Industrial Heritage Networks

Nenthead Lead Mines Under New Stewardship

December 21, 2020mikenevell

Nenthead Mines Conservation Society, a volunteer-led charity, has made a successful application to Cumbria County Council for a community asset transfer (where a building or land is transferred from public ownership to a community, voluntary or social enterprise group). The council worked closely with the society in the lead-up to the formal handover in October. The transfer follows several years in which the society acted as custodians and caretakers of the site on behalf of the council.

The transfer means that the site is now in the hands of a community group that is best placed to drive forward the conservation, management and future of the site. Nenthead Mines Conservation Society is working alongside partners including the Environment Agency and the Coal Authority, along with local groups to effectively manage and maintain the site for the benefit of the local community and for visitors. The Nenthead Mines area is a nationally significant industrial heritage site. Parts of the area are classed as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the majority of the land is classed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM) by Historic England, which provides protection against the land being redeveloped for other purposes.

Claire Driver, Cumbria County Councillor for Alston and East Fellside, said: “This is fantastic news for the society, who have been such passionate and enthusiastic caretakers of this site for a long time. To formally transfer the site to them is a milestone for the local community and the site is now in the hands of those who know best how to manage and maintain this nationally significant landscape. I am very pleased to know that the future of this important community asset is now assured, and I’d like to thank everyone involved behind the scenes to make this happen.”

Peter Jackson, Chairman of the Nenthead Mines Conservation Society Trustees, said: “Our members have put a great deal of time and resources into managing the Mines over the last few years. We are proud to be taking over the responsibility for caring for this fabulous historic site.”

Clifton Suspension Bridge Visitor Centre Launches Crowdfunder Appeal to ‘Light the Night’

December 14, 2020mikenevell

Staff from the Clifton Suspension Bridge Visitor Centre have launched a Crowdfunding campaign to illuminate the bridge with a special light show. This is part of the Museums Association’s #SupportOurMuseums campaign, a new UK-wide initiative to support museums as they face the huge challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. The Clifton Suspension Bridge was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and was built between 1831 and 1864.

Clifton Suspension Bridge lit up for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

‘Light the Night’ is intended to create a special moment to surprise and delight the people of Bristol whilst raising funds to support the Suspension Bridge Visitor Centre, which has missed out on more than eight months of income and essential visitor support due to the 2020 lockdowns. The Visitor Centre is reliant on visitor donations, shop sales and tour ticketing as all toll income is used for the preservation and maintenance of the bridge itself. Chair of the Trust, Chris Booy said “illuminating the bridge will provide a moment of joy and light during the darkest months of the year whilst ensuring that the Visitor Centre is open for everyone to enjoy for years to come. The project will be the first time that the Trust has illuminated the bridge in this way, and every person supporting the Crowdfunder is invited to cast a vote and help choose the colour.”

Although the bridge is illuminated every evening with signature white LEDs, the bridge is rarely lit with colour as this requires additional equipment such as floodlights and generators to be installed. The scheme will only go ahead if a funding target of £10,000 is reached – but if it is exceeded additional elements such as lasers or projections are also planned.

Visitor Services Manager Laura Hilton said “we’ll only find out the results of the vote when we hit the fundraising target, so it’s an exciting project for the whole visitor team. We would normally have spent the year welcoming visitors and working with local schools so the project is an innovative way for us to connect with the local community and make people smile as well as keeping us hard at work during a quiet period as we plan and manage the project.”

The date of the display has yet to be announced because of uncertainties around coronavirus, but the Visitor Centre team are going to ensure that careful planning can mean it goes ahead in a COVID-secure manner.

To donate to the Crowdfunder and view the rewards on offer, visit
http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/light-the-night

Industrial Heritage Volunteer Working During the Pandemic: The North West IHN Meeting, November 2020

December 8, 2020December 22, 2020mikenevell

The second online Industrial Heritage Network meeting was held on 20th November 2020 by the North West IHN group. 15 people joined that meeting. Shane Gould of Historic England talked about current developments relating to Industrial Heritage. The current IHSO, Mike Nevell, then brought everyone up-to-date with the project and some of the impacts of COVID-19.

Mike noted that in October, 10 industrial heritage organisations in North West England received £1.21 million from the Cultural Recovery Fund. This was split into £0.41m from Arts Council England and £0.8m from Historic England. The grants were to support a variety of industrial heritage sites including the British Commercial Vehicle Museum, Catalyst, Leigh Building Preservation Trust, and the Ribble Steam Railway.

