Minutes of the€¦ · Web viewJust taken delivery of first Italian helicopter in the collection,...

Minutes of the Museums in Somerset

Autumn Group Meetingheld on Monday, October 11th 2010 at Wellington Football Club

Present: David Hill, Chairman and 33 members (See attached list.)

On behalf of the Chairman of Wellington Museum Society, Colin Spackman welcomed members to Wellington, outlining key points of the town’s history and industries, summing it up as, “a nice ordinary town that goes about its business.” The Museum Society started approximately 30 years ago and the Museum is run entirely by volunteers, with around 25-30 stewards. Colin invited members to look around the Museum during the lunch break and at the end of the meeting, and urged everyone to take a Wellington Museum ‘goody bag’ home.

Apologies for absence were received from 14 members. (See attached list.)

Chairman’s reportDavid Hill was sorry to report that Wincanton Museum is due to close. The good news is that Chard Museum has turned its fortunes around by increasing its membership of friends and by seeking local donations. Its successful local campaign is reported in the Museums Journal.

Over the summer, the closure of MLA has been announced. It is unclear how accreditation will be administered in the future. With cuts in budgets and grants across the board, sustainability will be an important theme.

Secretary’s reportAttention was drawn to a presentation at Cleeve Abbey, and an MLA/Renaissance report which Sophie Ainsworth has sent. Copies were available for members.

Treasurer’s reportThere has been no income and no expenditure. The Group has £44.35 in cash and £0 in the bank account.

The Minutes of the AGM and Spring Group Meeting (27th May) had been circulated. They were agreed and signed. Matters arising: Publication date second edition of Somerset Routes? Now available.Has the Somerset Heritage Centre opened? Opened 22nd September 2010.

The next meeting will be Monday, 28th February 2011, at the Somerset Heritage Centre.

The 2011 AGM and Spring Meeting will be on Monday, 16th May 2011, at Barrington Court.

Museums in Somerset Autumn Group Meeting11th October 2010

Updates from regional representatives1. Raj Pal, Director of Renaissance South-WestRaj began by enquiring about Wellington’s connection with the Duke of Wellington. Colin Spackman was able to give the full history of the Duke’s name.

Raj reminded members that museum objects are a window on the world, a good example being the chronometer in Neil McGregor’s History of the World in 100 Objects. Objects can be used to give a macro-history, and local museums can give a sense of time and place to younger generations.

Addressing the topic of the forthcoming demise of the MLA, Raj told members that at a recent event at the House of Commons, the impression had been given that the MLA was safe – so the news that it would end in March 2012 came as a total surprise. Its core functions will probably be taken over by the Arts Council. Renaissance will probably survive, as it is deemed to be a success. If it continues, there will be changes, eg the Hub structure will disappear and be replaced with Core museums along the lines of Core cities – Bristol is a likely candidate.

There is still a firm commitment to accreditation and it is hoped that MDO support will continue. However, at the Hub, all contracts currently run to March 2011, and Raj does not expect these to be renewed. However, Raj urged members not to lose sight of the Renaissance achievement – the transformation of museums.

Re the new accreditation, Raj and Vicky Dawson informed members that Vicky has been appointed to provide pre-application advice and is covering this role while Vic Harding is on maternity leave. The new standard had been due for launch at the beginning of October, but had been postponed until after the Comprehensive Spending review. The scheme may need to be trimmed to fit resources, and an announcement is now expected by Christmas.

Members commented that the amount of paperwork is enormous and very daunting, and is in need of simplification. The Chairman commented on recent very patchy consultations and expressed the hope that consultation would allow small museums to have a voice. Raj suggested that members write to their MPs, especially as the likely savings may not outweigh the costs of winding up the organisations. Vicky Dawson assured members that SWFed is keeping abreast of developments and will probably canvas members and museums.

2. Kathryn Sherrington, Somerset representative for South West Federation of Museums and Art Galleries

Kathryn’s email is [email protected] and she invited members to contact her.

