Aim successful practice

AIM Research Study:
Examples of Successful Practice

November 2012

Jon Finch
Black Radley Culture Ltd

jon_finch@blackradley.com
www.blackradley.com

Tel: 0845-226-0363
Fax: 01694-722040

Successful Practice November 2012

Table of Contents
1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 3
2 Examples of Successful Practice ....................................................................... 4
2.1 Co-location ........................................................................................... 4
2.2 Commercial approach ............................................................................ 7
2.3 Developing a more enterprising approach ............................................. 10
2.4 Licensing and Product Development ..................................................... 14
2.5 Links with educational/academic organisations ...................................... 16
2.6 Micro businesses ................................................................................. 19
2.7 Museum start up ................................................................................. 22
2.8 Partnerships and Consortia .................................................................. 25
2.9 Partnerships with Local Authorities ....................................................... 28
2.10 Social Enterprise ................................................................................. 31
2.11 Social Media........................................................................................ 34
2.12 Taking on Services from Local Authorities ............................................. 37
2.13 Volunteering ....................................................................................... 40

© Black Radley Ltd 2012 2 Tel: 0845-226-0363


1 Introduction

During the autumn of 2012 Black Radley Culture (BRC) was commissioned to identify,
summarise and briefly review successful business ideas or strategies as exemplars for
museums, galleries and related organisations for Organisational Resilience. BRC
worked closely with AIM and other representatives of the sector, as well as utilising
its own extensive experience in the areas of enterprise and resilience to identify
topics which were of most relevance to independent museums. We then carefully
sought out pertinent case studies which illustrated these key resilience topics, from
across the sector and beyond, based on recommendations of others and our own
knowledge.

We have been able to draw together thirteen case studies which highlight the
successful practice going on across the museum, heritage and voluntary sectors. The
studies demonstrate that innovation is thriving across the sector, and museums are
using a range of strategies to move to resilient positions. The purpose of the work
was not to identify the “best” or “most successful” example (although we have a
number of very high quality examples) in a particular area, more to illustrate practice
that had delivered effectively, had applicability elsewhere in the sector and identified
a range of useful learning points for museums and those working in them. We
believe the examples we summarise in the document cover such areas well and
provide the sector with much food for thought.



2 Examples of Successful Practice

2.1 Co-location

Organisation: Bradford on Avon Museum - Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
http://www.bradfordonavonmuseum.co.uk/

Contact: Mervyn Harris, Chairman

Background (What were the reasons for change?): The Museum originated in 1986,
when a local pharmacy shop owner planned to retire in Bradford on Avon. Many
people in the town wanted to preserve the pharmacy shop, and there was a drive to
set up a museum to commemorate it.

A brief summary of the activities/work involved: A number of options were
considered, but when it became apparent that Wiltshire County Council wanted to
build a new library in the town, the volunteers associated with the pharmacy shop
approached the Council at an early stage, and asked if a museum could be included in
the new build.

The Council asked for a contribution of £30,000, The Volunteers formed themselves
into a museum society and launched a fundraising campaign. They had to source the
money very quickly from a variety of sources, including a contribution of £10k from
the Town Council.

The Museum Society entered into meaningful discussions with WCC about the scale
and nature of the space that might be allocated to the museum. Whilst a space was
found for the museum by the Council, the Society was disappointed with it, being
situated on the first floor of the building and somewhat tucked away.

The new building was opened in 1990, with the museum an integral part of it. During
that early period the premises suited the museum. However, the museum has
continued to develop and grow, it has broadened and strengthened its collection,
and now, more than twenty years after the building originally opened, the existing
co-location arrangements no longer suits its needs.



The Museum Society is actively looking for a new base, as the original 25 year lease,
agreed with WCC, ends in 2015. The Society, along with the Tourist Information
Centre and Preservation Trust, is currently investigating the possibility of being part
of a campus site operation in the town, which will involve discussions with other local
community organisations and Wiltshire Council

What resources were involved (Staff/cash/time)? Initial cash requirement of
£30,000 by the County Council.

Who did you work with (Partners/Stakeholders/Friends)? Wiltshire County
Council/Wiltshire District Council

What were the timescales?

What were the benefits/achievements/successes for the organisation? Being
located in the Council-run library building, the museum has benefited from a
peppercorn rent since 1990. Other utility costs, such as heating and lighting, have
also been absorbed by the Council.

Moving in with the Library also gave the public and other stakeholders more
confidence in the future sustainability of the Museum Society.

There have been other specific benefits from being located in the library, such as
increased visitors from library events and general library footfall.

What were the lessons learned, challenges and barriers? Sometimes you do not get
all you wish for when sharing a building. The Museum Society would have liked a
larger more accessible space, but had to compromise at the time.

Co-locations may well be time limited; the needs of one or other of the partners may
change; one may grow and expand, and the partnership may need to change
radically, or come to an end.

The Museum Society in Bradford on Avon took the opportunity offered by the County
Council in the late 1980s. Other opportunities were explored, but each had its
drawbacks and the option of co-location in the library building was chosen as being
the best one available at the time.

Applicability of the project to the Independent Museums Sector – The building
share between the Bradford on Avon Museum and the local library has similarities



with a range of other co-locations independent museums are currently involved with.
Such partnerships present opportunities, like increased footfall and low rent in
Bradford’s case, but they will also present challenges, such as limited space and
access. Those involved with Bradford Museum have coped admirably with these
types of challenges and they have adapted their expectations to suit their shared
home. They have maintained strong links with the local community and keeping
focused on their long term ambition to grow and develop the museum. The museum
is an important asset in the cultural life of Bradford on Avon and in assisting tourist
development in an historic town with a rich cultural heritage. This ambition is likely
to result in another form or partnership and/or co-location, yet the volunteers at
Bradford on Avon will go into such a venture with their eyes wide open
understanding both the strengths and weaknesses of this type of development. Their
approach has many transferable learning points.



2.2 Commercial approach

Organisation: Galleries of Justice Museum - Nottingham,
http://www.galleriesofjustice.org.uk/

Contact: Nicola Burley

Background (What were the reasons for change?): The Galleries of Justice Museum
was founded in 1993 by the Museum of Law Trust and opened as a Museum in 1995.
Housed in the Grade 2 listed Shire Hall there has been a court on site since at least
1375 and a prison since at least 1449.

In 2000 there was a redevelopment of the education department to focus primarily
on Citizenship and Crime prevention using the Museum’s courts. Since that time the
Museum has acquired many awards including the inaugural Gulbenkian Award in
2003 and been successful in achieved major funding for its programmes.

Under the leadership of Tim Desmond the charity was redeveloped in 2007 to
become the Egalitarian Trust comprising of the Galleries of Justice Museum, The
National Centre for Citizenship and the Law (NCCL) and the City of Caves. As well as in
Nottingham the educational team (NCCL) now also operate from the Royal Courts of
Justice and UK Supreme Court in London and the Sessions House in Northampton.

As independent museum running costs had always presented a challenge. Therefore
in 2008, the Chief Executive, took the step of appointing a senior officer with direct
responsibility for profitability of the organisation, the brief being to increase turnover
and reduce costs whilst maintaining the excellent reputation and social purpose of
the trust.

Nicola Burley was appointed, her previous role has been as a corporate bank
manager, and she had a strong commercial background, with a wide range of
contacts and networks in the business sector. She set about, working closely with
Chief Executive, developing an effective and sustainable commercial approach across
the Trust, building on good work already taking place in the organisation, but
commercialising the model to get the best out of it. They further recognised the
impact the recession would have on the sector and realised they needed to get a step
ahead of other funded and non-funded organisations if they were to become
resilient.



A brief summary of the activities/work involved: A three year forward plan was put
into place with the aim to become sustainable by the end of the plan.

The services provided by the Galleries of Justice Museum and its associated costs at
the time were analysed, and a focus on diversifying income streams was introduced.
The organisation went through a process of using a forensic accountant to analyse
the business and draw up priorities, which in turn led to rationalising the senior
management team then restructuring the board.

