Dear colleague

Here is the current list of news items, although I especially want to celebrate the fantastic golden torc which my colleague Helen Fowler has been involved with and which it is hoped will be acquired by Ely Museum. There has been plenty of media coverage, for example https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/nov/28/spectacular-bronze-age-gold-torc-unearthed-cambridgeshire-field.

Other news:

1. Kettle’s Yard is looking for a Development Assistant at http://www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/12179/ , closing date 8 December.
2. The Fitzwilliam Museum is advertising a project assignment at https://www.le.ac.uk/museumstudies/Jobs2/full_job_descriptions/46511.htm , closing date 19 December.
3. The Hamilton Kerr Institute is looking for a Departmental Administrator at https://www.le.ac.uk/museumstudies/Jobs2/full_job_descriptions/46510.htm , closing date 27 December.
4. SHARE IS offering grants of up to £1200 to support forward planning. Guidance notes and the application form can be downloaded at http://sharemuseumseast.org.uk/forward-planning-grants/. The deadline is 9 January.
5. In case you missed it, you can read about the new tax relief on permanent exhibitions at https://aimuseums.wordpress.com/2016/11/23/autumn-statement-brings-good-news-for-sector/ .
6. The Museums Association has a members’ meeting at the Fitzwilliam Museum on 8 February; details at http://www.museumsassociation.org/find-an-event/ev1196716?RECNUM=4&MONTH=2-2017.
7. Unfortunately item 6 clashes with the next CHEG meeting which is at the University Library on the afternoon of 8 February!
8. Just a reminder of the workforce diversity conference at Norwich Castle on 12 December. Details at http://sharemuseumseast.org.uk/events/increasing-diversity-in-the-museum-workforce-conference/ .
9. The latest regional newsletter of the British Association for Friends of Museums is attached.

Dear colleague

Here are this week’s news items:

1. Burwell Museum has more items to dispose of; please see the attached list. Any museums interested in any of the items listed should please contact Burwell Museum on education@burwellmuseum.org.uk or 01638 605544.
2. The Transformers scheme for mid-career museum professionals will open on 28 November. Details are at https://www.museumsassociation.org/professional-development/transformers/transformers-2016-18 .
3. Paid up members of MiC (but not the University Museums who have separate arrangements) are now covered by our Priority User Basic policy with Harwell Restoration’s disaster recovery services. I have the details of the services provided, many at discount prices, but the most important point is that members can call the 24-hour Hotline on 01235 434373 for 24/7 advice and support, quoting PU 1018. I am arranging for Emma Dadson of Harwell to come to explain these in detail in March 2017 (see next item).
4. The Spring meeting of the Cambridgeshire Museums Forum will be at the Museum of Cambridge on the afternoon of Wednesday 8 March (details to follow nearer the time). The Forum still needs to find a new Secretary so you if you are interested in this role please contact me.
5. The Museum of Cambridge is advertising for a Project Manager, closing date 2 December (see attached).

Best wishes

Dear colleague

Here is this week’s news…

1. Wisbech and Fenland Museum is advertising for an HLF-funded Project Officer. Project Officer job description and advert. The closing date is the 28 November.
2. I can now confirm that Cambridgeshire independent museums are now covered by Harwell Restoration’s Priority User Basic cover, until 30 September 2017. The cover is for collections salvage and restoration after fire and flood and similar county schemes operate around the East of England. If all goes well I will consider next year upgrading to Harwell’s Priority User Plus scheme, which includes various extra benefits. Next week I will try to send out more details of the scheme but in the meantime if you need to know specifics please contact me.
3. SHARE are offering a session looking at museum Friends on 10 November at the  John Bunyan Museum, Bedford. Details are at http://sharemuseumseast.org.uk/events/friends-indeed/.
4. SHARE is also offering an introduction to digital fundraising (crowdfunding) and legacy giving at Hitchin British Schools Museum on 14 November. Further details are at http://sharemuseumseast.org.uk/events/digital-fundraising-legacy-giving-workshop-22/ .
5. I attach the latest newsletter of the British Association of Friends of Museums.
6. The Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology is advertising for a Research Assistant, closing date 23 November. Details at https://www.le.ac.uk/museumstudies/Jobs2/full_job_descriptions/46232.htm.

Dear colleague

With apologies for a rather long gap since MiC News no. 69, here is the latest news of relevance to MiC members:

1. I attach details of the DCMS Museums review although I believe the deadline for consultation is today https://dcms.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dhFWfdBnU2AclkF.
2. There is a workshop on creating touch tours, to be held at the Victoria and Albert Museum on 22 November. For details go to https://shop.vam.ac.uk/whatson/index/view/id/3785/event/How-to-Create-Touch-Tours-for-Visually-impaired-People/dt/2016-11-22/eType/1/free/2 .
3. The Whipple Museum has eight very nice Click drawer cases to dispose of on a first come first served basis. All costs and arrangements for transportation be covered by the receiving institution. This would involve four experienced movers and a large van. Let me know if you would like to see photos of them.
4. The Arts Marketing Association has launched another round of Future Proof Museums, a very interesting resilience programme, at www.a-m-a.co.uk/futureproof.
5. The Cambridgeshire Community Foundation deadline for grant applications is 1 November at http://us9.campaign-archive2.com/?u=a966c208f6bdcd608f092fe6b&id=a70fea8495&e=c328286224.
6. SHARE’s copyright service, which I am subscribing to on behalf of Accredited museums, was launched on 21 October (see attached). Let me know if you have any quesries about the service.
7. SHARE also have two Effective Forward Planning workshops which will be led by Sam Hunt. The first is at Moyses’s Hall, Suffolk on 15 November : http://sharemuseumseast.org.uk/events/effective-forward-planning-workshop/ . The second is at Ely Museum, Cambridgeshire on 16 November : http://sharemuseumseast.org.uk/events/effective-forward-planning-workshop-2/ .
8. SHARE are looking for a Cambridge venue with wifi on 21 February for social media training. If you can offer one please let me know.
9. Chatteris Museum has some items for disposal. They are a dozen U/V light filter covers for strip lighting from Conservation Resources [UK] Ltd, code IN9B. They are about 5’ long and can be cut down in length. Let me know if you are interested.

Dear colleague

1. IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT SMALL GRANTS: Due to the start of the SWIM 2 project I have decided to allow more time to make small grant decisions this year. I had said that the deadline for applications would be 28 October but I am now extending that to close of play on 31 October. I will now inform applicants of the results of their applications by 15 November and the deadline for claiming grants has been similarly extended. See application forms and revised guidance attached.
2. Jeremy Thackray needs a lift from Cambridge to the Emergency Planning SHARE day in Braintree on 21 October. Please let me know if you can help.
3. The A14 improvement scheme preliminary archaeological investigations have been completed, with about fifty sites selected for excavation over the next few years. Some of these may yield significant finds which could be displayed at least temporarily in museums near the route. I will post regular updates of this but in the meantime I am working with my archaeological colleagues here at the County Council to plan for the museum engagement in the process.
4. Burwell Museum have a number of items for disposal to other museums (see attached). If you are interested please email mel@burwellmuseum.org.uk or call 01638 605544 before 12 December.