Last flying Vulcan runs out of time on Thursday 28th 2010

Thursday’s Trust meeting could ground or sell one of Britain’s most loved aircraft

The last flying Vulcan, which thrilled almost two million people this year, could be grounded or sold abroad due to lack of money. At a meeting on the evening of October 28^th, the Vulcan To The Sky Trust which owns the aircraft, will decide if it has raised enough funds to continue.

“By Thursday evening, we need to be sure that we will have £300,000 by the end of the week. If there is any doubt, she will follow Concorde into permanent retirement or be sold to a collector almost certainly abroad,” warns trust CEO Dr Robert Pleming.

“If we don’t make it, a heritage icon as popular as The Tower of London may never be seen by the British public again.”

Pleming says that the Vulcan is one of the UK’s most popular heritage attractions and an increasingly engaging part of technology and history education. Yet it receives no Government funding. “We have a great business plan for 2011 that will substantially improve our commercial funding,” says Pleming. “But the stark reality is that we look unlikely to survive beyond October.”

To make a donation to save the Vulcan see http://www.vulcantothesky.org/donate.html

 

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Comprehensive Spending Review and Heritage/Tourism

Leisure sector organisations have issued a mixed response to the chancellor's Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) published yesterday (20 October).
George Osborne announced a 25 per cent cut in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) budget, which will run over the course of the review period to 2014-15.

Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt insisted it was a 'good settlement' and will help enable the government to "protect our sporting and cultural core for the long term". Hunt indicated that a 41 per cent cut in administrative costs is to help prioritise front-line public services, while reiterating plans to provide an additional £150m of Lottery funding after 2012.

However, DCMS budget cuts are set to have a knock-on effect as organisations funded by the department face up to overall cuts of at least 28 per cent to their respective budgets.

Arts: Arts Council England (ACE) has warned that a 29.6 per cent cut to its budget will "inevitably" have consequences for the UK's cultural industry.
ACE chief executive Alan Davey said: "[We] will seek to minimise the effect of any cuts to the portfolio of arts organisations we regularly fund and will consider the overall position when it meets on 25 October.

Museums and Heritage: English Heritage has said that it is "disappointed" that it will face a 32 per cent reduction in grant funding from the government - more than the DCMS' overall cut of 25 per cent.

Baroness Andrews, chair of English Heritage, said: "The 32 per cent cut to English Heritage's grant from government will be exceptionally challenging to manage after years of funding decline - £130m real-term cuts over 13 years. "It will require us to make some tough decisions. We will work with the Heritage Lottery Fund to ensure there is no overlap or duplication in the services we provide."

Elsewhere, the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) has welcomed the news that the government will contribute £20m in grant-in-aid funding over the course of the review period. NHMF chair Dame Jenny Abramsky said: "We are pleased that in difficult circumstances the important role of the National Heritage Memorial Fund - the emergency fund to save our most important and precious heritage - has been recognised.

"Of course, it is disappointing that this is less than the grant in aid since 2007 of £10m per year, but, in these difficult times, we will continue to do our utmost to play a vital part in saving great heritage right across the UK."

Museums Association (MA) president Vanessa Trevelyan said the 15 per cent cuts to Renaissance and national museums were not as bad as first feared. Trevelyan admitted that regional museums could be worst affected by local authority spending cuts, while plans to reduce administration costs "shows a lack of understanding".

 

However, the move to retain free entry at museums and galleries has not been universally welcomed, with the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions (BALPPA) criticising the decision.

BALPPA chief executive Martin Barratt said: "I was not surprised to learn that the government will continue to fund free entry to museums, it's in the coalition document and is therefore considered sacrosanct even though it's barmy. We're heading into a period when the effort to market England will rely less on government agencies and more on the initiative of groups of attraction operators."

Tourism: National tourism agency VisitBritain faces one of the largest overall budget cuts within the DCMS' remit, with a 34 per cent reduction confirmed following the CSR. VisitBritain chair Christopher Rodrigues said the agency would examine its operations in order to keep it's Olympic strategy on course and look to slash overheads. Rodrigues said: "This government understands the value VisitBritain brings to Britain's tourism industry, but this is tough love. VisitBritain will respond to the settlement by further cutting overheads and reducing its physical network overseas to retain as much money as possible for our global marketing effort."

