Broadfield House to Close

[Janet H]

A Joint Meeting of Brierley Hill and Stourbridge Area Committees is being held for Broadfield House Glass Museum on

Thursday 23 July 2009 at 7.00pm

at Wordsley Community Centre
The Green
Wordsley
Stourbridge
DY8 5BN

Please come and support the glass museum and put you points across.

[aa]

Here are two news reports of last night's meeting:

http://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/news/4511572.Empty_Woolies_store_could_house_glass_collection/

http://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/news/4510965.Mayors_speak_out_over_glass_collection/

Both of these are well worth reading.

Note the comment by former mayor Malcolm Knowles:

“If anyone thinks the brief is too narrow we should be big enough to widen it."

Just in case anybody missed this, here it is again!!

“If anyone thinks the brief is too narrow we should be big enough to widen it."

[aa]

The Stourbridge News have covered the meeting comprehensively and here is their third report which has also  had some interesting on-line replies at the bottom of the page
http://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/news/4511128.Council_refuses_to_reveal_study_cost/

The combined groups that have united behind the award-winning Broadfield House Glass Museum now have memberships totalling more than 100,000. Apparently the meeting was packed and it sounds as if there would have been standing room only if any more supporters had turned up, so it is probably a good thing that not everybody was able to attend!!

[Janet H]

As we draw close to the end of phase 1 of the feasability study and meeting on 7th September, I would like to thank Adam Aaronson, Nigel Benson, Graham Cooley and Charles Hajdamach for their enormous help and support for the Campaign to save the Glass Heritage held at Broadfield House Glass Museum!

The fight continues and yes, Stourbridge Glass Deserves a World Class Glass Museum.

A picture outside Broadfield House during another day of campaigning - first a radio interview for a breakfast show then standing outside Council house with banner and then back at Broadfield for another photo shoot.

Yes Stourbridge Glass does deserve a World Class Glass Museum.

[flyboy90]

Hello,
Just a quick mention here people.

I know we are all getting rather dishearted with the campaign.
Yes we are struggling, Dudley Council Are Ruthless.


Come On.... I know you all have facebook get yourselfs on this link and just have a look at the Cause on the to "SAVE BROADFIELD HOUSE GLASS MUSEUM" and the members and administrators we have supporting it!

It will take 2 seconds to just click the link and join the cause we are at 500 members!!!
Another 500 members is always a good thing!
A breath of fresh air possibly?
If you have facebook imagine how many others do!!!!!
Then invite your friends and family and watch the numbers grow!!!!!!!

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/205853

Cheeeeers!

[Janet H]

We are now in our 9th month of the Campaign to Save the Collections held at Broadfield House Glass Museum.
There has been great public and media support for the Museum in this country and abroad.

We have a meeting with Cllrs about Broadfield on the 29th September. Anyone who would like to join us for this please check http://saveourglassheritage.blogspot.com for details.

The campaigners believe, we have one of the best Glass Collections in the world and will continue to fight for a World Class Glass Museum.

JH

[sph@ngw]

When are teh Councillors due to be re-elected in Dudley?
Fear of losing their seat concentrates the mind, and one can always
post posters showing the Councillors against retaining the Museum in a
"NOT WANTED!" or "ANTI BROADFIELD HOUSE!"
Poster.
It is humourous and bangs home the point. Rumours of such a campaign may
lead a few anti-Broadfield Councillors to change sides.

Also how many contributors to the Museum archives ( like me) would ask for their
loans/ archives/papers to be returned if Broadfield House closes?

[nigel benson]

Excellant suggestion Stephen

The local elections for DMBC, believe it or not, are next year

Concentrates the mind even more if your seat is marginal, what??

Nigel

[malwodyn]

It is quite possile that the local elections and the general election will be held on the same day....

[Janet H]

Local Elections - The Borough is split into 24 wards.  Each ward is represented by 3 Councillors.  Local Elections are held in 3 out of 4 years.  There is an election of one Councillor to each of the 24 wards on the first Thursday in May each election year.  The next local elections are scheduled for 6th May 2010 

http://councillors.dudley.gov.uk  This link gives you access to dudley Cllrs details, email address, home address and telephone numbers

These are the Cllrs that will be voting on the future of Broadfield.

Please write to them or phone them up if you care about this issue.

Please note emails tend to get "LOST" in the system.

This is a conservative run Council with a majority of just 14  (Con 43, Lab 26,  Lib 2, UKIP 1) So lobbying them could make all the difference!

[sph@ngw]

Can I put forward the suggestion that through the membership and contacts of this message board, we consider starting a "Save The Broadfield House Fund"?
To do this I suggest that everyone concerned should set up an annual standing order for £20 p.a paid to the Friends of Broadfield House, as a contribution/inducement/sweetner to Dudley Borough Council, to at least defray part of the £120,000 that DBC reckon the Museum is costing them?
If we got 600 contributors  ( 600 x £20),that would solve the funding problem.
If a  Registered Charity is involved a further 20% can be given from tax paid, once the Charity is identified.
Those who contribute to thsi scheme deserve the name "Guardian of The Broadfield House Museum"!
Finally, if ether is a shortfall, i think I could find a one of funding from The British Glass Educational Trust to help kickstart the first year!

[Anne]

I think we'd need 6000 at £20, or 600 at £200, Stephen. 

[nigel benson]

Hi Stephen,

A very good suggestion. You seem to have pre-empted something that may be in the offing, which as yet I cannot discuss. Having said that there maybe an appeal for funds imminently. This is dependant on a few things that are about  to happen.

So, I hope folks will watch this space (and others) and be ready with whatever they can afford - of course the more the better

I have taken onboard the charity angle Stephen - a very good thought, thank you.

I, and a number of other people believe that if we do not make a supreme effort now and save the collections and archives for a World Class Glass Museum we may never have the opportunity again.

For example, I learnt only this weekend that Dudley had the first Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) after the Second World War. The world renowned geology collection associated with that site is languishing in a basement somewhere in Dudley Council (DMBC) awaiting the fulfilment of council's promise to rehouse it in better facilities - it was boxed up years ago, and has now been forgotten about

Sobering thought, eh?

Thanks, Nigel

[sph@ngw]

Hi Nigel,

Thanks for your positive reaction to my proposal. That info about DBC's lack of stewardship about its geology collection, could be a very useful lever. If the local press were tipped off to that story, it could show that heritage and culture is not really a priority in Dudley's thinking, with grave implications for their tourism industry,
(I still find it strange there is not a decent hotel in the area!).

What we really want to do however is work WITH Dudley Borough Council to find a satisfactory solution to preserving and enhancing Broadfield House's repution as a World Class Museum of glass.
I can also ask the Glass Sellers if their Charity Fund will contribute, we have a Court meeting soon.
Perhaps a small local group of our supporters need to have a meeting with the Council Officers - who are the people who flag up funding problems and advise the councillors-to suggest a campaign to raise funds for the long term preservation. That might give us a target to aim at. We do not know if £40k or £60k new income a year will preserve the collection there.
Also if we do this, we need some assurance that they will not change their minds in a few years. The advantage of annual small donations (which are tax deductable for the donors) is that they can be cut off immediately.
Also representatives of the donors will need to be on the Governing Board of the Museum.

Perhaps we need a wealthy glass collector on board as well. As a dealer do you know any such person?
Regards, Stephen

[David E]

To he best of my knowledge, the geology collection is still at Himley Hall, unless it has been removed recently (but I cannot think why that would be necessary).