The SWFed may fill in some gaps which arise from the MLA demise: training; conservation care; MDO support. Natalie Watson invited feedback on the website. Membership was a good way of networking, and the 2010 autumn

Minutes

mailto:[email protected]


Open Doors meetings were about to begin. There were still training days with available places.

Asked about the aims and objectives of the SWFed, Vicky Dawson explained that the Fed is run entirely by volunteers. It exists to support member organisations and individuals, in training, meeting opportunities, peer group support, responding to enquiries and looking outward giving a voice for museums. Helena Jaeschke added that the SWFed board is keeping a close eye on MLA-related developments and is putting together draft proposals for any money which is likely to become available, as it is likely to have to bid at short notice. The South West area covered by the SWFed is one-fifth of England.

3. South West Social History Curators Group, Felicity BaberFelicity introduced herself to the group. She is Collections Manager at the Bishop’s Palace, and Wessex Inventory Officer for the National Trust. She urged members to consider joining the South West Social History Curators Group. The group meets twice a year and has a twice-yearly newsletter.

Museum Development Officer’s Report, Natalie Watson1. The updated Somerset Routes has gone to print – 10,000 copies. Working in close cooperation with the VisitSomerset website, Natalie has secured a £4000 extension grant from MLA, to be used for: a journalist to write quality articles for publication; a photographer to photograph people enjoying museums; an interactive map for the website; a map application ‘App’ for mobile phones.

2. The Take One project. There were two pilot projects in Somerset, at Axbridge and at the Blake Museum. The Blake’s project was based on the Irene, the last trading ketch built in Bridgwater. Local teachers had a CPD day, and the local arts centre wrote a play. The Axbridge project was a picture of a hiring fair circa 1730. One school brought work to the Museum, and planned activities included its own hiring fair and an exhibition in school. Somerset has been chosen as the South West champion and given funding for three CPD days for more projects: Watchet Market House’s sculpture of the local church of alabaster from the local cliffs, carved by a local, given to an evacuee boy, taken back to London and bequeathed to the Museum; Wells and Mendip’s Bicycle Pump Respirator, used for caving rescue; and the Museum of South Somerset’s Low Ham mosaic. Natalie will give an update in February.

Sustainable Museums Part 1Natalie Watson spoke about the Sustainable Somerset Museums (SSM) project, which had Museums Development Fund money. So far, there had been meetings with Business Link, VISTA (volunteer training) and Volunteer Bureaux. A Sustainablity Survey had been sent to 55 museums, of which 24 had responded. Of these 24, only the 10 accredited/registered museums are eligible for funded assistance through SSM. One-to-one advice surgeries were offered with a chartered accountant, and help with individual finance & risk management reports.

Minutes


It is essential to have a Forward Plan – most museums have one, but it may be out of date. There should also be a Business Plan – most don’t have one, but there are templates available on the Business Link and VISTA websites. Natalie had collated responses on income generation into a bar chart that showed that museums feel that they would benefit most from:Personalised advice, support & training on business planning. It may be possible to offer a surgery or a fact sheet.Joint museums insurance, and possibly for getting together for bulk purchasing.Recruiting, retaining and managing volunteers. At all the Volunteer Bureaux, ‘Somerset Museums want Volunteers’ is advertised. Natalie is feeding offers to museums.Advice on hospitality & corporate hire, family activities.Income generation through sponsorship. Marketing strategies.Signposting for other organisations. (Heartening!)

What next?Funded mini-projectsFeasibility studiesLeaflet redesign & printDonations boxesRetail specialist to look at museum shopsFact sheets & guidance for circulation across Museums in SomersetMiS – special speakers & feedback from the project partner museums

Possibilities:Volunteer update dayVolunteer appreciation dayVolunteer recognition ceremony – nominations /long serviceVolunteer outing to another venueA Somerset-wide volunteer day – good press coverage – but dichotomy: raising money versus spending on volunteer treats. Next MiS meeting – invite as many volunteers as possible

(There was great interest in getting together for joint insurance & bulk purchasing scheme – great savings on conservation materials & boxes – sharing orders for shops. Can MiS do this rather than the MDO?)