Activities included renting out further parts of the extensive buildings at the Galleries
of Justice, renovation of its sister attraction, the City of Caves, improving its
conference and events delivery by improving its offer from room hire and ghost tours
to include weddings and medieval banquets, Nicola and Tim work hard to increase
the profile of the organisation by attending and speaking at local business clubs as
well as national conferences, Nicola also holds her own regular networking events,
not only raising the profile in the local area of the charity but also raising sponsorship
and donations. In addition they have drawn on the organisation’s strengths to create
Education Syndicates and Commercial Syndicates to deliver services on behalf of
other organisations. A review of tax status and the assets of the business was also
conducted resulting in improved income and Balance Sheet values.

What resources were involved (Staff/cash/time)? The museum has a team of
approximately 30 people plus a team in London and Northampton. This team was
restructured to centralise front of house and administration roles and new staff were
appointed from the commercial sector.

The sales team has also been reorganised with further appointments from the
broader business sector. This team service the Museum, the City of Caves, NCCL in
Nottingham, London and Northampton. The Museum also recruits a pool of
volunteers to help out in the busy seasonal periods. Furthermore the attractions
continue to remain open 7 days a week

Who did you work with (Partners/Stakeholders/Friends)? Nicola, and the team,
have worked closely with a range of key partners. These include Trustees,
Experience Nottingham (the local Destination Management organisation), Tourist
Information Centre, other heritage and arts sites, as well as local hotels and
restaurants, and the business sector including national Accountancy firms, Solicitors,
Banks, Coach companies .

What were the timescales? A three year plan was introduced in 2009 and the next 3
year plan has been agreed.



What were the benefits/achievements/successes for the organisation? In 2011/12,
the organisation actually achieved a small profit with little project funding and a
small bonus was paid to the staff for the first time.

Visitor numbers at the museum have increased by 15% since 2007/2008 and ticket
income (including gift aid) for the museum is predicted this financial year to increase
by 71% compared to 2007/2008 and across the two visitor attractions by 51%
compared to the same time.

The three year plan has worked well, the next three year plan will look at developing
further income streams so that profits can be fed back into the organisation to
review and improve the visitor product at the organisation and invest in its staff.
There will also be a continued focus on improving the profile of the organisation and
it’s charitable work at a regional and national level.

The Galleries of Justice Museum and NCCL are now seen as a centre of excellence in a
range of areas, these include Education Syndicates and business development, and
are often approached by other cultural organisations for advice and guidance.

What were the lessons learned, challenges and barriers? When organisations
appoint to roles which require specific expertise, they need to ensure the successful
applicants have that particular expertise, and that their attributes match the job
description. Museum professionals are excellent in many areas but it should not be
assumed that they are experts in commerce, fundraising or project management.

The value of bringing in others from the commercial sector cannot be
underestimated, it can result in a balanced workforce of private, voluntary and public
sector employees.

Organisations needs to have the courage to take calculated risks and challenge the
norm, this allows innovation, and develops a more enterprising and sustainable
approach. Organisations need to ensure that they meet their charitable objectives
and maintain their heritage sites whilst giving equal weighting to the commercial
management of the business.

Applicability of the project to the Independent Museums Sector – The Galleries of
Justice Museum is a sizeable organisation and therefore has the capacity to bring an
experienced individual into a senior post. Many other organisations in the
independent museums sector may not be able to do the same. However a number
of the basic principles applied by the Galleries are transferable; the development of a
robust forward plan, a stronger focus on enterprise and income diversification and
regular access to good quality business advice are all within the grasp of the majority



of medium sized organisations in the sector. The approach of bringing in specific
expertise to deal with a particular challenge is also one to be acknowledged, all too
often museum professionals are expected to be the jack of all trades, and this has
risks associated.

2.3 Developing a more enterprising approach

Organisation: Sir John Moore Foundation -Appleby Magna, Leicestershire
http://www.sirjohnmoore.org.uk/

Contact: Deana Wildgoose

Background (What were the reasons for change?): The Sir John Moore Foundation
and its Grade I listed building built in 1697, provide support and a home for the local
primary school. The foundation has four areas in which it works - Heritage (&
conservation), Learning (for all), Community (& social wellbeing) and Enterprise (&
innovation).

The Foundation had been on the edge of crisis for a number of years leading up to
2002, the organisation was running at break-even – and was not able to fund ongoing
repairs to the building. The Educational Charity faced severe difficulties, they were
responsible for the site and all its buildings – and there was also the prospect of the
resident primary school moving out.

The relationship with the primary school which is located on the Foundation’s
premises had often been challenging, it was difficult to get the school to accept its
responsibilities for maintaining the building.

The Trustees in 2002, with School Governors and local residents, spearheaded a
campaign with the help of the local and County Councils and English Heritage to raise
the funds to rescue the historic school building and site. This eventually led to a £2m
project – the largest restoration project for Heritage Lottery in the East Midlands at
that time.

A brief summary of the activities/work involved: Part of the rescue involved creating
a sustainable income stream from 4 offices and 2 apartments. A Heritage Centre was
also created along with community spaces and new facilities for the primary school.

Following the rescue the Foundation started opening up the building for the
community and joined the rural touring scheme (bringing professional theatre and
music to rural venues). Staff at the Foundation quickly realised that the range of
facilities needed to be improved. Therefore, with their own funds, the Foundation



converted half of the redundant cellars in the building into a licenced bar, this then
allowed the Foundation to firstly broaden their events programme and then target
the weddings and parties market, which they did successfully now regularly hosting
more than 20 weddings a year providing a significant income stream as well as local
jobs.

The Foundation also set up a youth club, which increased access to the Foundation
but also acted as a way of the Foundation identifying the needs and expectations of
young people in the locality. This led to staff at the organisation securing money to
firstly build a recording studio in another part of the cellar, and then a radio booth,
both of which are used regularly by young people.

A range of other activities and events are now hosted and organised by the
Foundation, these include comedy and music nights, an annual festival, a film club for
children, as well as IT courses for the elderly.

More recently, building on the expertise of one member of staff, the Foundation has
also developed an alternative curriculum, providing targeted learning opportunities
for young people who struggle with main-stream school for a variety of reasons. The
curriculum has been a great success with local schools many of whom are buying in
the service. This programme currently generates sufficient income to cover all of its
costs and is due to make a surplus this coming year. In addition it enables the
Foundation to bid for grants from a range of organisations and funders.

The relationship with the resident primary school has been much improved with both
parties working together to ensure the building is properly maintained and the
shared use of the building runs as smoothly as possible. Issues still remain over the
costs of planning for long term works and for the school to ensure the needs of the
building are met when there are IT and other educational resource requirements to
make demands on the limited funds available.

What resources were involved (Staff/cash/time)? The move to this more
enterprising approach has involved a large amount of vision, time and effort,
however staff saw this as their key priority.

There was also significant financial investment in the initial rescue which allowed for
a solid sustainable income stream to be generated from the offices and apartments
which created a sustainable role for the Manager.

What were the timescales? The initial rescue took place in 2002, and since then
there has been a gradual increase in the range of activities and income streams by
the Foundation.



The focus for the Foundation now is to become the host for a range of smaller Social
Enterprises, giving such community focused activity the freedom and opportunity to
operate in a unique environment.

What were the benefits/achievements/successes for the organisation? The process
of becoming more entrepreneurial has enabled the Foundation to move from a
situation where it wasn’t able to afford day to day repairs to a situation now where it
is generating significant revenue annually in order to meet its responsibilities, and
has a reserve of £100,000 to fall back on.

At a practical level not only has the approach generated a much broader range of
revenue, but it has also brought a much wider, range of people into the Foundation,
raising its profile and confidence.

