Museums in Somerset

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Minutes of the Annual General Meeting and Spring Group Meeting held on
Monday 14th May at Somerset Heritage Centre, Taunton
Present:
Colin Spackman (Chairman) and 27 members.
Apologies were received from 14 members.
1. Helen Mansfield welcomed members to the Heritage Centre.
2. The Minutes of the 2011 Annual General Meeting had been agreed and signed as a true record at the
Autumn 2011 Group Meeting.
3. Chairman’s report. There is plenty of good news: the Museums Development Officer post is secure till
March 2013; Wincanton Museum will be reopening in a new home; Dunster Museum looks secure;
Minehead getting a museum; although we had been worried about the demise of MLA, we were heartened
at the last meeting by hearing Mary Godwin, Museums Relationship Manager (South West) at Arts Council
England. On behalf of Museums in Somerset, Colin had attended the Somerset County Council Heritage
Service Review meeting. The heritage budget is quite small at £1.63 million in proportion to the SCC budget
and much is tied into existing contracts (Heritage Lottery Fund, Somerset Archaeological and Natural History
Society), and discretionary spending (e.g. the Museums Development Officer) is good value for money.
Decisions on what happens next are likely to be taken around December. There will be some changes to the
MiS committee, and Colin thanked the retiring Vice- Chairman and Secretary.
4. Secretary’s Report. An analysis of attendance at meetings indicates that the attraction of the meeting
venue seems to outweigh distance. What is the secret of getting people to meetings? Please pass
suggestions to the new secretary. Please also ensure that attendance is logged on sign-in sheets, so that the
committee gets a clear picture of who does and who does not attend.
5. Treasurer’s Report. There are two elements to the money handled by Museums in Somerset, the small
sums at meetings (less than £100 per annum) and the large sums (around £10,000) for MDO projects. An
apology was made for the fact that the Treasurer’s file (for small amounts) had gone missing, and for the fact
that audited accounts would not be available till the next meeting.
6. Election of officers and Standing Committee members.
Chairman:
Colin Spackman (2nd term)
Wellington Museum
st
Vice-Chairman:
Mike Motum (1 term)
Somerset Military Museum
st
Secretary/Treasurer: Jane Hill (1 Term)
Somerset Heritage & Libraries Service
Committee:
Yvonne Back
Bishop’s Lydeard Mill & Rural Life Museum
Vicky Dawson
Freelance Museum Consultant
Helen Mansfield
Somerset Heritage & Libraries Service
John Page
Axbridge Museum, King John’s Hunting Lodge
Ex Officio
Natalie Watson
Museums Development Officer, Somerset
The Somerset County Rep for the SWFed (Barbara Gilbert) had been elected at the Winter Group Meeting.
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7. Spring Meeting
The Minutes of the Winter Group Meeting at Watchet were approved and signed.
The next Group Meeting will take place on Monday 15th October, in Street or Wells.
8. Insurance Matters (Shaun Briddon of Atom Insurance Brokers)
Insurance for museums is complicated:
 Assets
 Public liability
 Volunteers (construed as employees)
 Paid staff
 Trustees’ indemnity
Basically insurance is transferring a risk: We have X, please protect it/them.
(A fact sheet from Shaun’s presentation will be circulated to members and is also available from the MDO.)
Employer’s liability will be a minimum of £10,000,000 and covers volunteers.
With public liability, always manage the risk, eg put WET FLOOR signs out – and take them away again.
NB Claims can be made up to three years after an accident – and some claims are left deliberately till the last
minute, because the claim is then harder to disprove.
**IMPORTANT** Photograph the scene if possible. Get witness statements & get them signed and dated.
For event insurance, talk to your insurers. If using an outside company, you are subcontracting your
liabilities, eg bouncy castle, fireworks firm – but YOU NEED A COPY OF THEIR INSURANCE CERTIFICATE.
Questioned about public liability arising from an event, Shaun advised:
DO NOT GET INVOLVED. PASS ANY PAPERWORK DIRECT TO INSURERS.
PICK PHONE UP. TAKE LEGAL ADVICE. A ‘CRISIS MANAGEMENT LINE’ will advise what you can and cannot
say to the press.
