WINCHESTER MILITARY MUSEUMS – VACANCY FOR VOLUNTEER CHAIr

​Winchester’s Military Museums (WMM) is a partnership of six military museums located in Peninsula Barracks, a historic site adjacent to the Great Hall. Together we promote ourselves as a joint destination under the brand of Winchester’s Military Quarter www.winchestersmilitaryquarter.org .
We are seeking a new Chair to replace Christine Beresford who has stepped down after three years in the role. This is a Voluntary position.

The partnership
Our museums are all constituted as individual charitable trusts, each with its own board of Trustees who are responsible for ensuring that the charitable aims of their own museum are met. This includes looking after our respective historic collections of objects and archives, and making them accessible to the public for learning and enjoyment. The members of WMM are:

• HorsePower, The Museum of The King’s Royal Hussars
• The Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum
• The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum
• The Gurkha Museum
• The Rifles Museum
• The Adjutant General’s Corps Museum

The partnership enables us to pool our limited resources for greater impact and is recognised by the Local Authorities, as well as regional and national museum organisations. We have been awarded grants by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Arts Council England, the Army Museums Ogilby Trust and Winchester City Council. Local businesses have also given financial sponsorship for joint events. Each museum contributes to an annual budget which pays for listings in official Winchester and Hampshire tourism publications. Other joint initiatives include a website, a quarterly newsletter, winter monthly lunchtime talks, an education programme for schools and family activities during school holidays. WMM has also facilitated the introduction of a joint admission ticket to the three charging museums. We are currently in receipt of a grant from Arts Council England which pays for a freelance education officer one day a week to develop, promote and deliver a STEM programme. The partnership pays her for an additional half-day a week to promote the general offer to schools, and coordinate resulting visits.
WMM has no dedicated admin staff and the six museums are all responsible for delivering a specific aspect of the joint annual programme. WMM has a bank account and a volunteer bookkeeper who deals with banking, payments and receipts. 

Other joint initiatives include a website, a quarterly newsletter, winter monthly lunchtime talks, an education programme for schools and family activities during school holidays. We are currently in receipt of a grant from Arts Council England which pays for a freelance education officer one day a week to develop, promote and deliver a STEAM programme.

 The role of the Chair of WMM

• Act as host and ambassador for WMMs as is occasionally required
• Lead and chair bi-monthly meetings with the help of the Secretary

• Ensure jointly agreed actions are carried through within agreed time frames
• Periodically review/amend the partnership’s purpose and vision to reflect what is both practical and realistic to keep the aspirations of individual museums aligned
• Guide and encourage Museum Chairs, curators and volunteers as necessary
• Develop relationships externally with key individuals, sponsors and other bodies
• Oversee the partnership’s (modest) finances

 
Personal Attributes/Experience –

• An effective, confident and enabling approach to chairing meetings
• Some experience of charity governance as a board member
• Enthusiasm for museums in general
• Some knowledge of the heritage and tourism sector in Hampshire
• Diplomatic skills and the ability to make decisions to satisfy competing stakeholders
• The ability to engage with people of all ages and backgrounds
• An interest in military history is desirable

Time commitment
Likely to be around 1 day a month – more in the first year. The partnership meets every two months to agree priorities, manage activities and monitor progress. Meetings are held in Winchester during the working week.
This is a voluntary position for which no expenses are paid.
The role of Chair is offered initially for a period of three years.

 How to apply – Application Process
For more information and an initial chat, please contact the WMM Secretary – Colin Bulleid, on 01962 863658 or museum@royalhampshireregiment.org
If you would like to be considered for the role, please send a CV (2 sides of A4 max) and a covering letter saying why you are interested and what you could bring to WMM, to the Secretary (Colin Bulleid).
 
The closing date for application is 31 July
 Interviews will be held in Winchester on 20 August
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