In 2010 the Foundation worked with the School to develop a Conservation and
Sustainable Development Plan, this enabled funds to be raised from Community
Builders to work with professional architects to put together a Master Plan for the
site. This is crucial in generating confidence from key funders such as HLF, English
Heritage and ACE and has given the foundation a strong platform on which to tackle
the future development of the site. It has provided a joint focus for both the school
and the Foundation and different parts of the Master Plan can be tackled at different
times depending on the needs and wishes of the school and Foundation and the
availability of funds at that time.

What were the lessons learned, challenges and barriers? The change in approach
takes time to bed in and succeed across an organisation.

Some of the activities and innovations tried by the Foundation have not succeeded,
but this should not dissuade individuals and organisations from continuing to be
innovative.

Having a robust and long term plan is crucial in developing positive relationships with
funders.

A fundamental challenge the Foundation has had to deal the perceptions of
disadvantaged young people both from governors and parents at the resident
primary school, and local people themselves. Staff have worked very hard to dispel
what have mostly been poorly informed misconceptions and, for example, are due to
undertake a joint presentation at a forthcoming Parents evening at the School to
ensure they are well briefed.

Being adaptable and opportunistic when funds or advice become available



To share plans, successes and failures with others – you never know where help may
come from in the future

Having focus, vision and commitment from staff and the Board that is flexible but
that doesn’t waiver!

Applicability of the project to the Independent Museums Sector – The Foundation
undertakes a wide range of educational and heritage based activities however the
approach it has adopted has real applicability to the wider independent museums
sector. It involved building on the Foundation’s assets to build and diversify income
streams, such enterprising work was based on a clear understanding of the needs
and expectations of local audiences. They were not afraid to invest their own
resources try new initiatives and push the boundaries on the sort of services and
activities the organisation could offer. Linking high quality education activities to a
previously identified gap in the market is also an approach to be applauded. The
manner in which the Foundation has dealt with a challenging co-location issue should
not be down played either, taking a long term approach, identifying issues of shared
interest and responsibility, and ensuring regular communications.



2.4 Licensing and Product Development

Organisation: The British Postal Museum and Archive - Phoenix Place, London
http://www.postalheritage.org.uk/

Contact: Dr Adrian Steel

Background (What were the reasons for change?): When the British Postal Museum
and Archive (BPMA) separated from the Royal Mail (RM) it was set up as an
independent Trust, whilst it received a funding settlement, there was also a strong
expectation that other income was secured. BPMA focused on two main areas,
charitable fundraising and trading.

BPMA set up a trading subsidiary to channel this work through, and the Royal Mail
actively encouraged the BPMA to utilise the assets and products it had passed onto
the Trust and a number of options were explored by the Trust. This included
researching and developing a range of BPMA product lines, however it quickly
became clear that despite the products being of good quality and relevance, the
BPMA could not secure the necessary routes to market on its own. This situation was
not helped by the fact that the BPMA did not have a significant museum building
present at the time.

A brief summary of the activities/work involved: Therefore Trustees and staff
decided to focus much of their efforts on exploring the potential licensing
opportunities provided by the Intellectual Property owned by the BPMA. It soon
became clear to the BPMA that the Licensing world is heavily dependent on contacts
and networks, and that appointing an agent would be necessary.

BPMA appointed Licensing Management International (LMI) to act as their agent
because they could deal with BPMA and RM IP together, making a more compelling
offer, and gave them the responsibility for marketing all of the Trust’s intellectual
property (IP). LMI targeted the key brand fairs and, despite being fairly small scale in
the licensing sector, BPMA have secured a number of licensing contracts which have
resulted in related images being used on mugs, books, gifts etc.

BPMA are now in the process of concluding a new IP agreement with the Royal Mail
which should ensure there is a clearer divide between the Licensing work of the Trust
and that of the Royal Mail, giving the Trust greater opportunity to work



independently. The BPMA are also now considering increasing their focus on the
development and sale of higher end product lines where they feel there is an
opportunity to generate increased income.

What resources were involved (Staff/cash/time)? The work around Licensing has
been very intensive and used a significant amount of staff time at BPMA.

Who did you work with (Partners/Stakeholders/Friends)? The Royal Mail

What were the timescales? BPMA’s initial work around licensing started in
2004/2005, it is only recently that larger contracts have been secured.

What were the benefits/achievements/successes for the organisation? At a
practical level it has resulted in some agreements with significant minimum
guaranteed royalties for BPMA.

The Licensing approach has also been useful at a strategic level with Trustees, the
Royal Mail and other stakeholders to demonstrate that BPMA can indeed secure
sizeable external income.

What were the lessons learned, challenges and barriers? Working with the Royal
Mail around Licensing has been challenging at times, and it has been a time
consuming process to secure their approval for individual deals – something we hope
to avoid the need for in future.

It is important to realise your position in the market. Working through the agent, it
became apparent to BPMA that, even within the Cultural Sector, they were a
relatively small player compared to the likes of the National Museums.

It has also become clear that while large numbers of people see products and images
related to BPMA through the licensing deals, they often do not appreciate the links to
BPMA.

Organisations need to have a realistic expectation of the large amount of time and
effort required to make Licensing work.

Applicability of the project to the Independent Museums Sector – The British Postal
Museum and Archive is blessed with some highly recognisable and significant
intellectual property and assets. Nevertheless many museums, small and large, may
well have collections, buildings or other types of assets that are not only unique, but
might be of value to a particular audience or customer. The avenue which BPMA
took of bringing in an agent (or perhaps another individual with a proven expertise in
the area) to understand better the value of the intellectual assets and to assist them



in getting to market, is one to be followed. The world of franchising and licensing
seems to be a complicated one, and having the right networks is key. The amount of
time required to move this sort of thing forward is also important, and needs to be
borne in mind if an organisation is considering dipping their toe in the water.

2.5 Links with educational/academic organisations

Organisation: The Boleh Project - Portsmouth http://www.bolehproject.com/

Contact: Chris Austin

Background (What were the reasons for change?): Boleh, a historic junk-yacht of
unique design, is being restored in Portsmouth and turned into the perfect vessel for
providing inspirational training to disadvantaged young people. Boleh was built in
1949 and its original owner, Commander Robin Kilroy, always hoped the boat to be
used for training purposes once in UK waters. The boat was brought to the UK in
2008 by two of Kilroy’s nephews, Henry and George Middleton, to be fully restored
and with an ambition for it to be used for Sail Training again, but this time for
disadvantaged school children in the Portsmouth area.

A brief summary of the activities/work involved: It was clear to Henry and George
that significant work was required to fully restore the boat and provide training
opportunities, and other partners were required to enable that to happen. The first
major partner involved in the restoration was the Meridian Sailing Trust, a training
focused organisation, however challenges quickly arose and Meridian went bust
shortly after forming the partnership. Therefore the Boleh Trust was formed, Henry
and George, along with a small band of volunteers, decided to undertake the project
themselves.

Members of the Trust already had strong links with Portsmouth City Council, and
they were able to secure a site on the Old Pump House workshops, Eastney, at
advantageous rates. The City Council were anxious to attract heritage related
activities to the site and the Boleh Trust complemented the other activities already
taking place.

The Trust began fundraising, and brought in a number of apprentices from the local
training centre. However it soon became apparent that it would not be possible to
restore the Boleh fully on that basis, more resources were required. Therefore
discussions with the HLF began, it was clear that the HLF were interested in the



project from the outset, however not only did they want to see the boat restored and
heritage skills invested in, they also expected active involvement with the local
community in order to promote the appreciation of Heritage activities.
Therefore the Trust targeted developing a strong relationship with a local secondary
school. Members of the Trust already had good links with governors at The
Academy, a previously failing local school which now had a very dynamic leadership
team in place, and made an approach about developing a close working relationship.
The governors were immediately interested, many of the children at the school had
under achieved in the past, working with the Boleh Project would give these children
a unique opportunity to rebuild their self-worth.

The relationship has developed and the Trust and school have recently agreed that
the Boleh project will become a focal point of their curriculum, the children will
monitor the development of the Boleh Project, using it in their work back in school,
and it gives The Academy opportunities to reinforce key messages to the children
around diligence and self-esteem. The first official visit from the School is planned
for very early in 2013. The partnership with the School was a significant positive
teaming which helped the Trust to secure funding from the HLF.

