Dear colleague

Here are this week’s news items:

1. Please see attached an advert for a vacancy as one of the two Museum Volunteer Coordinators for the SWIM project, closing date 5 June. The vacancy has been created because Mike Brooks will be leaving the project on 2 June to pursue a similar role in a different organisation. Mike has made a huge contribution to both SWIM 1 and SWIM 2 and I know he will be missed by all the museums he has worked with. We are immensely grateful to him and wish him all the best in his new position.
2. Chatteris Museum has asked me to ask if anyone has a books and leaflet stand spare, ideally a tall rotating one but other types may suit them. May I suggest that you send chatterismuseum@tiscali.co.uk a photo if you think you may be able to help them?
3. I attach the latest newsletter of the British Association of Friends of Museums.
4. The next meeting of the SHARE Front of House Forum has now been arranged for 28 June, in Chelmsford. The theme is security.
5. The British Museum is looking for museums which might wish to take an exhibition during 2019 (one on LGBTQ histories and the other on ancient hoards). They also have a workshop on 20 June on how to make best use of drawing collections. I will happily forward details of any of these opportunities, if you might be interested in applying.

Dear colleague

It is with sadness that I have to pass on the news of the death of David White, Treasurer of Museums in Cambridgeshire. David was a friend to many, many people in Cambridge, myself included, and a constant champion of museums of all shapes and sizes. One of the last things David insisted on doing, even when not feeling at all well, was attending the MiC meeting at the Cambridge Museum of Technology on 27 April. He will be missed for a long time.

There are a few other items of museum news to pass on:

1. Burwell Museum has another batch of items for disposal (see attached).
2. The regional meeting of the British Association of Friends of Museums, open to non members, is at Bedford on 10 June (see attached).
3. The Touring Exhibitions Group has a snap shot survey of current museum loans practice at Lending and Borrowing Experiences Survey 2017.
4. The deadline for the training needs survey has been extended to 29 May and we are still a bit short of entries from Cambridgeshire. So if you haven’t responded yet please do so at http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/SHARE-training-survey-2017/.

Dear colleague

Here is the week’s news relevant to Cambridgeshire museums, in no particular order:

1. Freelancers may be interested in the attached brief for the strategic review of the Museum Development Network, closing date 2 June.
2. There is a SHARE Managing Digitisation Projects training day at the Panacea Museum in Bedford on 15 May, see http://sharemuseumseast.org.uk/events/managing-digitisation-projects/.
3. The South and East Museums Federation has a meeting on STEM at Duxford on 10 May. For details see http://www.semfed.org.uk/.
4. The summer meeting of the Cambridgeshire Museums Forum will be on the afternoon of 30 June at the Farmland Museum and Denny Abbey (details available soon). These meetings are always fun and there is generally strawberries and cream to be had…..
5. Hearty congratulations and good luck wishes are due to our neighbours at The National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art at Newmarket, which is one of the five museums shortlisted for this year’s Museum of the Year Award. https://www.artfund.org/supporting-museums/museum-of-the-year .
6. The Weston Loan Programme has just been launched to encourage loans from National collections; for details of how to apply see website.
7. This is a reminder that the closing date for this year’s SHARE excellent Mystery Shopper scheme is 12 May. For details see http://sharemuseumseast.org.uk/funding-and-grants/mystery-shopping-scheme/. The training days are on 19 or 20 May, in Cambridge.

Dear colleague

Here is this week’s news, but firstly may I ask you please to note that I now have a new post office box number (see my signature below):

1. The deadline for submitting a return to the all-important SHARE Training Needs Survey has been extended to 7 May. If you have not already done so please do take five minutes to submit your views, which are really important.

2. There is a Heritage Assistant post advertised at Papworth Hospital, closing date 5 May, details at https://www.le.ac.uk/museumstudies/Jobs2/full_job_descriptions/48139.htm.

3. There are two posts currently advertised at Kettle’s Yard, closing dates 15 May: Visitor Services Manager and Facilities & Security Manager; for details see http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk/about/jobs-employment/.

4. The Fitzwilliam Museum is advertising for a Learning Associate, closing date 9 May, see job no. 48194 at http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/museumstudies/JobsDesk.

5. The National Trust at Anglesey Abbey is advertising for an Interpretation Officer, closing date 14 May, see job no. 48153 at http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/museumstudies/JobsDesk.

6. SHARE are again offering collection review and rationalisation grants, application deadline 2 June. For details please go to http://sharemuseumseast.org.uk/collections-review-grants/

7. The latest newsletter of the British Association of Friends of Museums is attached.

8. Burwell Museum have a new batch of items for disposal (see attached).

9. The South and East Museums Federation have a meeting about ‘People’s Stories and STEM’ on 10 May at Duxford, details here.

Best wishes

Dear colleague

Here are some current items of relevance to Cambridgeshire museums:

1. Following my note in MiC News no. 88, there is still time if you have not participated in SHARE’S important training needs survey, closing date 30 April. It is available at http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/SHARE-training-survey-2017/ but let me know if you need the Word version. entering data into the survey yourself!
2. The Norris Museum is advertising an evaluation brief (attached), closing date 15 May.
3. The third cohort of the Future Proof Museum programme is open for applicants until 25 April at http://www.a-m-a.co.uk/learn/training/long-term-programmes/futureproof/.
4. Comments on the draft of SPECTRUM 5.0 are invited before 8 May, see http://collectionstrust.org.uk/spectrum/spectrum-5/.
5. There are still a few days left to nominate someone for a SHARE Volunteer Award; go to http://sharemuseumseast.org.uk/volunteer-awards/.
6. The 30th newsletter of the regional British Association of Friends of Museums is attached.
7. If your museum is concerned with nature conservation you may wish to participate in a survey at http://bit.ly/2nZp0by .
8. IWM Duxford is advertising for a Distribution Supervisor, closing date 26 April, at https://www.le.ac.uk/museumstudies/Jobs2/full_job_descriptions/48069.htm.
9. Finally, a reminder that the Museums in Cambridgeshire Spring meeting is at the Cambridge Museum of Technology next Thursday morning. Let me know if you haven’t seen the agenda.