Jo Jones says hello

I have been in post as Director of Museums and Galleries for Canterbury City Council for five weeks and am really enjoying my new job. I feel very privileged to be working in a beautiful part of the country with such committed and knowledgeable staff, stakeholders and partners, including the Friends of Herne Bay Museum. Thank you to all the Friends who made me so welcome at the 'Not The End of The Pier' exhibition opening at the Museum on 5th July.

Previously I was Arts and Cultural Services Manager for Museums and Galleries for Sefton MBC, based in Southport, Merseyside. I led on the museum and gallery aspect of The Atkinson, a £16 million project to combine three Grade Two Listed buildings and integrate a gallery, museum, library and theatre. This new cultural facility will open in 2013.

One of my priorities for Canterbury district is to create a shared vision for the museum and gallery service with staff and stakeholders. A strategy for the service will also be developed and I am very keen that this is accompanied by an action plan with dates for achieving improvements to the service so that progress can be monitored.

I had a very positive meeting with the committee of Friends of Herne Bay Museum on 7th July. It was evident that the Friends have a number of good ideas and I am looking forward to our staff and the Friends working together to develop the Museum.

New Museum Director

As part of the restructuring and realignment of the Museums service as a whole, Canterbury City Council has appointed a new Director of Museums. She is Joanna Jones, currently Arts and Cultural Services Manager for Sefton Museums & Galleries, she is due to take up her new post in June.

Ken Reedie, who has been Curator of the City Museums and Galleries Service since the early 1970s is due to retire as soon as the Beaney project in Canterbury is complete.

The timing of Ms. Jones' appointment means that no great changes are likely take place in the near future. We can be encouraged that in making this appointment the Council seems serious about its commitment to support the museums and avoid any further threats of closure.

We look forward to working with the new Director, who we understand is enthusiastic about community involvement, to help make Herne bay Museum become the attraction that the town needs.