Related to this the Boleh Trust has also worked closely with a well-respected local
Training Provider, Highbury College, to identify a number of apprentices who will gain
the hands on experience required for their NVQ working with the Boleh. From
November four apprentices will join the Project Boleh team and work on the
restoration of the boat for four days a week, with one day a week spent on their
academic studies.

At a higher education level, links have also been developed between the Project and
Southampton University, and this has resulted in two undergraduates using the Boleh
as the basis for their Thesis.

What resources were involved (Staff/cash/time)? A huge amount of time and effort
from the volunteers involved with Project Boleh. The volunteers have been the main
drivers of success.

Who did you work with (Partners/Stakeholders/Friends)? The Trust has worked
closely with Portsmouth City Council, Hampshire County Council, the Academy,
Southampton University and Highbury College.



What were the timescales? Boleh returned to the UK in 2008, the Trust was set up in
2009, and Heritage Lottery funding secured in September 2012.

What were the benefits/achievements/successes for the organisation? The
restoration of the Boleh is now moving forward and will be completed by 2014.
Already two apprentices previously involved with working on the Boleh have now got
jobs with local ship builders, demonstrating a tangible benefit from the project.

What were the lessons learned, challenges and barriers? The scale of Project Boleh
is crucial, it is a relatively small project, therefore getting the right people involved,
such as the apprentices, is very important if it is to succeed. Apprenticeship
interviews become very important.

Balancing the needs of restoring a historic boat to its original design, while enabling it
to be used as a sail training vessel with full MCA compliancy, has to be carefully
thought through.

Applicability of the project to the Independent Museums Sector – Whilst the project
is not based around a museum or a collection it has relevance to a broad range of
independent museums. Schools, Academies, Further Education and High Education
Establishments are all being encouraged in one way or another to generate stronger
links with local and/or heritage organisations. The material culture that museums
care for is a prime resource for educational establishments and one they will be keen
to access. The Boleh project specifically used the links with the school to help meet
the requirements, and this demonstrates a (relatively) straightforward way that
museums can use such engagement to help draw in addition resources. Project
Boleh has done this through a small band of volunteers, very dedicated admittedly,
but nevertheless demonstrates that other small and medium sized organisations can
achieve something similar.



2.6 Micro businesses

Organisation: Leach Pottery - St Ives, Cornwall http://www.leachpottery.com/

Contact: Julia Twomlow

Background (What were the reasons for change?): Founded in 1920 by Bernard
Leach and Shoji Hamada, the Leach Pottery is regarded by many as the most
influential studio pottery in the world. For decades it forged the shape of studio
pottery production in the UK and beyond. Today the Leach Pottery is a living tribute
to Bernard Leach and his legacy. The organisation was set up without revenue
funding, therefore has always been looking to find sustainable ways of generating
additional income. However the Director and Trustees were keen to ensure that
these new business streams built on the uniqueness of the museum and its location,
and with their belief that visitors to such museums wish to take away something
which reflects why they have travelled, often very long distances to visit the Leach
Pottery.

A brief summary of the activities/work involved: Soon after the Leach Pottery
opened 2008 a working pottery was set up to produce tableware for sale to
customers. The pottery started up with a lead potter, supported by start-up potters,
however the start-up potters were self-employed, paying their own rent, which
restricted the amount of direction they could be given and made management of
production difficult.

Therefore this system was scrapped and a paid apprenticeship scheme introduced,
led by the lead potter. This improved matters, however demand for the tableware
increased, and it became apparent that production potters were required to meet
the increased capacity. So the Pottery moved to employing two production potters,
nevertheless the demand for the pottery continued to grow at the site, and the
Museum made the decision to move into wholesale. The Museum set up a
partnership with an independent gallery in St Ives to ensure it had a high street
location, this has further increased the demand for the pottery, and the Museum is
currently considering whether to employ a third production potter.



Increased demand also put pressure on the space available and required that
additional storage outside of the main studio was created to free up work space.
This was achieved through funding from West Cornwall Local Action Group.

What resources were involved (Staff/cash/time)? The process involved a high level
of input from the Museum’s Director as well as regular support from the Trustees of
the organisation.

Who did you work with (Partners/Stakeholders/Friends)? The Director and Trustees
worked closely with the employees at the microbusiness to consider the best options
as the business continued to grow.

The Director also brought in the Clore Governance team to help assess the
organisation’s broader strategy and business model at a time when the museum was
facing significant financial problems, Leach Pottery felt this was a very cost effective
way of moving to a more sustainable footing.

Charities Aid Foundation provided working capital to enable the transition.
Businesslink provided a small grant to support a year of financial mentoring for the
director from the Clore finance advisor.


What were the benefits/achievements/successes for the organisation? The pottery,
and the tableware it produces satisfies the expectations the many visitors have when
arriving at the Leach Pottery around being able to take something unique away from
their visit linked to Leach himself.

The business has had a sizeable impact on the income generated by the organisation,
with the average spend per visitor now reaching £17.50.

This whole process demonstrated how fleet of foot a small organisation such as the
Leach Pottery can be, particularly around seizing business opportunities.

What were the lessons learned, challenges and barriers? Business diversification
needs to be considered carefully, and can be very time consuming with risks
attached, the Leach Pottery also was determined to link any diversification to the
core values and story of the organisation.

The museum also feel that the authenticity of both the business and the product is
crucial, while they do sell work that us made elsewhere they recognise that most
important to their business is the work that is made on site or has a direct connection
to the history of the site.



The Leach Pottery also realised that any move into wholesale needs to be carefully
considered. Whilst their initial foray into this market has provided them with a high
street sales point, it has also impacted on their profit margins and has provided food
for thought on how they develop the business in the future.

The museum is likely to target online sales in future now but has fully appreciated
the particular implications of moving into this market and, for instance, has already
identified spaces to store products for online sale and for packaging the material as
well as staffing implications, delivery timescales and meeting customer expectations
with handmade work

The buy in and support of the Leach Pottery Board has been crucial, without this
things may have proved very challenging.

Applicability of the project to the Independent Museums Sector – The Leach Pottery
has a context and a set of assets that are unique, and these have been crucial in
allowing the museum to make a success of the micro business. Nevertheless
significant parts of this process are transferable to other independent museums. The
organisation, with no other revenue sources at that stage, quickly identified the
significant opportunities provided by its unusual background, they tried several
different ways of building on the idea, and when they recognised things could be
improved they were not afraid to try something new. Many museums have a unique
object, collection, building or location that can be better utilised with some creative
thinking and an understanding of your audiences, as Julia Twomlow pointed out
“visitors love taking away something made on site with them”.



2.7 Museum start up

Organisation: Museum of British Surfing - Braunton, North Devon
http://www.museumofbritishsurfing.org.uk

Contact: Pete Robinson

Background (What were the reasons for change?): Pete Robinson was originally
inspired by reading early publications concerning the history of surfing. He wanted
to explore the origins of British surfing and therefore started a journalistic review
process in the late 1990s, he began gathering information from publications and
periodicals. Pete also starting building a collection related to British surfing, buying
and gathered a range of material.

Pete, and colleagues with a similar passion, developed a set of touring exhibitions
concerning British Surfing from 2004, based in a storage unit. The exhibitions were
successful going to a range of exhibitions across the UK, raising the profile of both the
topic of British surfing and of Pete and his colleagues.

A brief summary of the activities/work involved: Pete left his job in journalism in
2009, and from this point focused on establishing a permanent museum on the topic.
The first action was getting key administrative issues sorted, setting up a charity, and
registering the museum name.

The temporary exhibition programme was continued to ensure the profile of the
campaign was kept high, and that income was steadily generated.

Pete and his colleagues looked at a series of potential locations for the Museum
across Devon and Cornwall. Eventually they came across a parish council owned
building in Braunton, and were able to secure a 74 year lease on the property. It
included Braunton skate bowl and the local youth club run by Devon County Council.
It also provided the opportunity for the museum to expand in the future if required.

