Highlight projects
I enjoy working with organisations to enable them to improve access to their collections and stories. My specialisms include new service development, audience development, strategic planning, learning and interpretation, mentoring, training and evaluation.
Strategic development
Museum Redevelopment
Museum of Oxford
I worked with Jocelyn Goddard to develop a successful application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) to support MOX's redevelopment. The Hidden Histories project enabled MOX to expand into a new purpose-built and accessible space, supported by a community engagement programme. I stayed with the project until completion, providing expert mentoring and evaluation support.
Learning Review and Strategy
New Forest Heritage Centre
I worked with Marilyn Scott to undertake a complete review of the education and outreach opportunites currently offered by the Centre. We worked with the staff and trustees to devise a strategy for the next five years. My role included analysing the current offer and shaping an Action Plan for delivery. Together we produced a plan that was relevant and sustainable and met the organisation's mission.
Joint Youth Strategy
Museums Partnership Reading
I worked with Reading Museum and The Museum of English Rural Life to plan a strategy that sits within the policy landscape of Reading Borough Council and the University of Reading. The Strategy has enabled MPR museums to reach out from a position of complementary strengths to build and deepen engagement with children and young people.
Audience Development
The Old Prison
Funding from the Government's Cultural Recovery Fund enabled the Old Prison to commission me to produce an Audience Development Plan. This led to a successful grant application to the NLHF to support the delivery of the Plan. I am now mentoring the Old Prison team to successfully deliver and evaluate their £250k 'Rooted in the community audience development project.
Evaluation
GLAM Oxford University
The model for engagement work delivered through Oxford City Council's Barton Healthy New Town project and the Museum of Oxford's older peoples' programme needed to be tested, including the proposal for a wider rollout. I was commissioned to help review the impact of dance and reminiscence sessions in terms of social and wellbeing outcomes, reflecting Arts Council quality metrics.
British Television Technology Trust
Mentoring support to enable the Trust volunteers to successfully apply to NLHF. The grant enabled the successful restoration of a 1963 BBC Mobile Control Room.
As project evaluator, I provided evaluation training, support and reporting to measure the project's success in meeting its outcomes for people, heritage and communities.
West Horsley Place
WHP is undertaking a NLHF project to explore how the house and estate can become a special place for its local community. The project team is working with audiences who do not usually engage with heritage to develop a venue that is inclusive to all. As project evaluator, I created a detailed plan and tools for evaluating the project and am providing ongoing support to deliver this plan.
Mentoring
Eling Tide Mill
I worked with the Eling Team to produce a successful NLHF Activity Plan to enable the restoration and relaunch of the Eling Experience. After producing the Activity Plan, I was commissioned to mentor the team through their successful delivery of the project.
Sensing Culture
This NLHF project explored ways to improve the visitor experience of blind and partially sighted people. I mentored the project manager through the development and delivery phases, providing expert advice on strategic planning, widening access, working in partnership, interpretation and evaluation.
Poppy Scotland
NLHF supported the development of BUD, an 18-tonne mobile museum that tells the story of Poppy Scotland and the Poppy Factory. I have mentored the project team from development through to delivery. This included advising on interpretation, audience development, volunteer management and evaluation.
Battersea Arts Centre
I was commissioned by the BAC team as a heritage mentor to support their successful application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This included providing support to write a heritage interpretation plan, consultation plan and action plan for delivery.
Learning and interpretation
New learning programme
Quarr Abbey
I worked with the CCN team to deliver the Abbey's NLHF Activity Plan. My role included working alongside a design team to create a new visitor centre, helping to shape a new volunteer and engagement programme and producing outdoor learning activities, walks and trails.
Planning for interpretation
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust
I worked with Christina Dixon Consulting to produce a successful Activity Plan for Coombe Bissett Down, a chalk downland restoration project. I took the lead on audience development and interpretation. I enabled the team to create a strategic Action Plan and produced an interpretation plan for the site.
New learning programme
Royal College of Music Museum
I worked with the CCN team to produce a successful NLHF application as part of the £36 million More Music Project. Leading the Activity Planning process, key tasks included piloting ideas for a new learning programme, creating a three-year Action Plan for engaging new audiences and providing a framework for interpretation.
Learning service development
Lyme Regis Museum
I worked with Christina Dixon Consulting to produce a successful NLHF Activity Plan for the Mary Anning Wing Project. The new extension houses a geology gallery and learning lab. I supported the team to develop a clear learning strategy and interpretation plan. I also provided expert guidance on how to create an accessible learning space.
"The pack of resources produced within the project is excellent and will provide the support the museum needs to train its volunteers"
New Learning Perspectives Project