Hello,
The situation at the Wedgwood Museum has not materially changed for some 6 months. Common sense might suggest that it is wrong, however laws that were brought in to protect pension funds after the Maxwell fiasco have left a lophole which may result in the wholesale plunder of a unique museum. This is NOT what the law was set up to do and it is this that is the subject of the judgement in the spring of 2011.
Apart from giving our support, there is little that can be done, since it is unlikely that those who wish to liquidate the museum, as an asset of the former Waterford Wedgwood company, will change their mind; possibly they could be sued by 'a n other' for not performing their Duty of Care if they do not explore every possibe source of money/asset for re-funding the pension fund. Of course morally it stinks, but sadly the tortuous logic is inescapable.
General support and publicity can, IMHO, only help to give awareness to others about the situation. The ramifications toward other museum funding problems and answers being formulated are obvious - particularly, as the article suggests, where Trusts are involved.
Let us hope that the judgement is enlightened, giving what might be considered a common sense approach to the problem, rather than perhaps upholding what turns out to be a law being used/abused - however legal!!
Nigel