We would like some help making historic packaging for the new forging ahead development. We have lots of boxes which require making up for our displays.
We have a drop-in session on Thursday 1st June from 10am – 3pm.
If you are interested in helping out please contact [email protected]
Thanks!
Meet Kate, our Corporate Sales and Development Manager.
Kate Kirkpatrick is one of our Mental Health First Aiders at the Museum and spent some time discussing the importance of #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek. Here at the Museum, we pride ourselves on creating a safe and supported working environment for everyone.
Why is being a Mental Health First Aider (MHFA) important to you?
“Mental health is something that has touched my own family, and many people close to me. I believe having MHFAs available who are trained to deal with issues in the workplace is so important. It helps to provide an open and supportive culture around mental health encouraging more people to open up and get the help they need.”
How do you feel supported at the Museum?
“There are a number of MHFAs who have been trained for colleagues to speak to and there is a good support mechanism in place to ensure all employees feel able to share when they feel they are struggling. I also feel supported by my line manager and wider team, and we have an Employee Assistance Programme too.”
What advice do you have to someone who may be struggling?
“Speak to someone you trust and where possible, reach out to an MHFA, who will offer initial support and refer you to the most appropriate care needed.”
If you need to speak to someone, we have various MHFAs. More information can be found on flyers in staff areas.
We also have a quiet room above Doos if you need a safe space for reflection or a break.
Visitor attendance
To Sunday 23 April, we have welcomed 75,600 visitors. That is 9% ahead of the target we set. We are 5% ahead of this time last year.
We’ve already had a few days where we’ve welcomed over 2,000 visitors in a single day (during Easter). We have budgeted to expect to welcome over 2,000 visitors for 51 days, including our evening events programme. There are 33 days when we expect to welcome 2,000+ during the day and 17 days where we will welcome 3,000+ visitors, including those attending evening events.
Growth is coming from people benefitting from using their Unchained Annual Passes, and we continue to see visitors booking tickets later and later – a national trend.
Recent visits
We’ve had a couple of high-profile visits to the Museum recently. First, we had Prime Minister Rishi Sunak followed by our Patron of at least 43 years, HRH The Duke of Gloucester.
Environmental
We have become a member of a West Midlands Sustainability Group, led by Paul Crofts (Chief Operating Officer). We have also formed an internal Steering Group to press ahead with priorities and actions we have already been taking.
Forging Ahead
Museum teams are taking over from Balfour Beatty, the construction contractor; more and more work is being directly managed by us. We are continuing to develop new costumed characters associated with the new developments. The new Learning Centre is now open, as is the new Changing Places in the Brook building.
Strategy
Thanks to those staff and volunteers who attended the in-person consultation session and contributed to the online consultation. This was circulated to external stakeholders as well; we received over 1.500 responses from all sorts of stakeholders. The values that resonate most strongly with staff and volunteers are: 1st – inclusive and welcoming, 2nd – collaboration, 3rd – learn and be curious, 4th – pride, and 5th – maintain our financial independence.
Hi,
If you have a question you would like to be asked at our upcoming All Colleague Briefings, there are anonymous question slips in staff rest areas that can be returned to a member of People & Culture or deposited in the black box outside of their office in Canalside (past the kitchen at the far end).
Alternatively, you can download the Q&A slip and email to [email protected].
If you have any questions, please contact a member of the People & Culture team.
Thank you.
Hi all,
The Programming team is looking for staff feedback on our Easter programme.
Please share any feedback you may have, whether you worked the event or came as a visitor – every little helps!
Thank you.
From this Monday, 17th April, the Museum’s impressive new Learning Centre will open within the renovated ground floor of Rolfe Street Baths.
From this date, the Museum’s Business Welcome Administrators (Tracy and Lana) will relocate to a desk within this Learning Centre, which will operate as both a Business Reception for the Museum and an information point for the Learning Centre itself.
The new location for all parcel deliveries and collections will now be this desk, which can be accessed with your staff card via the original, automatic glass doors at the entrance to Rolfe Street Baths.
All colleagues are reminded to collect parcels as soon as possible after notification of their arrival, as there is very limited storage space available.
Further policies and instructions will shortly be issued to colleagues advising of new requirements for Business Visitor and Contractors sign-in, as well as scheduling of on-site deliveries – all of which will be co-ordinated through Business Reception.
The Museum was pleased to welcome Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday 24 February as part of English Tourism Week 2023.
English Tourism Week, led by VisitEngland, celebrates the contribution of tourism to the UK economy and shines a spotlight on organisations, like the Museum, that offer great experiences for visitors.
The Prime Minister, who hadn’t previously visited the Museum before, had an exclusive first look at the next phase of our new development, met colleagues from across the Museum, went behind the counter at Hobbs, and hosted local councillors in the Elephant & Castle.
Speaking after the Prime Minister’s visit, Andrew Lovett (Chief Executive) said:
“We were very pleased to welcome the Prime Minister to the Museum. The choice of BCLM was championed by Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands. It coincided with English Tourism Week and provided an opportunity to highlight our latest developments and some of the Costumed Characters associated with the new storylines, some of whom the PM was delighted to meet.
“It also showed that public-sector investment in the Museum, including from the Culture Recovery Fund, to get us through Covid, was sound. I was pleased to let the PM know how strongly we were bouncing back after Covid.
“On behalf of the Museum, I want to thank everyone who was directly involved with the visit, in the planning and during, and to all staff who make the Museum successful and therefore, readily attractive to such high profile visitors.”
Andrew received a personal message from our local MP, Marco Longhi, who said that the team at the Museum makes him feel proud to be the MP of the area. Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, also shared that “The Museum team were brilliant”.
After his visit the Prime Minister said:
“It was wonderful to visit the award-winning Black Country Living Museum today. I met some brilliant people and managed to experience the delicious chippy.
“The Museum received a government grant of £2.56 million through the Culture Recovery Fund and it’s great to see it thriving so they can continue to employ uniquely skilled staff in the West Midlands.
“It’s so important to invest in places that define culture in all corners of the country, providing jobs and supporting the wider community. My focus is on growing the economy and places like Black Country Living Museum in Dudley will help do exactly that.”
Photographs from the visit:
As we continue to work on developing a new strategy for the Museum for 2024 onwards, now is your chance to get involved and tell us what matters to you.
Alongside all the great things we currently do, we have identified six ideas we’d like to get your input on by completing a short survey by clicking on the link below.
https://info746830.typeform.com/to/jgW5QWJr
Responses are anonymous and the survey will close on Friday 14 April 2023.
Please let us know if you require assistance or a hard copy of the survey by emailing [email protected].
Thank you.
Carolyn and Vicki
Co-Directors of Development
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)
The Museum is currently developing a new Strategic Plan, which will set the direction of the Museum for the next five years, identifying what we want to achieve and allocating resources to make this happen. Our people, you, are our most valuable resource and we want to hear your thoughts and suggestions on what’s next for BCLM.
The closing date for the in-person consultation on Tuesday 21 March is this coming Tuesday, 14 March. The session will consist of a number of groups undertaking different activities across the site for 2-3 hours between 10am and 4pm (exact times TBC). For those on casual or hourly paid contracts, if you wish to participate you will be paid for your time at your usual hourly rate.
If you are unable to attend but would like to share your view, a short digital survey will be available via the intranet for completion over a two-week period from 27 March – 7 April. Paper copies of the survey will be available to complete and post in boxes dotted around the site.
Carolyn Sankey & Vicki Stanley
Co-Directors of Development
