Bright Culture were commissioned in 2020 to provide mentor support to the team at the Manor House Museum in Alford, Lincolnshire. The team were working on an application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for funding towards the recreation of a historic millwright’s workshop.
Manor House Museum were gifted the entire collection of Thompson’s Millwright workshop in 2016, including over 2000 items of machinery, tools, images and patterns and recognised as unique by experts. Thompson’s were one of the last operating millwrighting firms and the workshop was located nearby in Alford.
The project aimed to house, preserve, interpret and make available the large collection to visitors, local people, tourists, interest groups, volunteers, schools, students and apprentices. A replica of the workshop and yard will be built to display the collection and produce high quality interpretation. In addition, the Manor House Museum will develop a new volunteer programme and an activity programme including opportunities for young people to undertake practical work placements, an education programme, new heritage craft events, oral history projects and intergenerational skills sharing projects for local people.
Bright Culture was contracted by the team to provide mentor support and guide the team through the project development and activity planning process. We worked with the team to deliver consultation with local people, businesses, and community groups to gather thoughts and feedback on the project. Consultation included focus group sessions, a survey and interviews with people who used the museum and those who didn’t.
Project ideas were tested with potential user groups and advice taken to what the local need was. Lisa worked with the team to look at potential ways the new millwrights barn could engage and develop the audience to the museum, identifying target audiences and developing project ideas. Bright Culture supported the team with putting their NLHF application together, including their Activity Statement.
The large grant scheme for the National Heritage Lottery Fund is both complex and frightening for the newcomer. Working on behalf of Bright Culture Lisa used her extensive experience to give us invaluable support throughout the process. the research she completed into our community needs and consequent draft activity plan gave our application a major boost and significantly improved our chances of success. We are looking forward to working with Lisa and Bright Culture again and would recommend her to anyone working on an NLHF bid.
Dennis Bell, Trustee Alford and District Civic Trust