Trustee liability insurance – NB Individuals on the board are responsible for what happens at a museum.
(In answer to a question, Shaun will check what the cut-off period is for a claim made after someone ceases
to be a trustee.)
Atom Insurance are brokers for Ecclesiastical Insurance, which has many years of experience in insurance of
heritage buildings, fine art and irreplaceable collections. NB However good the cover, you can’t beat good
risk management.
The following were raised as questions:
a) Valuation of items/ decision to put a value on an object or not to insure/ loss of revenue where
stolen or broken items were a big visitor attraction - CHECK POLICY WORDING. GET AGREEMENT
ON BASIS OF SETTLEMENT.
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b) Restoration costs can be huge, eg following smoke/flood damage. YOU NEED TO TALK TO YOUR
BROKER TO GET THE RIGHT INSURANCE.
c) In answer to a question about incentives to group together to come to a broker, there is the
possibility that if museums do agree to band together, there MAY be a group discount IF
EVERYONE takes up insurance.
d) Insurance of archives – there are problems of valuation. Insurance to cover restoration &
treatment is important.
e) Trustee indemnity – probably around £100 premium. Not suitable for group insurance.
f)
Security requirements: Timber doors; 5-lever mortise locks; window locks; if there is an alarm,
YOU MUST INFORM YOUR INSURER IF IT IS NOT WORKING.
g) If there are more than five volunteers (full-time equivalent), there must be: a Health & Safety
Policy; Risk Assessments; Method Statements for work, etc.
h) Is it true that where there are steps/mobile ramps you must not help someone up or down?
TRUE. The problem is that if there is an accident, you cannot prove you were not negligent.
MORAL: Speak to a broker. Nothing off the peg will work properly for you.
8. Updates from regional representatives:
Arts Council England. No report had been received. See SWFed website for up-to-date information –
www.swfed.org.uk .
South West Federation of Museums and Art Galleries (Helena Jaeschke)
There will be a new website in 2-3 weeks. Museums can advertise events.
Keeping checking the SWFed website for up-to-date information for museums. It has been warning
museums of possible threats to collections recently: there has been a spate of thefts of Chinese Art and
previously the trend has been rhino horn, and before that police memorabilia, especially truncheons.
There are some second-hand display cases available from the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum.
See the website.
SWFed is part of a consortium (with the Bristol Museums, Exeter and Plymouth) to deliver Museums
Development.
All training deliverers have been asked to put helpful documents on the SWFed website, eg templates for
accreditation & model documents.
The AGM will be held on 18th June at the Museum of Somerset, Taunton. The guest speaker is the head of
ACE South West. Good company, good food, food for thought – BOOK ON THE WEBSITE www.swfed.org.uk
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8. Reports from museums
Alfred Gillett Trust, C&J Clark Ltd, Street ( Charlotte Berry)
The new store building for archives and museum is complete and is in the process of drying out. The team is
hoping for money from Clarks for a digitisation project. They would like to buy Adlib software. The staff also
helps with the running of the Shoe Museum. Charlotte is getting out and about for talks – contact her about
availability.
Re the demise of MLA, although ACE has taken over museum functions, the National Archives have taken
over the archive function. So far, nothing has been heard from TNA.
The Trust plans to apply for a cataloguing grant from the Business Archives Council. A start has been made
on Oral Histories, starting with six Clarks employees, and this will progress to include members of the family.
Axbridge and District Museum Trust (John Page)
Our season has opened in a similar fashion to last year, with regard to the number of visitors and the
recurrent problem with National Trust members expecting to get in free, even though we point out to them
that we rent the property from the National Trust, so the Trust are not financing our project. However, we
have received some additional one-off funding, just prior to opening the new season, which should mean
that we are able to continue through this season and possibly two or three years more with the tight control
on funding we have initiated to stay afloat. Unfortunately it is not sufficient to make life easy, but that’s the
world today.