However, Tourism Alliance chair Ken Robinson said the cuts went against Prime Minister David Cameron's recent pledge to promote the UK's tourism industry. Robinson said: "With DCMS saying that all sectors must share the pain, we expected cuts. We know that VisitBritain and VisitEngland will respond, using every pound wisely.

"However, the Treasury's attitude to tourism, not recognising that investment in the sector brings immediate and high returns to Britain, is short sighted."
Training: One of Osborne's signature pledges within the CSR is the news that at least 75,000 apprenticeship places are to be created each year by 2014.

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Oystermouth Castle to receive £1m Refurbishment

Oystermouth Castle in Swansea is to receive a £1m refurbishment as part of plans to establish it as a premium heritage attraction.
The project will be funded by the Welsh Assembly's Heritage Tourism grant which has earmarked a total of £19m towards similar projects across Wales.
Work on Oystermouth Castle will include improving access to the Norman stone castle and to assure the long-term sustainability of the site.
To encourage more people to visit the castle there are also plans to launch an events programme.

A castle community co-ordinator will be appointed to manage a range of events, engage with community groups. The Alina's Chapel on the site will also be developed into a multi-functional space. The castle currently receives 5,000 visitors a year and the target is to increase this to 25,000 a year by 2014.
Minister for Heritage, Alun Ffred Jones said: "Tourism is an important part of our economy and this project will make a positive contribution to attracting visitors to Swansea.

"The project also aims to ensure the castle is accessible and relevant to the people of Swansea."

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Tourism beats growth predictions

The total value of tourism to the UK is set to rise by more than 60 per cent to £188 billion over the next decade, says an independent report commissioned by VisitBritain. Research from Deloitte and Oxford Economics forecasts that the favourable exchange rate, the lure of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the appeal of world-renowned attractions, should ensure the sector grows at an above-average 3.5 per cent per annum between now and 2020. The number of jobs supported by tourism over that period is predicted to rise by 264,000 - from 2.63 million now, to 2.89 million. The report also shows that tourism is disproportionately important in rural areas and for part-time female workers.

 

This forecast adds to the HLF figures published in March 2010 that demonstrated the significance of heritage-led tourism in the UK tourism industry; some £20.6 billion per annum, supporting 466,000 jobs. This latest research means the total economic contribution of the Visitor Economy – covering firms directly and indirectly involved in tourism - is poised to expand faster than retail, chemicals, transport, the utilities and manufacturing. Only construction and financial and business services look more promising.

 

These figures make tourism Britain’s fifth biggest industry and third largest foreign exchange earner.

 

Taken from Heritage Link

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MLA says ‘stormy seas call for cool heads and steady hands’

Responding to the government’s announcement that the MLA is to be wound up by April 2012, Chair Sir Andrew Motion and Chief Executive Roy Clare pledge a smooth and orderly transition to deliver the best possible future for museums, libraries and archives across England and for the people and communities who expect to use them.
 
In a joint statement, Sir Andrew Motion and Roy Clare say: “Stormy seas call for cool heads and steady hands. The team in the MLA have worked tirelessly and with commendable commitment to develop the capacity of the organisation since 2007. Now, faced with an unforeseen degree of economic pressure, government has chosen to balance the books and to prioritise the rationalisation of its existing cultural agencies as a contribution.
 
“As a result we will work methodically and calmly to continue to deliver a vibrant and effective expert service for the public who rightly expect excellent, sustainable museums, libraries and record offices in their local neighbourhoods. Our accent is on strong strategic leadership; access to expert advice which can help people to weather the effects of recession; strong investment programmes; joining up across the network; good links into local government, and provision of resources that demonstrate good practice. We are committed to arguing for these to be reflected clearly in the new arrangements.
 
”MLA is currently engaged with local authorities and independent museums, libraries and archives all over the country. We are helping them to weather the storm of recession and funding cuts and to emerge stronger and more sustainable. Maintaining the tempo of this work will continue to be a major priority for us.
 
Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, comments: “Sir Andrew Motion and Roy Clare have shown great leadership of the MLA and have made great strides in the last two years to streamline the organisation, significantly improving efficiency and effectiveness. However, there is now an opportunity to integrate Renaissance and the other important functions of the MLA into the wider cultural framework.”
 
The MLA believes that cultural and artistic activities are at the heart of Britain’s recovery. Museums, libraries, archives and other places of art and creativity are nourishment for the spirit and encouragement for everyone in times of adversity; these are vital components for tourism, the economy, quality of life, cultural creativity and personal well-being. In the current climate especially, museums, libraries and other cultural services are at significant risk.
 
The MLA has called for more creative and systematic planning to ensure the public get the most out of the sector. The prospectus that we launched this year, ‘Sharper Investment for Changing Times’, recognises that around three quarters of the £2bn-plus spent on cultural services in England is in the control of local, not central, government.
 
Sir Andrew Motion and Roy Clare add:
 
“Over the year or so ahead our focus is on continuing to boost the impact and potential of museums, libraries and archives in locations across the country. An economy only slowly emerging from recession and pressures on public spending provide the spur to make even greater efforts to deliver social, economic and environmental benefits for people and communities.
“Our various programmes and the expertise of our staff, including the Field Teams across the country, will continue unabated. Many longer term decisions will need to be taken and the outcome in October of the government’s Spending Review will have a pivotal bearing on the details.
 
“It is our firm, joint intention to continue to provide strong and visible national leadership and a consistent, purposeful voice. We are confident that the various important capabilities of the MLA will be found new homes and we are determined to ensure that there continues to be sources of robust advocacy for museums, libraries and archives and for the people and places that depend upon them; with provision of experts, know-how, advice, specialist resources, detailed research and evidence and informed guidance. 
 
“We are already working closely with local government and with professional colleagues in the Local Government Association, Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and a number of leading museums and other key organisations. These relationships are strong and will become stronger. Place-based investment, with much more joined-up and better strategic planning, can and must deliver more for less; closer attention to demand and better systems for delivery must result from all new alignments.
 
“Specific partnership work is already in hand on a Ministerial initiative to develop and improve library services; this will continue, and will be delivered by MLA and LGA this autumn, unaffected by the announcement. We have also put specific proposals to Ministers about the future of Renaissance in the Regions and its relationship to the strategy for archives; further work is in hand that will lead to consultation and a statement by Ministers later this year, in time for new elements to be adopted during 2011 and the ensuing years, subject to funding.
 
“As an example of our specialist resources, we have just agreed to second an MLA expert, Natasha Innocent, to RaceOnline 2012 for 6 months from September. Natasha will work with Martha Lane Fox and her team to help deliver their Manifesto for a Networked Nation; and specifically to ensure that public library services are fully integrated in moves to secure positive digital outcomes for people in Britain.
 
“We are also proud of our range of cultural services, including Acceptance in Lieu, National Security Advisor, Export Licensing, Reviewing Committee, Accreditation, Designation and Government Indemnity. These will be maintained throughout the transition as will our engagement with the Cultural Festival, a vital component of London’s 2012 Olympics, especially in terms of our support and leadership for Stories of the World and Our Sporting Life.
 
“The members of the MLA Board join us in expressing our very sincere gratitude to the staff of the MLA for all their work to date; and together we will uppermost in mind their interests and those of our many professional stakeholders across the country as we work to secure the future for the MLA’s many valuable capabilities and ensure their sustained effectiveness on behalf of the public.
 
Review of Arm's Length Bodies
DCMS:  26 July 2010
http://www.culture.gov.uk/news/news_stories/7280.aspx
A number of our public bodies are set to be merged, abolished or streamlined
 

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Dishing the Dirt

Yesterday I had a very pleasant and educational afternoon looking at Roman coins, Anglo Saxon jewellery, belt buckles, rare Anglo Saxon coins, lead weights from a long extinct market, Norman "bling" and Civil War musket and pistol balls, some of which had obviously hit something...