Case study:Bridport & Sidmouth Museums Project,Susan Eddisford, Community Museums Officer for DevonEmail address: [email protected]

The project was a trial for free admission, aiming for sustainable models & aiming to raise the profile of the Jurassic Coast museums. Renaissance allocated £19,000, of which £9,000 was for marketing, retailing, income generation & project management for Sidmouth, which needed extra support as Bridport has a paid curator. The other £10,000 was a guarantee against loss - £6,000 for Bridport & £4,000 for Sidmouth.

Minutes

mailto:[email protected]


The revamp: Marketing (Sidmouth) – posters/leaflets/A-frame, repaint sign outside – let people know that the museum is there.Retailing – consultant advice on shopfittings/display/stock/pricing. Turnover is important. Link stock to the collection, but don’t stock goods with a logo. Sell at cost what doesn’t move. Use retail price mark-up – 2 x purchase price + VAT. Do not be seen to undercut local retailers.Income generation – a consultant did a workshop for the museums group. Do not be afraid to ask for money in literature and on websites.Donations box (from Abbey Plastics, Newton Abbot) – is now on the way out of the museum. Implement Gift Aid & think about how Gift Aid envelopes etc go through the money box. Ask a local business to sponsor donations..

The results:Bridport numbers increased 138%, 6705 up to 15900.Sidmouth numberswent from 4155 to 13321.Bridport’s ticket sales had been £6450. Donations were £3451.86. However, retail sales went from £1925.40 in 2008 to £5543.12 in 2009.Sidmouth’s ticket sales, £3369 and donations, £932 in 2008 went to donations of £4631 in 2009. Shop sales increased 70% from £1804 to £3075.For the 2010 season, visitor numbers & income have been maintained.

(N.B. It is possible to apply to AIM for grants and to the Esme Fairburn Trust for up to £5,000.)

Reports from Museums:Wellington MuseumFor autumn, now only open Saturdays till mid-December & 4 hours per day at half-term. 2140 visitors so far this year, thanks to events in the town: Wellington Street Fair in June; summer Flower Show; an event at Fox Brothers (new owner Deborah Maeden); Tour of Britain – displayed three different bicycles, a Volvo plastic frame, a wooden model velocipede & a penny farthing. No news on either rent or grant from council. The lease is overdue. Stewarding is a problem as older volunteers retire. Winter project: tidy the storeroom. Two volunteers attended the labelling & marking course.

Museum of South SomersetQuite a good year on the whole. Wincanton Museum will close and CHAC may store their objects. High points: outreach for Give1Hour; Museums Miscellany – getting out objects not seen before/recently. Next – Treasures of the Earth. Taking advice on sustainability.

Bishops Lydeard Mill Now closed till the end of May. 4000 visitors (mainly from West Somerset Railway), takings of around £10,000 V £12,000 last year. The future challenge is to get people past the gate, when they consider that the cost is high for a smallish plain-looking building. Lots planned for the winter. There didn’t seem to be room for more, but have now acquired a velocipede, a bread-cart, a WW2 bike parachuted for the war effort & a 1920s motor bike. Yvonne’s husband has just been presented with an MBE for work in the community, including charity work done by the mill, open-door (homeless)

Minutes


church centre in the village, Scout Hut, Cricket Pavilion, Football Pavilion, toilet block for Scout District Camp Site – and more.

Somerset Cricket MuseumNow has a new website. The legacy has paid for an architect, a structural engineer and an exhibition designer. Now looking forward to the next 21 years. Hope to install a lift. Hope to produce a book to exploit Alain Lockyer’s archive of 10,000 photographs of Somerset cricket. Visitor numbers around 2500. The Museum is used by the County Club’s educational scheme. Income is being generated from the sale of books, especially Wisden.

Chard MuseumThe Museum was face with possible closure, but did in the end get a grant from the Town Council, which enabled a grant from SSDC. However, in case these did not come to fruition, the members took drastic action, sending a flyer to all households explaining the Museum’s plight. They were stunned by the response which brought in several thousand pounds in new subscriptions and donations, with Gift Aid adding another £600. This secures another year, but long-term viability is a concern.