Our temporary exhibition on Philip Rahtz was successful and this month we are hosting an exhibition from
Hazel Hudson, the leading local historian of Wedmore, which has some very fascinating pictures. Next month
our theme will be the Lost Cave of Axbridge, a cave that has recently been rediscovered on the hill above the
town. We also hope to have a talk or two, in the Mendip Hills Archaeology Month (July), from the
archaeologist who has been working on the new pipeline that will link up to the additional reservoir to be
built at Cheddar. This sounds as though it may have some very interesting discoveries as it passes through an
area which would have been the port associated with Axbridge. Also the Chalice Morris Men will be
celebrating their 40 anniversary during July and we will have some memories to display for that, probably
linked to some dancing In the Square.
There has been some delay in modifying our “Welfare through the Ages” display, but hopefully that will
come to the fore in the next month or two. We have been successful, though, in acquiring a few more
custodians, so that is looking better, though we can always do with more. So, a better outlook than the start
of this year, but still some way to go before we can feel easy about the long term future.
Bishops Lydeard Mill (Yvonne Back)
Bishops Lydeard Mill will open at the end of May for its 9th season!
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The garden has had a very frustrated husband working non-stop on weeding it ...Charlie has had a back
operation which has prevented him doing too much but he can use a hoe so the weeds have had to go!!
We have done some maintenance work inside the building...improved the counter area and have added one
new display....a cottage style kitchen complete with spinning wheel. There are lots of plans for outside but
they have not quite made it...yet! The gypsy caravan will appear before the end of the season, the cider press
will also be found a home but I think the troika and French wagon may well have to wait for next year.
Last season raised over £9,000 for charity but we hope this year will be even better. The benefitting charities
are Cancer UK, We are Macmillan, St Margaret’s Somerset Hospice, SURE (Somerset Unit for Radiotherapy
Equipment) and The Open Door (a homeless charity).
Museum members are welcome for free!
Chard Museum (David Ricketts)
Good news: Over 320 ‘Friends’ signed up to date; now our largest single source of income when Gift Aid is
included. 202 visitors in April 2012; a great improvement on similar period in 2011. Open until 8pm Friday
for Museums at Night/ 4pm Saturday. Taken ad with discount coupon in Take One Media ‘Somerset, things
to see and do’.
Bad news: Uncertain financial sustainability in 2014 without LA grants; Nobody volunteers to put on special
events; succession of officers is an insoluble problem; How to get more visitors through the door?
Coker Rope & Sail Trust, Dawes Twine Works - West Coker (Ross Aitken)
On show to-day is the sales ledger of Coker Sailcloth from September 1868 – August 1875 from the works of
George Gould, important local manufacturers. This sales ledger has for the last 13 years been in a trunk in a
hall in Merriott being dusted off every 3-4 years. Previously it had been in the loft of the last house in Lopen
on the left going northwards towards the Roman Road, for probably 125 years. The entries are ‘gold dust’ for
us giving a picture of the sales of Coker Canvass, twine & webbing during this period.
Crewkerne and District Museum (Janet Harris)
Since we opened in March we seem to have been very busy, not just with usual museum activities but
organising displays for the Royal visit to Crewkerne recently. Our jubilee exhibition “Queen and Country” is
proving to be popular and enjoyed by all age groups – we have a group of Brownies visiting soon to see it
and learn about life 60 years ago. Two of our volunteers represented the museum in the Town Hall and
were pleased to be able to tell Prince Philip about the sailcloth industry in the area and how Crewkerne grew
as a result of the industrial development. The Queen commented that “it is good to keep things”, an
encouraging endorsement for the museums!
Our AGM recently was a fitting time to tell our members that we have run at a profit this last year, in spite of
cuts in funding. At least we have a cushion against the coming year. The continuing support of our Friends
organisation is key to this success and we are very grateful for everything they do. Accreditation rumbles on
and we are now on the last lap of the application. The deadline is 6th June and we will be pleased to see that
date arrive!
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Plans for our next special exhibition are underway. “Play the Game” will open on 16th June to coincide with
the Olympics, and run until September. We are taking part in local events and entertaining groups at the
museum so there is plenty to occupy us until the autumn.
Fleet Air Arm Museum (David Hill)
FAAM has had a good start to the financial year. By the second week of April visitor numbers were up to the
April 2011 total – probably thanks to an earlier Easter holiday and wet weather. 2011-2012 visitor numbers
held up. A Falklands 30th Anniversary exhibition will officially open on 30th June, featuring seven actual
Falklands aircraft, including Humphrey the Wessex and a newly acquired Lynx, which flew not only in the
Falklands Conflict, but also in the Gulf War, during which it disabled five Iraq patrol boats.
