May

    Wednesday 26 June

    Thursday 25 July

    (Aug – Dec dates to be confirmed later in the year)

    All take place 10:30 – 11:30am in Conference Rooms 2/3 (through the gift shop). We hope you can come along and we look forward to seeing you all soon.

    Kind regards,

    The Volunteer Team

  • Leaving Drinks for Laura

    Leaving Drinks for Laura

    As you are aware Laura Wakelin, Deputy Chief Executive (Communications and Marketing) will be leaving the Museum on Tuesday 30 April. There will be a chance to wish Laura well at the Bottle & Glass Inn from 5.15pm on Tue 30 April.