This was part of the Archaeology Day at The Edward Jenner Museum, Berkeley, where the finds that had been discovered over the last few years on the University of Bristol digs were displayed and a very interesting talk given by Pete Twinn, Archaeologist and Metal Detectorist. One could also try Geo Physics (a la Time Team) in an undug part of the garden and a field walk looking for finds on the freshly dug spoil from the last trench that had been dug in June.

I know a lot about various periods of history but as for the Anglo Saxon era I'm still learning. The decoration and beauty of the tiny Anglo Saxon finds were quite breathtaking, especially as we tend to think of the Anglo Saxons as a fairly uncultured bunch who were rescued from obscurity by the invading Normans of 1066. Far from it.

It was the Normans who killed off all the beautiful art and decorative pieces by subjugating the population, building their massive castles and waging economic warfare on the Anglo Saxons. The latter had to conform to survive and so much that was existing before 1066 was lost. It is thought provoking to realise that one fifth of land in the UK is owned by the descendants of those invading Norman Knights from 1066.

The medieval bling was mainly pendants, coins and some heraldic pieces that may have been worn on a horse or on armour. Some heraldic devices have been identified and so we know that these people visited Berkeley, even if it is not backed up by written evidence anywhere else. The medieval weights and measures found demonstrate a thriving market and the slag found helps to confirm that there was a mint in Berkeley too.

The Civil War finds were interesting as the Museum's garden was a battlefield as well as that of the adjoining 13th Century church. Have a look at the West Door and you can still see the musket loops, bullet holes and axe marks from the fight. The defences at Berkeley were started in 1643 and these were found this summer by the University dig. Another piece of corroborating evidence was the number of pistol balls found on the site: we know that after Prince Rupert was defeated at Bristol that cavalry was sent to Berkeley, and they all carried pistols. And there is the evidence, a great quantity of small calibre pistol balls.

It is odd sitting in a tranquil garden on a sunny day, listening to the history (often violent) off the patch of land your are sitting on, but I am looking forward to the next Archaeology Day at the Museum as seeing what has been found and having the privilege of one to one talks from the experts who found the finds, and place them in context in the garden's history is fascinating and has inspired me to learn more about our Anglo Saxon forefathers.

For events at the Museum see www.jennermuseum.com and look out for the talk by Dr Stuart Prior from the University of Bristol, on the history of the site (including the exciting Roman discoveries in Berkeley) in the Old Cyder House.






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An Evening with the Angel of Death

The Angel of Death is one name given to smallpox, the deadly disease that killed millions throughout human history, and a new book has recently been written on the subject by Gareth Williams, a Trustee of the Edward Jenner Museum. On Thursday 22nd July he will be giving a talk “The House on the 13th Milestone: who really discovered vaccination?” at the Old Cyder House in Berkeley. The talk will draw on his book and introduces new angles to the story of how Jenner discovered vaccination.
 
While the account of Edward Jenner and his development of a vaccine against smallpox is well known, Gareth Williams will take the audience further into history with new and expanded information covering Edward Jenner’s experiments involving his gardener’s son with cowpox right up to 1980 when the World Health Organisation officially announced the eradication of the deadly disease.
 
Sarah Parker, the Director of the Edward Jenner Museum said We are delighted to welcome Gareth both as a Trustee and an energetic supporter of the Museum. He has told a compelling story in his book and we look forward to an entertaining and informative evening.
 
The talk is one of a series on medical subjects this year, linked to the Museum’s celebrations of the eradication of Smallpox, which has resulted in much coverage both in the UK and internationally – the small Gloucestershire town of Berkeley has been the global focus of honouring Edward Jenner’s work.
 
The Old Cyder House talks take place throughout the year covering a variety of subjects from a wide range of speakers: not all are medically related. Future talks will be covering North Wales’ Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways and the Loch Ness Monster!
 
All talks have proven popular so reserve your tickets now by contacting the Museum on 01453 810631 or emailing info@edwardjenner.co.uk , Gareth Williams’ talk will start at 7.30pm and cost £10 per person which includes a glass of wine or juice. 

More details can be found on the museum website, www.jennermuseum.com where there is also information on hiring The Old Cyder House and about other events at the Museum.

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