Cromwell Museum application brief

Appointment brief
Chair and Trustees
of the Cromwell
Museum Trust
Introduction from the Chief Executive of
Cambridgeshire County Council
Cambridgeshire County Council is setting
up a new charitable Trust to take over
the running of the Cromwell Museum in
Huntingdon from April 2016.
The creation of this new body provides a
unique opportunity to reinvigorate the
Cromwell Museum by introducing fresh
drive, ambition and energy, thereby
making the Museum sustainable for the
future and ensuring that it fulfils its
potential to become a place of exciting
and vibrant audience engagement.
The Cromwell Museum interprets the life
and legacy of Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658)
and his immediate family through
portraits, documents and objects. The
Museum sets out neither to celebrate or
denigrate his actions and beliefs, but to
interpret Cromwell's significance and
legacy. The Museum has international
popular appeal, attracting visitors from
across the globe, while at the same time is
successfully and strongly embedded in the
life of Huntingdon’s local community. The
Museum is run by Cambridgeshire County
Council, but we intend to use the
forthcoming governance change as a
unique moment to bring in new thinking
and new people.
Our first priority is to appoint a Chair and
Trustees for the new Trust who will have
the vision and ambition necessary to
work with us on the establishment of the
trust and to drive the Museum forward
to greater success.
Mark Lloyd
Chief Executive
Cambridgeshire County Council
Oliver Cromwell: “King in all but name”
Oliver Cromwell is one of the most
significant and controversial individuals in
history. He was head of state of the first
and only British republic, and remains to
this day the only commoner ever to have
been offered the Crown.
as the man who had ended the wars and
brought peace to the nation. In April 1653
he was appointed Lord Protector and during
the next five years, until his death by natural
causes in 1658, he tried to achieve his
objective of creating a ‘Godly Nation.’
He was born in Huntingdon in 1599, lived in
the town for over half of his life, and
became its MP in 1628. He first came to
national prominence during the Civil Wars
when, despite having no military training or
experience, he demonstrated his abilities as
a cavalry commander. This conflict was the
making of Cromwell’s name and reputation,
and when his tactical skills brought the
fighting finally to end in 1651 he returned to
London to great acclaim. Cromwell was seen
Many of Cromwell’s actions, such as his
active support for the execution of King
Charles I, his role in Ireland and his granting
of readmission of Jews to England, have
given him international significance. Yet
Cromwell’s name will always be firmly
associated with his home town of
Huntingdon. Roads are named after him,
bars and businesses take his name, and the
town sign refers to it being the place where
he was born.
About the Museum
The Museum holds the best collection of
Cromwelliana in the UK. The collection
comprises nearly 700 items, of which
Cambridgeshire County Council owns the
majority. The display includes portraits,
clothing, miniatures, arms and armour,
historical documents written by or about
Cromwell, and one of his death masks.
The Museum attracts about 10,000 visitors
each year, and carries out a rich range of
educational and outreach events, often in
partnership with other bodies such as reenactment groups, the Friends of the
Cromwell Museum, the Cromwell
Association, and the archives and local
studies team based in Huntingdon Library.
The Museum supports the annual Cromwell
Collection public lecture which is given
each November in Huntingdon.
The Museum has Accredited status from
Arts Council England (ACE). It is open
throughout the year daily TuesdaySaturday, with reduced opening hours
from November to March. Admission is
free.
Currently the Museum is staffed by a
Museum Assistant and by relief Museum
Assistants, while major stakeholders are
represented on the Cromwell Museum
Management Committee. We expect that
the new Trust will appoint a part time
Curator and that it will rely on volunteer
support to maintain public opening hours.
The Museum building
The Museum building, a 12th century
structure heavily restored in 1877, is a
Grade 2* listed building and is
approximately 70 m2. It is the building in
which Oliver Cromwell was himself
educated as a schoolboy, and where he
first received exposure to Puritan ideas
through the teaching of Dr Thomas
Beard.
Cambridgeshire County Council has
owned the building since 1974 and has
invested greatly in it, including the
installation of a new roof and new air
handling equipment in 2004.