Watchet Boat MuseumStill no lease, and still pay a peppercorn rent. 2010 – ups and downs. Eight volunteers, so open seven days a week. However, a 20% drop in visitor numbers. Donations income is slightly up on 2009. The Esplanade Bookshop has given a donation to buy a poster/photo display unit. The Town Council has given a small grant which allowed the painting of the outside of the building. Seeking a mechanically-mined volunteer to renovate the 1900 rope making machine.

Washford Radio MuseumHas suffered less interference from Tropiquaria, so now encouraged to improve the Museum where it is. Crocombe Heathfield have asked for a 1930s radio for the station, and Neil Wilson is now restoring one. Has received a donation of a collection of military radio sets. Neil is concerned that the £8 entrance fee for Tropiquaria includes the Radio Museum, but there is no cash fro Neil. It is hard for people to visit just the Radio Museum, but if they say at the gate that they are ONLY visiting the Radio Museum, they pay £2, which should go to Neil. Members are requested to put the word about.

Somerset Military MuseumHoping to have school groups in July, with full opening at the end of July.

Willows & Wetlands Visitor CentreThe collection is supported by the business. Nicola Coate is trying to update the museum. Numbers are much as last year, with increasing school visits.

Bishops Palace, WellsVisitor numbers slightly up in 2010. Planning a display of Church Treasures from March 2012, and hoping to borrow objects from local churches & museums.

Minutes


Milverton Village ArchiveFor interest – Milverton outworkers for Fox Brothers of Wellington made puttees during WW1.Busy year. Provided information for BBC’s Inside Out programme on Thomas Young of Milverton. Working on the TakeOne project with the local school & on ‘Turn Back the High Street’ with BBC. Trawling through the Parish Council minute books for information.

Axbridge & District MuseumVisitor numbers are a bit up on last year. A small grant has been promised, but has not appeared. This is needed to open next year. After that, need to pay own way. The donations box contains a bell, which rings as money goes in - inviting. Hoping for a rent reduction from the national trust, and the NT is offering to help with displays and the shop. The Museum leaflet has a map of Axbridge, with local business adverts around it. The Take 1 Picture project was a success, and the Museum would like to do more similar. The Trustees are keen on WW2 medals, and would like to do a medal/roll of honour room which may encourage visitors.

Frome MuseumProvisional accreditation for six months. Require: constitution for Artefacts Trust; policies for Collections Care, Maintenance of the Building. Seeking advice on these. Improving disabled access. Own the building, so responsible for maintenance. Should break even this year. Visitor numbers around 3,200. Hoping to get a some of the recent Roman hoard.

Watchet Market House MuseumGood year. 32,000 visitors to September & hoping to reach 40,000. Average donation has increased from 24p to 29p. Following last winter’s refurbishment of the Museum, planning small improvements for 2010-11. Have six schools interested in Take 1 Object. Planning exhibition June 2011 for the schools’ work. Received a grant for new cataloguing system MODES Compact & 5 members have been trained for this. Phase 1 of the West Somerset Mineral Railway project is complete – need to take this further.

Somerset Brick & Tile MuseumVisitor numbers holding up. Serious vandalism in late summer led to newspaper coverage, and this led to an increase in visitor numbers. Roof repairs awaited, and railings round the site. School visits increasing steadily. Held a ‘Fossil Fun Day’ and a ‘Finding Old Things Day’. Did PRIMROSE workshop & Take 1 Picture training.

Helicopter MuseumIn September held a Hangar Dance attended by over 200 people. This will be an annual event. Awarded Red Wheel by the Transport Trust – first in the South West – recognition of the Museum as a site of historical importance. Just taken delivery of first Italian helicopter in the collection, an Agusta A109. This was unveiled by the Minister for Tourism, John Penrose, and MD of AgustaWestland, Graham Cole.

Minutes


Fleet Air Arm MuseumVisitor numbers were on course after a bad June but a better August, holding at around 110,000 per annum. The two Dalek Days brought in 3,600. The restaurant will be closing for the winter (the inside cafeteria will be open). The archive is supplying footage to film companies & the BBC. Revamping the WW2 Taranto display for 70th anniversary. Members of staff attending the SWFed training, and a volunteer went on the PRIMROSE workshop.

