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South Western Federation of Museums and Art Galleries
Hi <<First Name>>, welcome to the SWFed's latest e-Bulletin, one of the many ways you can keep in touch with news and developments in the heritage sector in the South West. We hope you find this e-Bulletin useful and informative, if you’ve got any ideas for articles, please let us know!
Natalie Watson, Communications Officer
22 November 2012, Issue 04
Staff and Volunteers training

Free Training

We are once again coordinating the free training programme for the region, bookable through the Training section of the SWFed website. There are still places available on these upcoming sessions:

Creating Safety: Working with Children and Young People in Museums. Find out about current changes in child protection legislation in line with the requirements of the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), the role and importance of policies, with a focus on common issues museums face day to day when working with children and young people. On 4 December at the Museum of Somerset, Taunton.

Evaluation - Why Bother? An overview and introduction to the concept and benefits of evaluation and its importance in understanding and improving your museum from the visitor perspective. On 28 January 2013 at Cornwall's Regimental Museum, Bodmin.

How to be an Effective Trustee. Get an overview of the requirements and responsibilities that being a Trustee of a museum entails. It covers the basic legal requirements, with a focus on sustainability, business planning and management and will help you to think about putting together a really effective board. On 20 February 2013 at The Edward Jenner Museum, Gloucestershire.

Engaging Visitors More Meaningfully. The main aim of this workshop is to enhance displays through improving communication with visitors. The emphasis is on writing text for labels and display panels as well as other ways of engaging visitors to stimulate interest and interpretation. On 28 February 2013 at Poole Museum, Dorset.

Have You Got Trustees?

 
The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has published two new online tools for newly appointed trustees.

An online Trustees Handbook aims to help charities ensure a smooth handover between departing and newly appointed trustees. The guide also informs new trustees about their duties and responsibilities towards their charities and explains how to make use of the Commission’s online services and guidance.

The handbook is particularly aimed at charities, such community groups that have a high turnover of trustees and see several board members arrive and move on each year.

The pack includes a checklist of documents and information new trustees should either receive from their charity or find for themselves on the Commission’s website, including the charity’s governing document, recent charity accounts, minutes of board meetings, the charity’s conflicts of interest policy and key guidance such as The Essential Trustee.
Get your emergency plan ready!

Flooding Across SW: Are You Prepared?


As the south west is battered by rains and high winds and the flood waters rise, it’s a good time to dig out your Emergency Plan and check you know what to do if the worst should happen.
 
An emergency plan safeguards the collections, buildings, workforce, reputation and business and makes sure you can get back up and running as soon as possible. It is also an important part of Accreditation and good museum practice.
 
Take a moment to make sure that the contact details of your workforce are up-to-date, that you know details of the services you might need and that your disaster kit is well stocked. If you don’t have an emergency plan, get writing! We’ve got some resources to help you.
 
If you are damaged by flood water, seek advice on how best to care for your collections and building. You can contact the Conservation Development Officer, Helen Jaeschke, for free advice and support.

Check the Environment Agency website to get up-to-date information about flood warnings in your area.
Volunteering survey offers chance to enter free prize draw

Volunteering Survey: Prize Draw

 
Want a place in a prize draw to win FREE volunteer management support for your museum? Then respond early to the South West Heritage Volunteering Data Survey.
 
Complete this survey on volunteering in your museum, and help the Regional Museums Development Partnership get an accurate picture of the state of volunteering in South West museums. 
 
This survey will give a clear understanding of the time volunteers give, the roles they undertake in museums and the volunteer management needs museums have. It will give the South West a firm basis for making future funding bids to support volunteering and volunteer management in museums.
 
'Early bird' museums which complete the online survey by Friday 14 December will automatically be entered into a draw to win a day of one-one professional support with volunteer management.
War Memorial on Ham Hill

War Memorials Online

A scheme allowing the public to upload pictures and information about their local war memorials has been launched by English Heritage, in collaboration with the Imperial War Museum and the War Memorials Trust.
 
The website brings together for the first time information from leading experts on the UK’s war memorials, providing a snapshot of war memorials across the country.
 
It will also allow the public to assess the condition of war memorial sites, flagging up those in need of care or at risk of dereliction.
The Bishop's Palace, Somerset

Spotlight On...The Bishop's Palace

The Bishop's Palace in Somerset has been home to the Bishops of Bath and Wells for 800 years and this stunning medieval palace is open for all to enjoy.

Surrounded by a breathtaking moat, you can cross a flagstone drawbridge, under the portcullis and experience a true hidden gem in the heart of the City of Wells.

There are also 14 acres of gardens to explore, including the beautiful well pools from which the city takes its name, family events, guided walks, gifts from the shop and perhaps even a slice of cake with your afternoon tea. You are also welcome to look around the Bishop's private Chapel, explore the ruined Great Hall and meet the famous mute swans who live alongside the moat and ring a bell when they want food.

Get free entry with your SWFed membership card, normal admission £7.00. The Palace is open daily from 10:00 to 16:00 (last admission 15:00). Visit the website for more information.
Museum Answers blog

Museum Answers

If you’re struggling with an issue or have a question, post it on our new blog and get answers from curators and professionals from across the south west. Current questions answersed on there include:

I'm looking for advice or direction to advice on care of cassette tapes, their longevity and issues on digitisation

Framing medals

Looking after ephemera (paper, cards, tickets etc)

Regional Training

There’s plenty of other training happening around the region too, below are just a selection from the Training section of our website:
 
Heritage Lottery Fund Skills for the Future
- Project Enquiry Workshop on 5 December in Taunton, Somerset

Creating the People's Museum Workshop on 5 December at MShed in Bristol

Building Capacity for Museum Security on 13 March at Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Devon

AIM Sustainability Workshops: Maximising your Museum’s Potential on 20 March at National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Falmouth
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