> £65,000 Granted Under the Sharing Museum Skills Millennium Awards
> 
> 
> London, 26 June - Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and
> Libraries has awarded grants worth over £65,000 to 16 secondees under the
> latest round of the Sharing Museum Skills Millennium Awards.  The scheme,
> funded by a lottery grant from the Millennium Commission, enables both
> paid and volunteer staff in museums, archives and libraries to undertake
> placements with other organisations within the sector.  By exchanging
> ideas and learning new skills, the scheme aims to improve the public's
> experience of visiting museums, archives and libraries across the UK.
> 
> Jonathan Cooter, Senior Collections Officer at Hereford Museums, who was
> seconded to the National Museum of Wales, commented:  "It is refreshing to
> work at a different institution, see 'how the other half work', exchange
> views and discuss opinions on a range of professional and ephemeral
> matters."
> 
> Full details of the scheme can be found at http://www.smsma.org.uk.  The
> website includes eligibility criteria for individuals working in
> libraries, archives and museums, information for managers on the potential
> benefits of secondments for their staff and more detailed information for
> potential applicants.  The penultimate deadline for applications is 27
> July 2001, followed by the final deadline of 31 August 2001.  All
> secondments must be completed by 31 January 2002.
> 
> The following were awarded grants under Round 11 of the scheme.
> 
> *     Hugh Kilmister, Museum Administrator, Petrie Museum of Egyptian
> Archaeology, London, has been seconded to The Manchester Museum, to help
> develop their education provision to existing school audiences.  Hugh has
> been awarded £6,000.
> *	
> *     Stuart McDonald, Head of Engineering Conservation, National Museums
> of Scotland, Edinburgh, has been seconded to the National Maritime Museum,
> London, to develop conservation knowledge and skills on scientific
> instruments and their special lacquer finishes. Stuart has been awarded
> £3,546.
> *	
> *     Kim Roberts, Research Assistant, Royal Albert Memorial Museum,
> Exeter, has been seconded to The Royal Armouries, Leeds, to work on a
> database project documenting Indian edged weapons.  Kim has been awarded
> £5,140.
> *	
> *     Helen Kemp, Research Assistant, European Ethnological Research
> Centre, Edinburgh, has been seconded to the Royal College of Nursing
> (RCN), Edinburgh to work on archival material held in the RCN to make the
> material more accessible.  Helen has been awarded £4,741.
> *	
> *     Elizabeth Cook, Volunteer Retail Consultant, Rural Life Centre,
> Tilford, has been seconded to Surrey Museums Consultative Committee,
> Woking, to look at branding, retail, purchase, presentation, distribution
> and choice of goods for the small museum and to identify improvements.
> Elizabeth has been awarded £5,990.
> *	
> *     Patricia Sleeman, Assistant Archivist, National Digital Archive of
> Datasets, London, has been seconded to the Petrie Museum of Egyptian
> Archaeology, London, to survey and re-pack priority archive material held
> at the Petrie Museum.  Patricia has been awarded £2,140.
> *	
> *     Lisa Harris, Ethnography Project Curator, NEMS, Newcastle Upon Tyne,
> has been seconded to the Manchester Museum, to work with the local
> community and refugee groups (Bengali, Sudanese and Somali) to elicit
> views and opinions on objects in the collection.  Lisa has been awarded
> £4,235.
> *	
> *     Linda Needham, Project Officer/Archivist, University of Birmingham
> Information Services, Birmingham, has been seconded to the Barber
> Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham, to provide conservation and re-housing
> of the archive collections giving greater access to the them.  Linda has
> been awarded £1,600.
> *	
> *     Steph Gillett, Head of Museums & Heritage Service, South
> Gloucestershire Council Museums & Heritage Service, has been seconded to
> Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovil, to undertake an audit and review of the
> museum's picture store.  Steph has been awarded £5,186.
> *	
> *     Gillian Riding, Curator, Hitchin Museum, Hitchin, has been seconded
> to Bridport Museum, to learn about the implementation of Bridgport's three
> year development programme which is similar to the three year plan for
> Hitchin Museum, involving the improvement of visitor facilities, displays,
> collection care and access.  Gillian has been awarded £1,150.
> *	
> *     Annette Wickham, Curatorial Assistant, Victoria and Albert Museum,
> London, has been seconded to the Herbert Museum and Art Gallery, Coventry,
> to research and compile material for an exhibition on Francis Skidmore of
> Coventry, a 19th century metalworker.  Annette has been awarded £3,395.
> *	
> *     Nigel Taylor, Reader Adviser, Public Record Office, Richmond, has
> been seconded to Herefordshire Heritage Services, Hereford, to produce a
> digital catalogue of photographs and to make part of the collection
> available for a range of ICT uses.  Nigel has been awarded £5,250.
> *	
> *     Neil Jacques, Cultural Services Officer, North Lincolnshire Council,
> has been seconded to Sheffield Industrial Museums Trust, to assist in the
> preparation work for their Best Value review.  Neil has been awarded
> £4,356.
> 
> *     Claudia Zeiske, Development Manager, Duff House, Banff, has been
> seconded to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, to work in the
> development department.  Claudia has been awarded £5,530.
> *	
> *     Bridget Chew, Education Training Officer, Corali Dance Co, London,
> has been seconded  to the Tate Liverpool to work with the Community
> Development Team to assess the current provision of arts education offered
> to the learning disabled public visiting the gallery.   Bridget has been
> awarded £5,810.
> *	
> *     Ellie Finch, Volunteer in Archives and Exhibitions, Castlefield
> Gallery, Manchester, has been seconded to The National Arts Education
> Archive, Bretton Hall, Wakefield, to work on cataloguing, handling,
> categorising and documenting a newly acquisitioned collection, and the
> digitisation of a large 1950's black and white photograph collection.
> Ellie has been awarded £2,125.
> 
> 
> # # #
> 
> Notes to editors:  
> 
> To interview Catherine Atkinson, Millennium Awards Administrator, please
> contact Emma Wright, Resource Press Officer, on 020 7273 1459. 
> 
> Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries is a strategic
> agency working with and on behalf of museums, archives and libraries.  It
> replaced the Museums & Galleries Commission and the Library and
> Information Commission in April 2000.
> 
> Resource has three main objectives, to provide strategy, advocacy and
> advice.  The organisation undertakes work in all three of these areas to
> improve the context in which museums, archives and libraries operate and
> to improve services for users and potential users.
> 
> The Resource website can be found at http://www.resource.gov.uk
> 
> The Sharing Museum Skills Millennium Awards scheme is funded by the
> Millennium Commission, which awarded a grant to a consortium comprising:
> Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries, formerly the
> Museums & Galleries Commission; the Museums Association; the Association
> of Independent Museums; the Committee of Area Museum Councils and the
> National Museum Directors' Conference.  The Millennium Commission is one
> of the six good causes supported by the National Lottery.  
> 
> 24/01
> 
> 
> Emma Wright
> Press Officer
> Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries
> 16 Queen Anne's Gate
> London  SW1H 9AA
> Tel: 020 7273 1459 - directline
> Email: [log in to unmask]
> Website: www.resource.gov.uk
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