Cambridgeshire County Council is working
with Huntingdon Town Council to ensure
the long term future of the Cromwell
Museum building, so that the costs of
maintaining the fabric do not fall on the
Trust. This will leave the Trust free to
concentrate on day to day operations,
exhibitions and audience engagement.
The Chair of the Cromwell Museum Trust
We are looking for an individual who will bring fresh vision, energy and ambition to the
Cromwell Museum at this crucial stage in its history.
The new trust will be a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). The first Chair of the
Trust will
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be able to create and articulate
the mission and vision of the
Cromwell Museum Trust;
be able to access a network of
influential contacts, sponsors and
donors;
have a drive to succeed and to
build on past successes;
be able to motivate and get the
most from people, whether fellow
Trustees, staff and volunteers, CCC
officers, and Cromwell Museum
stakeholders;
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have an excellent public/PR presence;
be able to set and meet clear targets
for themselves and for others to
follow;
be able to travel freely and frequently
to and from Huntingdon and
Cambridge;
and be able to dedicate time and
effort to the creation of the Trust
especially during the crucial
2015/2016 period.
The Chair will be expected
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to provide effective leadership on the creation of the culture, mission and strategy of the
new Trust;
to recruit and appoint excellent people;
to lead on Trustee recruitment and chair Trustees meetings.
The Trustees of the Cromwell Museum Trust
We are looking for individuals who can offer expertise and skills in
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business administration
marketing
fund-raising
volunteer engagement
the not-for-profit charity or trust sector.
No one Trustee will be expected to have all those skills, but each Trustee should use any specific
skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the Board reach sound decisions.
All trustees will be expected
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to give firm strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals and
setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets;
to work together on attracting funding towards the new Trust;
to participate in the process of appointing a new Curator for the Museum, to begin work on 1
April 2016;
to ensure the continual assessment and improvement of the Museum's performance against
targets established by the Trust;
to help protect and manage the property and collections of the Trust and to ensure the
proper investment of its funds;
to represent the Trust when necessary at functions and meetings;
to ensure that the organisation complies with its governing document, charity law, company
law and any other relevant legislation or regulations;
to ensure that the organisation pursues its objects and acts within the powers defined in its
governing document;
and to abide by the Museums Association Code of Ethics for Museums.
The Trustees will be responsible for ensuring
that the staff and volunteers of the Cromwell
Museum trust actively pursue the Cromwell
Museum's aims and objectives.
Support
Cambridgeshire County Council is dedicated to the success of the forthcoming Cromwell
Museum Trust. An Interim Museum Project Officer has been appointed, who will work from
now until April 2016, and who will work closely with the Chair, the Trustees, the Head of
Community and Cultural Services, the Museums Partnership Officer, the Archives and Local
Studies Manager, and the Cromwell Museum Management Committee. Cambridgeshire
County Council officers will draft all necessary legal documentation and service level
agreements, and will provide necessary legal, HR, property and financial advice in the short
term. Office space will be offered in the short term at Huntingdon Library, and County
Council officers will support and assist the Chair in the appointment of the first Trustees. In
addition, the Chair will work with County Council officers to, plan and prepare the cycle of
board meetings, set agendas for board meetings, and monitor that decisions taken at
meetings are implemented.
The roles of Chair and Trustee are unremunerated. The roles will, until 31 March 2016, be
supported by Cambridgeshire County Council. This support will be provided free of charge.
All legitimate and relevant expenses incurred by the Chair and Trustees in carrying out their
roles will be met until 31 March 2016 by the County Council.
To apply
Please send your CV together with a written statement of not more than two sides of A4
about how your experience, knowledge and skills would benefit the Trust, to:
Christine May
Head of Community and Cultural Services
Box No. SH1006
Shire Hall, Castle Hill
Cambridge CB3 0AP
Or email to: christine.may@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Please indicate whether you wish to apply for the role of Trustee or Chair.
For an informal discussion about these roles, please speak to Archives and Local Studies
Manager Alan Akeroyd on 01223 699489.