The next target was to secure the necessary resources to develop an effective
business plan, Pete and his colleagues looked local and were able to secure funding



from the Leader 4 Torridge & North Devon programme – part of the Rural
Development Programme.

The funding allowed them to complete a thorough business plan, initial design work
including re-branding and the website, plus economic, environmental and project
planning.

This robust planning process enabled Pete and his colleagues to secure further
investment from the Leader 4 programme. In 2010 they were awarded £145,775 as
funding towards Phase 2 – the physical design & build of the exhibition & event
venue at The Yard in Braunton.

Match funding was sought through a vigorous fundraising campaign at a national
level using social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, and a large chunk was
secured by a grant of £45,000 in 2011 through the Section 106 fund allocated to
Braunton and administered by North Devon Council.

Pete then donated his extensive collection to the Charity set up to run the museum,
this generated further confidence in the future of both the museum and the charity
itself amongst supporters and stakeholders and further donations both financial and
to the collection came in.

During the redevelopment period a project manager was seconded from North
Devon Council to support the Charity on a voluntary basis, he focused on the
financial side of things and relationships with the grant holders.

The redevelopment included a strong focus on environmental issues, and so a key
part of this was developing an effective sustainability strategy, with an ambition for
the museum, and charity, to become carbon neutral.

The Museum opened in the spring of 2012, and has been a great success so far,
attracting over 6,000 visitors. The business model is working, and the organisation is
operating effectively with no external revenue support. It won a Collections Trust
award 3 months after opening for the best collection on a small budget, due its
sustainability work and commitment to the local community.

What resources were involved (Staff/cash/time)? The drive, passion and large
amounts of time from a range of volunteers, particularly Pete Robinson.

The voluntary support from the North Devon Council Manager was very important.

Significant resources were secured from the Leader 4 Programme
(http://www.leader4.org/), as well as North Devon Council.



Who did you work with (Partners/Stakeholders/Friends)? North Devon Council,
North Devon Museums

What were the timescales? Funding for the business planning was secured in Spring
2009 and the Museum was opened in the Spring of 2012.

What were the benefits/achievements/successes for the organisation? The first
achievement was the development of the successful touring exhibition programme.

The fundraising campaign was a real success, and demonstrated the benefits of using
social media.

Opening the Museum was the main achievement. This was supported by a successful
media campaign which Pete Robinson was able to co-ordinate using his journalistic
experience.

The museum is underpinned by a sustainable business model, this includes a focus on
keeping the visitor product fresh, therefore each year 80% of the displays will be
changed in the museum, with those displays removed becoming further touring
exhibitions to generate additional income.

What were the lessons learned, challenges and barriers? One of the key challenges
for the volunteers was staying patient and resilient in difficult times.

It was important to always have contingency plans in place, for instance the
volunteers had alternative locations, and alternative funding streams in mind during
the course of the museum development.

It was crucial to get expert/professional support at crunch times during the course of
the project, for example utilising the local Museum Development Officer. It was also
vital to continually re-emphasise the important of surfing (and particularly British
Surfing) at a national and local level to key stakeholders and supporters.

Applicability of the project to the Independent Museums Sector – The process that
Pete Robinson and his colleagues went through has synergies with a large number of
other formal and informal groups who have considered, and in some cases gone
onto, developing a new museum. The passionate interest in a subject area, location,
collection or building, the dedication and perseverance of those involved and the
underlying need for funding to make things happen are all common. Those involved
in the British Surfing Museum have done a number of things very well. The creation
of a clear vision and the development of a business plan not only gave them a clear
way forward, but also helped secure the additional funding to make their dream
possible. The volunteers have also used their individual skills well, building on Pete’s



journalistic background to develop effective social media and PR campaigns around
fundraising and the museum’s opening for instance.

2.8 Partnerships and Consortia

Partnership: Marches Network – Working across the West Midlands
http://marchesnetwork.org.uk/

Contact: Chris Copp, Chair

Background (What were the reasons for change?): The Marches Network (formerly
the Marches Curators Group) is a long-standing partnership of museums in the
counties of Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire and
Shropshire, and Wolverhampton Culture, Arts & Heritage Service. The partnership
originally started to support the Museum on the Move project which was run across
three of the counties. It quickly developed into something broader, as the services
began sharing benchmarking, sharing capacity and skills, and acting as a self-help
group for the senior officers.

The partnership grew with Staffordshire and Warwickshire joining later on, and more
recently the Black Country joined represented by Wolverhampton.

A brief summary of the activities/work involved: At a practical level the Marches
Network developed to take on a broader range of responsibilities. One of the key
developments was taking on the co-ordination and leadership of the delivery of
Museum Development across much of the West Midlands. It has also developed and
delivered other projects and activities, including audience research and development
projects, pilot activities with the social care and work sector, and specialist curatorial
skills programmes.

In 2010 work started to move the informal partnership to a more formal setting, the
Network had spotted an opportunity as MLA wound up and ACE took on the lead for
Museums.

The Network brought in specialist advice around such areas as business planning, and
it developed a memorandum of understanding. This has subsequently allowed the
partnership to successfully bid to deliver Museum Development until 2015.

The Network is now considering whether to formalise its legal status in order to allow
it to bid for funding from a wide range of funding agencies.



It has now become a conduit between national organisations, such as Arts Council
England, and people working at the coalface in the museums sector.

What resources were involved (Staff/cash/time)? Running the network can be very
time consuming for the Chief Museums Officers, particularly as the partnership has
grown and its responsibilities expanded. However the value for money return on this
investment is high.

Who did you work with (Partners/Stakeholders/Friends)? Beyond the six partner
authorities the Network has worked closely with the Birmingham Museums Trust,
Renaissance West Midlands, MLA, ACE and HLF.

What were the timescales? The Museum on the Move project started in 1996.
Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Wolverhampton joined the Museum on the Move
partnership in 2008-9, but were already active Marches partners.

What were the benefits/achievements/successes for the organisation? In times of
difficulty for a particular museum or service, the other partners step in to take the
strain for the Network, and often offer support to the service in need as well.

The partnership has been very successful at drawing in external funding from the
likes of MLA, ACE and HLF.

The success of the Network has also raised the political profile for museums within
the various services, Councillors are very appreciative of the achievements of the
Network. The work they have undertaken has also raised the profile of smaller and
independent museums within the areas represented by the Marches members.

Being involved in the Network also allows sharing of learning and skills across
individuals and services. Expertise is shared amongst senior museum professionals to
develop and manage major projects.

The work of the Marches Network has been a major contributor to improvements in
standards of collections care, museum management and audience engagement
across the region’s museums sector (Fast Forward).

The work has also allowed strong partnerships with some of the largest and most
successful museums services in the country such as the Birmingham Museums Trust.

What were the lessons learned, challenges and barriers? The on-going change,
budget reductions and reorganisation across local government has placed real
pressure on the Network, it has also resulted in regular charges in personnel which
has not helped on occasion.



There have been disagreements and differences of opinion, however the honest and
open approach at the network has allowed such challenges to be embraced and built
on.

The Network has found it challenging to break into new markets such as Health and
Tourism, however the partners plan to renew their efforts in the future.

Applicability of the project to the Independent Museums Sector – Many museums
are involved in some sort of partnership, network or consortium as part of their day
to day business, in most situations involvement in such groupings has become
fundamental to the success and sustainability of individual organisations. However it
is often difficult to pin down the tangible benefits of being involved in partnerships.

The Marches Network, despite members being local authority run in the main, has a
lot the independent sector can learn from. A well-defined structure, with clear
responsibilities and links back to the individual museums is vital, along with a mutual
assistance approach where other partners step in if one is snowed under or facing
internal challenges. The work the Network undertook around business planning and
strategic development has proved very positive and had allowed the partnership to
develop a more formal status. Defining the Network around an agreed upon set of
objectives and projects also provides clarity and a basis on which partners can build
on. All of these areas are directly transferable to the independent sector.