Members then discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their work from volunteering to maintenance and visitor numbers. Only 50% of protected industrial heritage sites in England open to the public were able to re-open their doors after the first pandemic. More than 50 sites decided in July and August not to open at all during 2020. Most of these were smaller, largely volunteer-run, industrial heritage sites.

In general IHN NW members recorded no drop-off in volunteer numbers and enthusiasm, despite the first lockdown and continuing restrictions across much of the North West. Tim Kirker of the Calderdale Industrial Museum noted that although the museum was closed in the first lockdown, volunteers were keen to return once it re-opened. Anthony Pilling of the Heritage Trust for the North West also noted a strong desire by volunteers to continue to help, even during lockdown and even though some of their sites remained closed after July. Tony Nixon of Bancroft Mills also observed that whilst they were unable to open to the public after the first lockdown the entirely volunteer-run museum has continued to function with strong volunteer support. Andrew Fielding of ECOSAL commented that virtual meetings were a very useful way of staying in contact with volunteers and that such meetings were not only financially beneficial, but also reached a wider audience.

Finally, Mike Nevell noted that during the first lockdown the UK Government had issued guidelines for safe COVID-19 working by volunteers and that Historic England had issued specific guidance on adapting heritage sites for safe COVID-19 working. There is a link to the latter on the IHSO website site.

Adapting to New Communication Forms in the Age of COVID-19: London IHN meeting, October 2020

December 7, 2020mikenevell

As announced in the summer of 2020, the Industrial Heritage Network meetings have gone online. The first online meeting was held on 25th October 2020 by the IHN London group. 18 people joined that meeting and the current IHSO, Michael Nevell, brought everyone up-to-date with the project and some of the impacts of COVID-19. Shane Gould of Historic England and Helen O’Hara of London Museum Development talked about current developments relating to Industrial Heritage and resources available to London-based groups.

Mike noted that in October, 18 industrial heritage organisations in London & the South East received £4.67 million from the Cultural Recovery Fund. This was split into £1.32m from Arts Council England and £3.35m from Historic England. The grants were to support a variety of industrial heritage sites including the Kent & East Sussex Railway, London Transport Museum, and Waltham Abbey. Members then discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their work from volunteering to maintenance and visitor numbers.

One of the themes to emerge from the two hour meeting was the role of new online communication and interaction, this being the first IHN to meet online via the ZOOM platform. As part of this discussion, Oliver Pearcy from the London Museum of Water and Steam noted that they had been using an online booking system for visitors post-lockdown. Martin Wicks from the Kempton Steam Museum reported that they had been using an Instagram account to reach out and engage with members of the public. And Mary Mills of the Greenwich Industrial Historical Group noted that they had used a variety of online forms of communication during lockdown which had produced a good response from members and non-members. There was also some debate about the value of online meetings versus in person, experiential, meetings, many people noting that the two serve slightly different purposes and audiences.

With that in mind, the next IHN London meeting, online, will be in 2021. Hopefully an in-person meeting with remote access, will follow later in 2021.

Museum Re-opening Guidance

December 2, 2020mikenevell

A partial re-opening of the heritage sector is now underway in England with the ending of the second lockdown today (2 December 2020). However, industrial heritage sites, along with other cultural and museum venues, remain closed under the revised Tier 3 COVID-19 restrictions.

Re-opening guidance for museums were issued in July 2020 by the National Museum Directors’ Council (NMDC) Planning and Remobilisation Group, with support from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and contributions from across the museum sector, including AIM. They are intended for use by museums in England. Separate re-opening guidelines are available for Scottish and Welsh cultural and heritage sites. This is guidance will also be relevant for all industrial heritage sites planning to open early in 2021.

The Association of Independent Museums and the Museum Development Network have produced a checklist to be used in conjunction with the Guidelines, to help museums take a strategic, well informed, approach to making decisions on re-opening and implementing a safe and effective plan in conjunction with the national guidance for museums.

More details here: Museum Reopening Guidance and Checklist – AIM – Association of Independent Museums (aim-museums.co.uk)

Rebuilding Heritage – Latest Free Support Programme Announced

November 27, 2020mikenevell

Applications are now open for the next round of free support from the Rebuilding Heritage programme. Rebuilding Heritage is a free support programme, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to help the heritage sector respond to the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Heritage organisations and businesses can apply for one-to-one support in business planning, fundraising, and communications and marketing, and for a place on group training in leadership and in managing staff wellbeing.Full details of the support on offer and the application process are available on the Rebuilding Heritage website. The closing date for applications is Wednesday 16 December and decisions on applications from the Rebuilding Heritage team will be confirmed before Christmas. Details here:

Home – Rebuilding Heritage – Free Support Programme for the Heritage Sector

National Lottery Heritage Fund Re-opens Grants

November 20, 2020mikenevell

From the 25th November, NLHF will resume accepting applications for grants in the £3,000-£10,000 and £10,000-£100,000 ranges. This will provide some much-needed financial assistance, particularly to those heritage sector organisations who have, so far, been unable to access COVID-19 emergency funds. The NHLF are looking for projects with an emphasis on organisational resilience and inclusion.