The Visitor Services Department continue with family activities and schools’ programmes, and will be doing
engineering activities at the Bath and West Show. FAAM will be submitting a Stage 1 HLF bid for a new
entrance, to avoid the large flight of steps, and this will feature a WW1 Seaplane Lighter, the world’s oldest
surviving aircraft carrier. We have mentioned before the formation of the National Museum of the Royal
Navy. So far, this has only affected governance, but it is beginning to impact on the day to day running of
the Museum, eg Accreditation will be as a national museum.
Ilchester Museum (Gerry Masters)
The Museum has completed refurbishment of display cases for Robert Veal (1326 charity). New lighting has
been installed. An event is planned for next weekend and there will be local history walks. Ilchester gets a
good mention in a new book on the A303, ‘Highway to the Sun’.
Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust (Robin Pearson)
The focus of the Trust is very much on the current situation facing it following the news last September that
the Board of the West Somerset Railway had decided not to renew the Trust’s lease at Washford Station
which expires in May 2020. The Trust has taken the following decisions:
 The membership will be fully consulted and will make any decisions about the Trust’s future.
 Set up an electronic database to ease consultation process.
 Formed a Trust sub-committee to look at all issues relating to the lease non-renewal and the Trust’s
future. The sub-committee will report to the Management Committee which will make all final
decisions after consultation with the membership.
Meetings have taken place with the West Somerset Railway (the General Manager) and the two other Trusts
with interests in the S & D Railway (the Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust and the North Dorset
Railway Trust). The WSR’s position remains unchanged (needs the site for its own commercial purposes) and
the other two Trusts remain sympathetic to our situation but have no plans for either amalgamation with
them or, at this stage, acquisition of any of our museum items or other equipment. As leaseholders
themselves, our situation has given them food for thought about their futures!
A Members’ Focus Group was held prior to the Trust’s AGM held last month. This produced a number of
initial views about the future which will be considered by the Management Committee. A number of
options are being considered, some of which must remain confidential at this stage. The situation has led to
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the Trust taking a look at the future of the Trust in general, including the long term viability of it remaining at
Washford. The workload in considering and developing options for the future is considerable and is causing
concern among the active members of the Trust, who, in relation to the membership as a whole, are
relatively few. Requests for more assistance both on the Management Committee and in other general ways
have not met with any response.
Relations with WRS remain friendly. A meeting with the board is planned for a future date. It is hoped to
have decisions about the future of the Trust in place by 2013 (although not acted upon), as any ‘Exit
Strategy’ from Washford will take a considerable time to achieve if ultimately necessary. Disposal of
museum items, if and when necessary, will be complicated as our constitution requires disposal, not sale, to
‘like-minded organisations with the same objectives as the Trust’.
Other news includes:
 The recent AGM saw two resignations from the committee with no replacements forthcoming. The
rest of the committee was elected unopposed including the Chairman, Godfrey Baker. The Trust has
lost two of its longest serving members, David Milton, a Trustee, and Paul Fry, a former S & D
employee, who both passed away in March. Two new Trustees have been appointed, one to replace
the late David Milton and one to replace Dr Peter Trenchard, who has resigned from the post.
 Membership is slightly down on last year.
 An ongoing problem is the lack of volunteers both for administration and other duties including
serving on the committee and at Washford itself.
 A positive note is that the restoration of a former Victorian ex-S & D railway coach by Trust
volunteers is progressing well and the Trust’s steam locomotive ‘Kilmersdon’ will be back in steam in
the autumn after overhaul.
 The trust will be marking the 50th anniversary of the last running of the ‘Pines Express’ over the S & D
route from Bath to Bournemouth in September.
 Along with the WRS, the Trust will also be marking the passing of the Olympic Torch past Washford
Station on Monday 21st May.
Somerset Cricket Museum (Louise Perrin)
The refurbishment & redisplay of Somerset Cricket proceeds day by day and week by week. Objects are
being selected, graphics sorted & text written. The new display cases have been installed and very little
tweaking has been needed. It looks stunning.