2.9 Partnerships with Local Authorities

Organisation: The Royal Welch Fusiliers - Caernarfon, North Wales
http://www.rwfmuseum.org.uk/

Contact: Kevin Mason

Background (What were the reasons for change?): The Royal Welch Fusiliers
Museum has been located at Caernarfon Castle for more than fifty years and is
governed by the Royal Welch Fusiliers Collections Trust (RWFCT). The Trust’s reserve
collections and offices were located in the Caernarfon Barracks which is remote from
Caernarfon Castle and owned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The Trust’s occupation of the Barracks was on an informal basis and the MoD
suggested a number of years ago that the Trust may need to consider moving out,
matters came to a head in 2007 when it became clear that the MoD were seriously
reviewing the future of the Barracks. The RWFCT began looking at other sites, but the
cost of acquiring or renting an alternative building would have left the Trust having to
make huge cutbacks elsewhere.

A brief summary of the activities/work involved: Wrexham is considered by many to
be the spiritual home of the Royal Welch Fusiliers and the Trust was aware that
Wrexham County Borough Council (WCBC) was undertaking the redevelopment of its
museum service. Therefore the RWFCT approached the Council and entered into
discussions.

The Trust worked closely with both officers and members of the Council, who were
relatively easy to persuade because of the long-standing associations between the
Regiment and the town and the opportunity it afforded to bring such a prestigious
collection to Wrexham, this fitted well with Council’s ambitions to develop a museum
service of regional, if not national, significance.

While continuing to maintain the exhibitions at Caernarfon Castle, the Trust offered
to loan the Reserve Collections to WCBC, allowing elements to be put on display as
long at the Trust could regularly swap items with those currently on view at
Caernarfon. In return the Trust would ensure the documentation of the collection
was of a suitable standard.

Agreement was reached, and the process of transfer is moving ahead. WCBC have
already undertaken a first phase of work at the Wrexham Museum thanks to HLF
support. The loan of the reserve collection will strengthened the Council’s discussions



with HLF and others as they look to secure funding to carry out a second phase of
redevelopment at Wrexham Museum. The reserve collection is now located at a
temporary site in Wrexham, formal transfer will take place in January 2013 on
completion of a schedule of items to be loaned.

What resources were involved (Staff/cash/time)? WCBC and RWFCT have worked
together to share costs during the transition phase, especially in terms of the current
temporary housing of the collection. RWFCT also received grant funding from CyMAL
(Welsh Government) to support the employment of a cataloguer to deal with the
documentation backlog as a precursor to developing a schedule of loan.

Who did you work with (Partners/Stakeholders/Friends)? Wrexham Borough
Council, CyMAL and Cadw

What were the timescales? Discussions started in 2007, the formal transfer of
objects will take place in January 2013.

What were the benefits/achievements/successes for the organisation? The Trust
secured a site for its reserve collection free of charge. Access to the collection will
also be enhanced through displays in the current Wrexham Museum which will be
improved further as and when the next phase of redevelopment is completed.

The Council has secured a high quality collection of significant local and regional
interest.

Because Wrexham has a long standing association with the Royal Welch Fusiliers, the
number of volunteers offering to work on the Reserve Collection has markedly
increased.

The RWFCT often received a range of enquiries concerning the collection and the
Regiment, responsibility for answering such enquiries will transferred to Wrexham
Archives who will be applying their standard search charge to any enquiry.

Previously the Curator of the Museum (based at Caernarfon) would spend at least
80% of his time focused on Collections Management issues and enquiries, the
transfer means that much of those issues have now been removed, and much more
of the Curator’s time can now be focused on the public service and education side of
the role.

It will also allow the Curator and the Trust to ensure the partnership with Cadw, the
Welsh Government’s historic environment service, who run Caernarfon Castle, can
be strengthened.



The MoD have asked all Regimental Museums to work more proactively with local
authorities to reduce the burden on MoD, this fits the bill very well.

What were the lessons learned, challenges and barriers? The nature of a regimental
collection meant that the RWFCT had to contend with a wide range of views and
concerns as it considered the relocation of the reserve collection. The fact that this
plan involved only the reserve collections was a bonus as the Caernarfon Castle
display will remain in place, and indeed enhanced as a result of the greater
availability of staff resources.

Undertaking such a transfer also places a strong focus on the management of the
collections, the Trust quickly realised that they needed to undertake a significant
documentation exercise before any move to Wrexham took place. This did require
staff time and resources but attracted grant support.

Applicability of the project to the Independent Museums Sector – Developing
effective working relationships with local authorities is crucial to the success of many
independent museums. To be successful these relationships need to be two way,
where benefits accruing on both sides. The Royal Welch Fusiliers project is an
excellent example of this, the museum had an immediate set of challenges, but
recognised that there was a local authority they already had links with, who has
particular ambitions which could assist the museum in overcoming its challenges.
Sensitive negotiation was required, and some compromise, but ultimately it has been
a success, museums of all sizes can learn from the approach taken by the Fusiliers.



2.10 Social Enterprise

Organisation: Norton Priory Museum and Gardens - Runcorn, Cheshire
http://www.nortonpriory.org/

Contact: Lynn Smith

Background (What were the reasons for change?): In 2008 Norton Priory decided to
review its catering provision. During some of the winter months, footfall meant
caterers struggled to make ends meet. Norton Priory opened up discussions with the
local authority, Halton Borough Council, who quickly identified that Norton Priory,
and the café site specifically, provided a positive setting for adults with learning
difficulties in which to work.

A brief summary of the activities/work involved: Norton Priory already had a long
tradition of working with adults with such difficulties and therefore it was a natural
transition for the café as well. Country Garden Catering, part of the Council’s Adult
and Community services department agreed to set up a café, working with a range of
adults with learning difficulties. The café was a great success, both with customers
and with those who worked in the café. The adults thrived, and were able to
blossom in their new working environment.

In 2010 an opportunity emerged to create a separate tea room at the Walled Garden,
also part of the Norton Priory site. The approach taken in the café was replicated
with the team room, with the majority of the staffing made up of adults with learning
difficulties. Again the model has proved to be very effective.

In 2011, after an off the cuff conversation between staff at the Museum about the
possibilities of brewing, a Micro-brewery was set up on site, led by a member of staff
with brewing experience, but again employing adults with learning difficulties. Also in
2011, Country Gardens Catering set up an Ice Cream Parlour supplying their cafés
with homemade ice cream with the potential to utilise produce from Norton Priory’s
gardens, notably quince for which Norton Priory is the home of the national
collection. The developments in the Walled Garden, specifically, the courtyard also
included the laying of attractive flagstones, transforming what had been a working
yard into a pleasant visitor space.

What resources were involved (Staff/cash/time)? Much of the investment in
equipment has been funded by Country Gardens Catering with rental agreements set



in service level agreements with generous terms as business develops, to account for
the significant investments made.

Who did you work with (Partners/Stakeholders/Friends)? The main partner has
been Country Gardens Catering, part of Halton Borough Council. A steering group
with representation from HBC and Norton Priory was set up to oversee the
enterprises, and this has worked effectively.

There are Service Level Agreements arranged separately for each of the different
services.

What were the timescales? The social enterprises have emerged over a number of
years since 2008.

What were the benefits/achievements/successes for the organisation? The work
has further improved the relationship between Norton Priory and HBC, allowing the
local authority to see Norton Priory as much more than just a museum. It has also
provided Norton Priory with a reliable service provider where a private franchise
would likely struggle in the winter months. The microbrewery and ice cream parlour
are also innovations led by Country Gardens, ideas that were a product of the
positive, entrepreneurial attitudes of both organisations.

The new developments have enabled Norton Priory to stretch its season, and
improve the product available to the visitor.