Furthermore, from 8th February 2021, NLHF will resume accepting applications for larger grants worth £100,000-£250,000 and £250,000-£5m. More details here: https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/responding-coronavirus-covid-19

IHN Meetings Go Online

November 16, 2020mikenevell

The Industrial Heritage Network meetings are going online. With the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic set to continue well into 2021 we have been experimenting with a shorter online version of our regional meetings. After a successful London trial last month (October) we are now developing a programme of meetings for delivery over the winter and early spring. In the longer term we hope to adopt a blended delivery for IHN meetings, alternating online meetings with in-person site visits.

The online meetings are shorter than our normal networking days, at just two hours. In the first part there will be several short presentations, followed in the second part of the meeting by a round-table (or should that be screen) discussion on the impact of COVID-19 on our members. The dates for the next two Industrial Heritage Network meetings are as follows:

Friday 20th November – IHN North West

Friday 4th December – IHN West Midlands

Regional members will receive an email invitation with details of how to log into the meeting. Further dates for IHN meetings will be published at the end of the year. Any queries please contact the IHSO on: mike.nevell@ironbridge.org.uk

Creative & Cultural Skills Recruitment Trends Survey

November 4, 2020mikenevell

Creative & Cultural Skills, supported by the National Skills Academy and Arts Council England, supports the UK cultural sector by shaping skills, education and employment best practice. Creative & Cultural Skills aims to provoke action and enable learning opportunities that drive change and help to build an inclusive skilled sector (https://www.ccskills.org.uk/).

As part of their COVID-19 work they are running an online survey about skills recruitment trends, closing Wednesday 11 November. With the introduction of youth employment support mechanisms throughout the UK, Creative & Cultural Skills wishes to better understand the sector’s recruitment culture in order to help it recover and build back, better. This survey therefore seeks to collect data on the entry routes for new recruits currently supported by organisations in the cultural sector and the development of the talent pipeline through options such as apprenticeships, internships and work experience. The information you provide will be used by Creative & Cultural Skills and relevant partners to inform programmes of support for the sector, and relevant collated findings will be published.

Contribute to the survey via this link:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/M2RDNW8

Second England COVID-19 Lockdown – Some Key Heritage Website Links

November 2, 2020November 2, 2020mikenevell

The UK Government has announced (31 October 2020) a second lockdown for England to run for four weeks from 5 November to 2 December inclusive. Museums, galleries, and and all non-essential retail venues will be required to close during this period. At the end of the period, England will return to a regional approach of Tier restrictions, based upon the latest data.

A second lockdown in England will place extra strain on the Industrial Heritage sector. Only 50% of the c. 600 protected industrial heritage monuments and museums accessible to the public in England were able to open their doors after the first lock down ended in July. Even before the second lockdown was announced many sites were already closing for their normal winter maintenance period, whilst others had chosen not to re-open until spring 2021. However, that leaves a large number of industrial heritage sites and museums that would normally be open in the autumn and winter facing another closure. Furthermore, the continued restrictions on group meetings is also putting strain on the activities, fieldwork, and research of industrial archaeology and industrial heritage volunteer groups and societies.

There are some differences from the first lockdown so its important to keep up-to-date with the latest regulations. You can read the November UK Government guidance here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november?s=0

The latest UK Government Coronovirus Advice can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

For further updates on the impact of the Second Lockdown on the wider heritage sector see the Heritage Alliance website here:

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The UK Government also announced the following financial support measures for the second lockdown:

workers in any part of the UK can retain their job, even if their employer cannot afford to pay them, and be paid at least 80% of their salary up to £2500 a month.
the flexibility of the current Coronovirus Job Retention Scheme will be retained to allow employees to continue to work where they can.
employers small or large, charitable or non-profit are eligible and because more businesses will need to close, they will now be asked to pay just National Insurance and Pensions contributions for their staff during the month of November.
the Job Support Scheme will not be introduced until after the Job Retention Scheme ends.