We are on course to be open to the public on 22 May, when Somerset are playing Durham at home. A
Grand Opening will be held later in the year.
Somerset Heritage & Library Service (Helen Mansfield)
Somerset County Council is currently carrying out a service review, with options of the Heritage Service
staying in council control OR being contracted out OR moving to trust status. A decision is expected by the
end of 2012. Museums in Somerset Group and the Military Museum have had input to review team. There
will be change of some sort. There is a lottery submission being prepared for the Rural Life Museum, and
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Helen is writing an Activity Plan in collaboration with RLM volunteers. There is a Hinkley Point Archaeology
Project, funded by EDF, and Jane Hill will be working on this.
Jane Hill mentioned that the Mendip Hills Festival of Archaeology will run again this year, with reenactments, guided walks and a Finds Day.
Somerset Military Museum (Mike Motum)
The Military Museum is concentrating on trying to encourage people to come upstairs to visit it and is
focusing attention on the stairs. It is also trying to get an Oral History Programme going. Work on the medal
collection is on-going, as is work on the reserve collection. The Military Museum feels at home in the
Somerset Heritage Centre. There are more enquiries as a result of the new exhibitions, and these lead to
archive searches and the use of the library at Mount Street.
Washford Radio Museum (Neil Wilson)
The Museum has had a visit from the BBC programme, ‘Antiques Road Trip’, filming the Coronation
broadcast engineering documents. Neil also has a record of the Royal Family’s visit to Broadcasting House
in 1939 – mainly just chatter. This may not be used in the TV programme, as it will need royal permission for
a broadcast.
Watchet Boat Museum (Bruce Scott)
Opened for 150 anniversary of first train to Watchet. Boat Museum is in the old rail goods shed so we joined
in and Bruce dressed as Brunel who was the surveyor for the line, though he died a couple of years before it
was completed. Reopened for Easter and now open for two hours each day till 31 September. We have two
new books by local authors: Boats of the Somerset Levels by Mike Smylie; this covers the flatner boats which
we exhibit. The other book is Somerset's Jurassic Coast, a very useful brief description of the fossil rocks of
the local cliffs. We will be joining in the Watchet town's week of entertainment from August 11 culminating
in the annual Carnival Parade. The Boat Museum main activities will be over the w/e of 18 & 19th August.
Watchet Market House Museum (Keith Sullivan)
We opened a week early this year to celebrate 150 yrs. of the railway coming to Watchet, with a small
display of railway photographs from as far back as 1862. This ran for a week in conjunction with the
celebratory steam gala. Visitor numbers were good recording over a 1000 for that week. Since then numbers
have been steady except for that awful few days of weather at the end of April when on the storm tossed
Sunday afternoon we had 5 visitors, 3 of whom came from New South Wales. Sales appear to be down also
which is disappointing but reflects the general belt tightening around the country.
In June, as the railway display worked well, we will theme a Coronation display of photographs from
Watchet for that period to celebrate the Jubilee. Throughout the new season we are presenting a display
about Wansbrough Paper Mill and the paper industry, there having been a paper industry in Watchet for
nearly 300 years. We were grateful that Craig Nicol, the general manager of the mill, visited to open the
display and that bridges are being built with them not least because Wansbrough has been so very
important to the town and its people through good times and bad. The process of forming a Junior
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Museum Society in conjunction with Knights Templar School has begun with membership cards and badges
made ready. You may remember that they took part in our Take One exhibition last year. Esther Hoyle, from
the Somerset Heritage Centre visited the school to give a talk about our heritage and how to do research so
we are hoping that this will prove successful in stimulating the children’s interest. It is hoped to arrange
more speakers for them throughout the year.
I am happy to report that our landlords, Wyndham estate, have finally begun the necessary repairs to the
guttering, its fixing and the fascia boards of the Market House building. It was causing us some considerable
concern. We are grateful to the Somerset Cricket Museum for giving us one of their surplus display
cabinets, which has proven ideal for our purposes and we wish them well with their newly refurbished
premises. We are due to renew our accreditation status with the Arts Council in 2014 and our committee
will be working on upgrading our forward plan and strategy to meet this date so as to keep the museum
dynamic and ready to meet the difficult challenges ahead. Thank you.
