Meet the museum development officers

Derbyshire - Anita Hollinshead
Anita had always wanted to be a museum development officer and feels privileged to have such an interesting and varied job and to be based in Derbyshire:

"Derbyshire is a beautiful county with a fascinating history and an amazing range of museums and collections. It is a pleasure to work with such a lovely group of people who are incredibly welcoming and enthusiastic about sharing their museums and collections with visitors.

"One of the great rewards of my job is hearing about museums' aspirations and helping them to achieve them. I am looking forward to more: more museums actively involved in the Forum, more visitors to museums, including school groups, more partnerships and more museums achieving Accreditation."

Anita is based from Buxton Museum and Art Gallery, contact Anita.

Leicestershire and Rutland - Robin Clarke
Rob wants to demonstrate exactly what small, volunteer-run museums are achieving and the huge contribution they make to their communities.

"My introduction to the role was the 2006 Heritage Awards where I discovered just how inspirational community museums are.

"Leicestershire and Rutland museums have had an incredible few years; they've been preserving, displaying, educating and expanding the services they provide to their communities. In the past year funding applications and project completions have been rife, particularly the Ashby Heritage Lottery Fund project and the start of the Diseworth project, and there are plenty more on the horizon.

"The Leicestershire and Rutland Museums Forum exhibition was excellent: a high quality display put on by Forum members celebrating the different sites that make up the local museums community.

"I look forward to more of the same - museum ambitions being realised, larger projects taking shape and even more volunteers and visitors." 

Rob is based from Leicestershire Environment and Heritage Resource Centre, at Holly Hayes. Contact Rob.

Lincolnshire - Hannah Gould
Hannah is passionate about the transformational effect museums can have on people's lives. Smaller museums in particular are rooted in their communities and can connect with people in unique ways.

"In Lincolnshire most of the smaller museums are run entirely by volunteers; their dedication and enthusiasm is infectious and their achievements, often with very modest resources, are inspirational.

"Working with museums over the past year has been a privilege. A stronger museums community is developing, particularly through the Lincolnshire Heritage Forum which acts as a shared voice for heritage in the county.

"The Lincolnshire Renaissance Heritage Awards were a high point of 2007, particularly seeing the delight on the winners' faces and the subsequent publicity and support that the recognition generated for the museums' hard work.

"I'm looking forward to helping put Lincolnshire's museums at the heart of the county's cultural life. Every individual in Lincolnshire has the right to high quality cultural opportunities and our smaller museums have an important role to play as they are centres for inspiration and learning on the doorstep of every community."

Hannah is based from Louth Museum, contact Hannah.

Northamptonshire - Jane Seddon
Jane wants to see the development of a vibrant museum community taking advantage of Northamptonshire's growth agenda to play a central part in Northamptonshire's cultural and local life.

"Northamptonshire is a really dynamic county - its 'growth area' status means a fast growing population. In this context, museums can be invaluable community venues where old and new communities meet.

"I am constantly amazed by the dedication, enthusiasm and creativity of the volunteers and paid staff I meet. Independent museums have a crucial role in looking after the heritage of Northamptonshire and volunteers are central. They achieve amazing results often within the constraints of modest resources.

"I think the sense of community within the county's heritage sector has strengthened this year with a growth in confidence and ambition, something celebrated in the Heritage Awards.

"I would like to see museums getting more recognition for their contribution to life in the county and the role they can play in developing a 'sense of place'. Museums are centres for creativity and inspiration for the communities they serve."

Jane is based from Northampton Museum and Art Gallery, contact Jane.

Nottinghamshire - Mark Laurie
Mark enjoys the variety of working in museums.

"Nottinghamshire has an incredibly wide range of museums and collections and it is very exciting to be part of their development.

"I have been inspired by the enthusiasm and creativity of the staff and volunteers in the county's museums. There is a real sense of momentum, whether it's for improving collections management, developing learning opportunities or trying out new approaches to exhibitions and events.

"The Nottinghamshire Heritage Awards 2007 were a great opportunity to celebrate and reward the hard work that people put in, as well as generating some excellent coverage for the museums through BBC Radio Nottingham.

"I have been really pleased to see museums of all types and sizes come together at the Museums Forum to support each other and share their experiences. 

"I am looking forward to supporting more exciting projects from the museums and continuing to help raise their profile as a key part of Nottinghamshire's cultural life."

Mark is based from the Galleries of Justice, Nottingham, contact Mark.

Isabel Churcher, museums development network manager

Isabel is the maternity cover for Claire Browne. Isabel has a wide and varied history working in museums, including being a museum development officer for eight years in Gloucestershire. Most recently she worked at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery as head of museums services.

"I really enjoy working with a variety of people and seeing the fruits of discussions with them. The East Midlands MDO team is a brilliant group of staff to work with and I shall make the most of my time here to support them in their projects.

"I am particularly interested to understand how we can provide evidence to organisations that demonstrates the success of the MDO scheme, so that we can ensure funding is maintained long into the future.

"I am also interested in finding out more about the region and seeing how I can add value to the regional development of East Midlands museums. Working in a regional post, I feel this is particularly important."

Isabel is based at Leicestershire County Council, email Isabel.