What were the lessons learned, challenges and barriers? There were initial concerns
amongst some staff and visitors that there would be an impact on the quality of the
café and the products and foodstuffs it delivered. However this has not been the
case, the visitors are very receptive to the café staff, and the other enterprises more
recently set up.

As part of a local authority there is a less business orientated focus, but this has been
countered by the steering group ensuring high standards, the stability offered by the
alternative working model and by the entrepreneurial attitude of Norton Priory and
of Country Gardens.

Country Gardens have also had to learn much in terms of health and safety and
environmental health in the production of the beer and ice cream, but again, their
success has been a tribute to their positive approach.

Applicability of the project to the Independent Museums Sector – The good work
carried out by staff at Norton Priory here is less about the size and scale of the
organisation and more about innovation, partnership building and an open mind.



The organisation faced a challenge with its café, its good relationship with its local
authority allowed it to develop an innovative solution, and when this proved a
success, it expanded and diversified to exploit the opportunity further. Norton Priory
was happy to move out of its comfort zone to explore a new way of working and
therefore the project is potentially applicable to a wide range of museums in the
sector, particularly mid-sized organisations.



2.11 Social Media

Organisation: Shakespeare Birthplace Trust - Stratford upon Avon
http://www.shakespeare.org.uk/home.html

Contact: Diana Owen

Background (What were the reasons for change?): More than half of the
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s (SBT) 800,000 visitors every year are from overseas
and the collections contain translations of Shakespeare's works in over 100
languages. It is the headquarters of the International Shakespeare Association and
has set itself an ambitious vision: to lead the world’s enjoyment and understanding
of Shakespeare’s works, life and times. However SBT was faced with the challenge of
developing relationships with actual and potential national and international
audiences, to promote 'in every part of the world the appreciation and study’ of
Shakespeare's works.

A brief summary of the activities/work involved: In 2009 the SBT was fortunate to
attract the attention of two social media entrepreneurs and Shakespeare enthusiasts
from New York. With the support of Misfit Inc SBT been able to embed the use of
social media and blogs across the organisation allowing a huge amount of
information to be made available for the first time and releasing the creativity of
staff, students and volunteers.

SBT made a strategic decision at the outset to build these skills across the
organisation rather than create a specific 'digital' department: the aim is that
everyone becomes a 'digital native'. It also chose to create communities of interest
around key activities to build audiences for its work .

It has been an organic process reliant on the enthusiasm of individuals rather than
driven by a central strategy. SBT also enlisted the support of others as bloggers and
participants in its on-line campaigns and exhibitions e.g. staff and postgraduate
students at a range of UK and international universities, actors & celebrities, visitors
and participants in SBT’s education programmes, the RSC and the universities of
Warwick and Birmingham amongst others.

SBT now has 11 social media platforms plus a website, Facebook, google + and
twitter accounts. Some blogs are related directly to specific sites (e.g.
http://livingshakespeare.com/ at the Birthplace), others are campaigns (http://60-
minutes.bloggingshakespeare.com/) and others are platforms through which to share
research, record and discuss contemporary Shakespeare productions and events (e.g.



http://yearofshakespeare.com/). SBT’s teams post daily and weekly on the main
blogs, www.blogginshakespeare.com and www.findingshakespeare.co.uk. They also
use Yammer as an internal facebook-style intranet, saving a significant annual cost.
All corporate policies and processes are accessed through Yammer and staff share
information events through this platform.

What resources were involved (Staff/cash/time)? . The biggest resource was staff
time to learn how to blog, develop and post content, learn what works and what
doesn't.

SBT had minimal cash resource to support these projects and much of the technical
support has been provided pro bono by Misfit Inc. It was able to secure a Technology
Strategy Board grant in partnership with Coventry University Serious Games institute
& Hewlett Packard which has resulted in an iphone app – Eye Shakespeare - and the
digitisation of a significant part of our collections.

Who did you work with (Partners/Stakeholders/Friends)?


What were the benefits/achievements/successes for the organisation? These
activities have enabled SBT to reach many more people in all parts of the world than
ever before (see example below).

It has allowed SBT to mount international campaigns and raise its profile significantly
e.g. the campaign in response to the film Anonymous in 2011 which reached 25
million people and has won media awards. It has resulted in new partnerships and
projects with Shakespearians around the world and opened up collections and the
knowledge and expertise of SBT’s staff for existing and new audiences.

What were the lessons learned, challenges and barriers? SBT realised it had to
engage with these new technologies as they are now all-pervasive in people's lives.

Staff and volunteers need to be trained and supported continuously to continue to
produce content and access the platforms.

Early enthusiasm can wane without encouragement and support. Access to
computers and camera and video equipment is a real barrier as is time to create
content. It needs to be seen as part of the day job and not an 'extra'.

As a small charity, SBT relies on the support and goodwill of technology experts and
the enthusiasm of our teams and collaborations with partners. Increasingly the



organisation needs to provide a route through all its on-line activities so that they can
be accessed easily and so that they are integrated within an overall framework.

Most significantly SBT has created a family of new on-line communities: its next task
in to bring that family together around the Trust’s table.

Specific Example - Blogging Shakespeare

Since www.bloggingshakespeare.com was launched in June 2010, SBT has published
623 posts across 18 categories including, ‘Acting’, ‘Books and Film’, ‘Poetry’, ‘Real
Lives’, and ‘Theatre’. From 1 June to 30 September 2012, SBT has had 25,392 site
visits and 71,444 page -views, compared to 10,714 site visits and 31,383 page-views
for the same period in 2011. 138 countries have engaged with the site between 1
June and 30 September 2012, the top ten being: U.K., U.S.A., Canada, Australia,
India, Germany, Spain, France, Argentina, and Italy.

The main site for major SBT projects including:

www.60minuteswithShakespeare.com

www.shakespearebitesback.com

www.gettingtoknowShakespeare.com

www.yearofShakespeare.com

Five webinars, four sponsored by publishers: Arden Shakespeare, Cambridge
University Press, and Oxford University Press. SBT has 93 occasional contributors.

Applicability of the project to the Independent Museums Sector – The Birthplace
Trust is a large organisation and has developed a wide range of social media
platforms. The organisation was also fortunate to secure the help of experts in this
field, other independent museums may not be able to secure such help or quite have
the resources the Birthplace Trust has. However the approach adopted by the
Birthplace Trust should be applauded and there is much to learn. The organisation
realised that effective use of social media and the web was crucial to the delivery of
its broad objectives, the same is likely to be true for many other museums. The
Museum has been prepared to try out innovative new virtual initiatives, building on
those that succeed, dropping those that didn’t. The approach of building skills across
the organisation also sounds profoundly sensible, it is crucial that the use of such
technologies is embedded and not seen in a silo both to improve the way that
museums operate as well as engaging effectively with a wider range of audiences.



2.12 Taking on Services from Local Authorities

Area of Practice: Woodhorn Museum and Northumberland Archives – Ashington,
Northumberland http://www.experiencewoodhorn.com/

Contact: Keith Merrin

Background (What were the reasons for change?): Woodhorn Museum and
Northumberland Archives (WMNA) had already moved to trust status when
Northumberland County Council went through local government reorganisation in
2009, resulting in seven local authorities being reduced to one. The new
Northumberland County Council had inherited three museums (Berwick Museum,
Hexham and Morpeth) during the reorganisation and because it had recently
divested its museums and archives function to the Woodhorn Trust it had little
capacity to oversee the museums effectively. There was also a strong driver at the
Council to secure further financial savings.

A brief summary of the activities/work involved: WMNA approached
Northumberland Council in 2009 offering to take over the running of the three
museums. WMNA were able to offer both the expertise in running museums, and
financial savings because of the critical mass and services Woodhorn already had in
place. Northumberland Council agreed to WMNA’s offer in February 2010 and,
because they had already been through the legal and financial mechanisms of
transferring Woodhorn to trust, were able to finalise the transfer of the three smaller
museums by August 2010.

WMNA was quickly able to secure additional funding to support aspects of the new
sites’ delivery

What resources were involved (Staff/cash/time)? Senior level negotiation input in
the first instance.