Wellington Museum (Colin Spackman)
Visitor numbers are better than last year, and income is holding up. The displays were refreshed over the
winter. There are a few new stewards, and two new active committee members. There will be a Finds event
in June. A Jubilee plaque was mooted, but there is a lack of interest.
What’s in a name? Colin took soundings about whether Wellington Museum and Local History Society
should instead be Wellington Local History Society. Wellington Heritage Society was suggested. Let Colin
know if you come up with something inspired.
Wells and Mendip Museum (Barry Lane)
Last year was the first full year of taking in the Wells Tourist Information Centre. This year so far visitor
numbers are up and shop sales are up. The Museum has had a small grant from AIM to increase
sales/donations. It has advertised successfully for volunteers and now a young person, a professional
retailer, is revamping the shop. Having considered applying for a big HLF grant, in the end the Museum did
not apply, which came as relief to volunteers – who are now putting on exhibitions and taking ownership.
Weston super Mare Museum (Jane Hill)
Jane is leaving her job as curator of this collection. Work on the collections will continue under the existing
service-level agreement. The rest of the curatorial team will cover, and (Jane hopes) in time a dedicated
person will curate. Weston super Mare Museum aims to submit a Stage 1 HLF bid, with the intention of
doing a big revamp. The Museum is still active, with events such as a Craft Fair and an Armed Forces Day.
Westonzoyland Pumping Station (John Trenchard)
The Pumping Station has had a reasonable spring in terms of visitor numbers. Last year’s Steam on the
Levels special event proved so popular that is being run again this month for two days. A positive side to the
recent heavy rainfall was that it allowed some enthusiastic pumping in earnest. Sedgemoor District Council
will give £1000 towards a new toilet block, if the Station can get match funding. It is being encouraged to bid
for landfill tax.
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Wincanton & District Museum and History Society (Nigel Fox)
Our museum in the High Street was closed down in 2010 following disagreement over the large increase in
rent proposed at the time. We were, however, able to continue with our other displays at 3 local schools
and in one of the pubs. The remaining 1000 + artefacts were then securely stored elsewhere in the town.
We have been able to find an alternative home in a room adjacent to our public library, and are currently
finalising the lease for this and hope to move there in September after refurbishment and installation of new
computer equipment. We hope to have a link to the Town Hall where the Tourist Office is based. We have
continued to have our monthly lectures which are popular and which provide some income. Most have a
local theme (e.g. history of coalmining nearby) but others are more diverse with subjects including the Zulu
War, Mosaics at Ravenna in Italy, the Suffragettes, and the History of the mounted Metropolitan Police. Our
funds remain healthy.
Conservation Development Officer (Helena Jaeschke)
The CDO post looks likely to continue for three years, though this is not yet totally sure.
 Please let Helena know what you want and what training you want.
 There is an environmental monitoring black box available for loan in Somerset.
 Helena is still running her central purchasing scheme, eg a complete Labelling and Marking Kit.
9. Museum Development Officer’s Report (Natalie Watson)
The Somerset Routes website was launched on 27th March 2012. There have been 2020 different visitors,
not including repeat visitors. The site has 386 Facebook friends and 287 Twitter followers. There are over
400 user-submitted photographs. People can load photos onto Flickr and tag to Somerset Routes. The most
popular section of the website is Events – those listed are mainly National Trust – more museum events are
needed. Similarly museum News is needed.
Natalie took members through the pages of the website.
Members are asked to check that their Collections information is correct.
All user comments will be moderated before posting.
All user photographs will be moderated.
For Search Engine Optimisation USE KEY WORDS ON INDIVIDUAL PAGES.
Members should link their own websites to Somerset Routes. (Somerset Routes links to member sites.)
See HELP PROMOTE US.
Museums will edit their own pages, the Standing Committee will activate the changes (Dual Control).
There is a ‘house-style’ for the website. Guidelines are attached to these Minutes.
The site has had good publicity on radio. There have been and will be press trips – handled by Fresh PR.