Somerset Heritage & LibrariesSomerset Heritage Centre has now opened, housing: Archive Service; Local Studies; Museum Store; Military Museum Store; Council Records; Libraries Administration Team HQ; Learning Team HQ; SANHS HQ.

The Museum of Somerset main build is finished. Fit-out now in progress. Working on interactives. During closure, much outreach – schools & family activities. The Frome hoard – 52,500 bronze coins & some silver - has now been declared treasure.

Conservation and Collections Care Advisor, Helena JaeschkePlaces were available on many of the autumn training days. Helena has dehumidifiers & Data Loggers available for loan. The PRIMROSE workshops had been nominated for an award.

……………………………… Sustainable Museums, Part 2

(i) Donations Boxes & Money-Raising Ideas

Use emotive language. Keep it visible & eye-catching. Keep it secure. Don’t rely on one box. Make it relevant. Train your volunteers to ask for money. Make it fun. Make it interactive, if possible.

Useful: www.keithnewsteadautomata.comwww.timhunkin.com

Minutes

http://www.timhunkin.com/

http://www.keithnewsteadautomata.com/


(ii) RetailSuggestions based on a SWFed course by Jane le Bon:

Range planning. Start with space & circulation, then open brochures. Clear the till point Display fitting – have headers – dopn’t leave blank walls above. Look at your lighting Containers – go rectangular, acrylic boxes rather than oval woven

baskets, etc. Display should have a story/theme – to fit with museum. Blocking – lots of the same thing, or all of one colour. Packaging & labelling – use strong branding – have own lable on card

tied to objects. Tie things with ribbon. Keep all children’s merchandise in one place. Mix books & toys. Take

one example out of its box – people will remove one anyway. Keep it simple. Review range regularly. Change the layout. Seek grants – eg apply to AIM for a grant for a merchandiser. Make people go through the shop.

Following these stimulating sessions, members then dispersed to look around Wellington Museum.

Minutes


Museums in Somerset Autumn MeetingMembers present:Organisation NamesAxbridge - King John’s Hunting Lodge John PageBishops Lydeard Mill and RLM Yvonne BackBishop’s Palace, Wells Felicity BaberChard Museum Barbara Dillon

Barry DillonDee ManleyPeter Manley

Devon Community Museums Officer Susan EddisfordFleet Air Arm Museum Barbara Gilbert

David HillFrome Museum Alan Davis

Brian MarshallHelicopter Museum Kathryn SherringtonMilverton Archive Nigel WoodMontacute House Sonja PowerMuseum of South Somerset Tanya CamberwellRenaissance Raj PalRoyal Albert Memorial Museum Helena JaeschkeSomerset Brick and Tile Museum Paul Wilson

Doria ShepherdSomerset Cricket Museum Sir Peter WallisSomerset Heritage & Libraries Service Helen MansfieldSomerset Military Museum Mike MotumSomerset Museums Development Officer Natalie WatsonWashford Radio Museum Neil WilsonWatchet Boat Museum Bruce ScottWatchet Market House Museum Jim Nicholas Wellington Museum Colin Spackman

John HamerRay HitchcockCaroline Newcombe

Willows & Wetlands Centre Nicola CoateFreelance Vicky DawsonFreelance Kirstie TurpApologies were received from:Organisation NameChard Museum Tony PriorDovery Manor Museum Lita StramppEnglish Heritage Hilary RogersIlchester Museum Ros Marah

Gerry MastersMontacute TV & Radio Toy Museum Marcia and Alan HickenMuseum of Somerset Tom MayberryRenaissance Vic Harding

Sophie AinsworthSomerset and Dorset Railways Trust Robin Pearson and othersWellington Museum Bill Copley

Minutes

Minutes of the€¦ · Web viewJust taken delivery of first Italian helicopter in the collection,...

Documents

Transcript of Minutes of the€¦ · Web viewJust taken delivery of first Italian helicopter in the collection,...