There were also some one-off investments made to put in place new IT equipment
etc to enable Gift Aid ticketing which has paid back over time.

It required having a track record in delivering effective museum services, and other
services such as Northumberland Archives. It has obviously increased the
administrative burden on the core team at Woodhorn.

Who did you work with (Partners/Stakeholders/Friends)? The success of the project
needed successful high level engagement with senior offices and members of
Northumberland Council, this involved time and effort from Woodhorn’s Director



and a number of trustees. WMNA already had very strong links with the LA which
helped significantly.

What were the timescales? Initial approach to the Local Authority in 2009, the
museums were transferred over by August 2010.

What were the benefits/achievements/successes for the organisation? In the first
instance it was important just to stabilise the three museums, and to ensure they
were running effectively. This was achieved relatively quickly. There are now visible
signs of improvement across the three new sites.

There were straightforward financial benefits, such as savings on the business rates
of the three inherited sites, as well as other budget reductions, because WMNA
already had most of the front and back office structures in place.

Woodhorn has also been able to bring its wider capacities to bear to assist the three
new sites in their day to day development, in such areas as programming, as well as
in other less predictable scenarios such as when Berwick flooded recently.

The profile of WMNA with Northumberland Council as a trusted supplier of services
was increased further by the successful transfer, this has resulted in WMNA recently
taking on the delivery of an events programme across Northumberland’s libraries
with additional funding.

What were the lessons learned, challenges and barriers? There were some specific
issues with the three museums which needed dealing with, such as the need to bring
Berwick up to accreditation standard which involved input of resources.

There was also a need for a cultural shift at WMNA as it went from being a one site
organisation to a multi-site service.

It was important to agree the parameters of WMNA’s role in relation to certain
services that had been delivered previously from the museums i.e. community usage
of rooms and oversight of other historic properties nearby which the Council took for
granted would continue. In these grey areas there can be assumptions made which
could have been onerous on WMNA and necessitated further discussions to avoid
unrealistic expectations.

Applicability of the project to the Independent Museums Sector – Clearly not all
independent museums can take on the running of other museums or groups of
museums in the way that Woodhorn did, however the manner in which Woodhorn
engaged with Northumberland Council has transferable aspects to many museums.
Woodhorn had an existing close and proactive relationship with the local authority,



and identified a challenge for the Local authority which it could help with. By
offering a solution to the challenge the museum has further raised its profile with
both officers and members, emphasising its position as a trusted deliverer of
services, smaller and medium sized museums could adopt a similar role in other local
authorities, particularly with the assistance of museum development officers.



2.13 Volunteering

Organisation: National Maritime Museum Cornwall – Falmouth
http://www.nmmc.co.uk/index.php?/aboutus/content/volunteering

Contact: Linda Frost

Background (What were the reasons for change?): The National Maritime Museum
Cornwall (NMMC) opened in October 2002. Involving volunteers was part of the plan
right from the start. NMMC wanted to engage with the local community and knew
that it would never be able to run a modern museum in Cornwall with a fully staffed
operation. The Museum had grown out of a small volunteer-run museum and so
there was a dedicated core on which to build.

Whilst the majority are retired people, NMMC also welcome volunteers who want to
gain skills and confidence before returning to work, long term unemployed people in
need of experience or students looking for a good line on their CV. There has been a
growth in the number of students seeking voluntary work in recent years. Some stick
it out better than others and NMMC’s investment has a correspondingly short or long
payback. Those that give the museum two or three years, or a short-sharp shock of
several months, get a real first-hand grounding in the work of a museum, often one-
to-one with a member of staff.

A brief summary of the activities/work involved: NMMC has established a series of
volunteer roles in six main teams corresponding to areas of work:

 At the front of house, welcoming visitors and carrying the essential processes
of orientation and explanation. This often appeals to those with a lesser
knowledge of boats but a strong sense of customer service

 In the galleries, chatting to visitors, doing talks and demonstrations, providing
a relaxed security and being on standby in case of a crisis

 In the Library which is fully Volunteer-run where the books are bought and
catalogued by Volunteers and where hours are spent answering queries and
plugging data into databases to support research projects

 In the workshop, helping to repair boats or managing the fleet, they also assist
with the installation of exhibitions when required.

 In the education team, working with school and other parties



 We have since added in a book conservation team courtesy of our local branch
of NADFAS. The NADFAS team have volunteered since the museum opened
and before. Plus…

 A looser group who work on specific projects alongside members of staff

NMMC believes that volunteers are part of the Museum team and need to feel
useful, fulfilled and informed. The Museum attempts to do this by being open with
our communication and effective in our appreciation. It provides:
• Monthly reports from the Director
• Monthly volunteer breakfast meetings
• Annual presentation by the Director and exhibitions team
• An e-newsletter with contributions from staff and volunteers
• Copies of press releases before publication
• Volunteer lounge
• Discount card
• Cornish Heritage Volunteers Scheme
• Annual party
• Five and Ten Year Awards
• Uniform

What resources were involved (Staff/cash/time)?

Who did you work with (Partners/Stakeholders/Friends)? Falmouth is fortunate in
having a relatively large population of retired people within its catchment area as
well as a growing population of higher and further education students. The subject –
the Sea, Boats and Cornwall – appealed to local people and there were thought to be
plenty of sailors – especially men – who would be happy to help out over the winter,
talking about boats or avoiding winter work on their own craft.

What were the timescales? The programme has been in place since the museum
opened in 2002.

What were the benefits/achievements/successes for the organisation? Volunteers
contribute about 45% of all working hours in the Museum and well in excess of
30,000 hours each year. They have become eyes and ears, having the time to travel
around the world, visiting other maritime museums.

What were the lessons learned, challenges and barriers? One of the big tasks in the
early days was to ensure that the Volunteers stuck with the organisation after the
Museum had opened. There was a real danger that the enthusiasm of setting up the



Museum would wane once it became ‘business as usual’ and that support would fall
away.

An early ‘them and us’ atmosphere was broken down by a relentless communication
programme which focused on personal contact and pastoral care rather than pieces
of paper. Many of the elements of this programme are still in use today.

NMMC continues to support volunteers who become ill or leave for health reasons
by keeping in touch with them. The museum ensures they continue to feel part of the
Museum team by keeping them up-to-date with Museum information. NMMC
provides those volunteers who have become ill with an Honorary Membership card,
so they can visit the Museum if and when they are well enough.

Throughout the programme there is an implied contract: NMMC provides a social
context for some – gossip is a key part of the day - a routine for others; we provide
an interesting topic and opportunities to share experience with others.

NMMC’s registration form and interview help to ensure that the volunteer’s hopes,
expectations and skills are a good match for what the Museum needs. The museum
has volunteer roles for each department but new roles are constantly evolving, not
only to meet the needs of the Museum but to match the skills and experience of a
new volunteer, for example, exhibitions research, databases, photographic projects.

NMMC ensures that all volunteers have a clear understanding of their role and the
Museum’s expectation; they are provided with a task description, induction training,
department training and a ‘buddy’. It also encourages volunteers to take up offers of
other training e.g. book handling, cleaning model boats, archive database.

Applicability of the project to the Independent Museums Sector – The National
Maritime Museum Cornwall is a sizeable museum which utilises a very large range of
volunteers. Its location, in Falmouth, provides the museum with some fairly unique
opportunities to draw in volunteers from a diversity of backgrounds. However there
is still a lot that can be learnt from what NMMC is doing by small and medium sized
museums. The sector has always acted as a magnet for volunteers, and the manner
in which NMMC proactively makes individuals feel part of the workforce,
communicating with them at a variety of levels, and ensuring effective pastoral care
can be applied at organisations of all sizes. NMMC’s effective and targeted induction
and training programme is also an excellent example, and having a member of staff
dedicating much of their time to volunteer management is also very important. Such
a post may be seen a luxury that other museums cannot afford, however there are a
range of funding streams currently that might cover the costs of such a post.


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