10. Members then had training in updating their own pages.
The meeting closed at 16.00
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Apologies for absence were received from:
Arts Council England
Chard Museum
CHAC, Yeovil
Glastonbury Abbey
Ilchester Museum
Milverton Village Archive
Minehead Museum-to-be
Museums in Somerset Committee
National Trust
Somerset Brick & Tile Museum
Somerset Heritage and Library Service
Watchet Market House Museum
Museums in Somerset AGM & Spring Group Meeting 2012
Mary Godwin
Dee & Peter Manley
Joseph Lewis
Wendy Best
Ros Marsh
Nigel Wood
Caroline Giddens
Vicky Dawson
Barbara Wood
Doria Shepherd, Paul Wilson
Tom Mayberry
Jim Nicholas
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Members present:
Museum/organisation
Name
Conservation Development Officer
Helena Jaeschke
Alfred Gillett Trust
Charlotte Berry
Axbridge Museum
John Page
Bishops Lydeard Mill
Yvonne Back
Chard Museum
David Ricketts
Coker Rope & Sail Trust
Ilchester Museum
Angus McPhee
Ross Aitken
Hugh Murray-Gorley
Janet Harris
Simon Andrew
Barbara Gilbert
David Hill
Gerry Masters
Somerset Cricket Museum
Louise Perrin
Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust
Robin Pearson
Somerset Heritage & Libraries Service
Somerset Military Museum
Helen Mansfield
Jane Hill
Natalie Watson (MDO)
Mike Motum
Washford Radio Museum
Neil Wilson
Watchet Boat Museum
Bruce Scott
Watchet Market House Museum
Keith Sullivan
Wellington Museum
Wells & Mendip Museum
Colin Spackman
John Hamer
Barry Lane
Westonzoyland Pumping Station
John Trenchard
Wincanton Museum
Nigel Fox
Crewkerne Museum
Fleet Air Arm Museum
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Museums in Somerset – Somerset Routes website
Guidelines for updating your own page on the website
When writing text for the website it is important for the information to be clear, accurate and legible by the
various different audiences. The average reading age of the UK is 12-13 years and 1 in 4 adults in the UK
have reading or writing difficulties. Therefore text should be written using the following guidelines to make it
accessible for all.
Sentence length
Write a maximum of 17 words per sentence. People don’t spend as long reading webpages than they do
other types of text, so keep sentences short and to the point.
Tone
Use active phrases, e.g. ‘join us on an exciting walk’, rather than a passive one, e.g. ‘The Armada Chest
displayed at Wellington has been much commented on and admired’. You can also use an exclamation mark!
Font, size and colour
The website editor allows you to format your text in a variety of ways, such as font, text colour, size
etc. The default font, size and colour have been selected for legibility and accessibility, please do
not alter them from the default settings. You can use Bold to create emphasis but avoid Italics and
Underlining words. Remember:
D0n’t change the font
or the size or the colour.
Vocabulary
Avoid technical terms, or explain them. Put them in a context in which they make sense. Avoid using
specialist vocabulary and jargon; if a popular term doesn’t exist, explain it.
Dates
Consistency is needed with dates and numbers:
 write dates out in full: 29 September 2011. Please use this format only

when referring to centuries, write ‘1800s’ rather than ‘19th century’ or nineteenth century. If you do
have to refer to a whole century, use numerals (e.g. 19th) rather than writing out the number in
words.

write the full decade out, as in 1950s. Don’t write 50s.
Numbers
Numbers up to ten should be written as words. Above ten, e.g. 11, 12, 27, 103, should be written in
numerals.
Times
Times should be in 24 hour clock: 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30, etc. Do not use AM or PM.
Museums in Somerset AGM & Spring Group Meeting 2012
Minutes Page
13
Images
When uploading an image you will be given an option of what size to display it at. Please keep to the
recommended size of 200 pixels wide as this displays best on the majority of internet browsers.
The file size of the image does not matter (e.g. 2MB versus 100KB) as the website will automatically resize it
for the web. However make sure your original isn’t too small otherwise the image will look pixelated and
fuzzy.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Museums in Somerset AGM & Spring Group Meeting 2012
Minutes Page
14
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