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Published on Friday 31 January 2025

Poole Museum is set to welcome a new group of trustees in its landmark reopening year following a significant redevelopment.

The museum’s current trustees have made the decision to step down from their roles, paving the way for a new period in the museum’s governance and vision.

Poole Museum, which is owned and operated by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council and supported by Poole Museum Foundation, has relied on the foundation’s current leadership who have supported the museum to champion learning, community engagement, new acquisitions, and exhibitions.

After years of dedicated service, the current trustees, Peter Burt, Peter Dobson, Professor Paul Gough, Tim Ingram and Dr. Jo Kennedy, and the late Professor Timothy Darvill guided by the Chair of the Board, Felicity Irwin, officially stood down at the foundation’s recent board meeting on 23 January 2025. Their collective decision reflects their commitment to ensure a seamless transition as the museum approaches its reopening and enters a new era of growth and opportunity in the summer.

Chair Felicity Irwin has also stepped down from her leadership role but will remain a named trustee during the handover process. This will continue until the new trustees are formally recognised by the Charity Commission and fully onboard, ensuring continuity and stability.

The new trustees, to be announced later this year, have undergone a rigorous selection process. They were approved by the outgoing board to ensure a smooth transition.

Councillor Andy Martin, Portfolio Holder for Customer, Communications and Culture at Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council said:

“We would like to extend our deepest thanks to the Poole Museum Foundation Trustees as they step down from their roles within the foundation. Their dedication, expertise, and passion under the leadership of Felicity Irwin, who I have known and worked with for more than 30 years and who I would like to thank personally, has been instrumental in shaping both the foundation and Poole Museum, and their support and guidance has been invaluable to the museum in recent years. We are extremely grateful for their leadership and service.

“The Trustees have been pivotal in building a strong community of support for the museum, ensuring the museum remains a vibrant and integral part of Poole’s cultural landscape. They have also been influential in securing donations and funding, which have been crucial for the museum’s growth and sustainability.

"Looking ahead, we are excited to welcome new trustees who share the foundation's core values and vision for the future. Their fresh perspectives and ideas will help inspire and guide the foundation’s continued efforts, and we are confident that the legacy of our outgoing trustees will be ongoing as we embark on an exciting new chapter in Poole Museum’s history, as it prepares to reopen this summer following a major redevelopment."

Jaine Fitzpatrick, Interim Museum Director, Poole Museum said:

“On behalf of Poole Museum and BCP Council’s staff, volunteers, and friends past and present, I’d like to thank the Poole Museum Trustees (PMF) for their many years of support and exceptional advocacy.

“The museum would not be in the position it is now, about to embark on a bright and exciting future if it had not been for PMF, particularly Felicity – who has left an outstanding legacy of which she should be rightfully proud. We wish all Trustees standing down the very best for the future and look forward to welcoming them all to the new museum when we reopen in the summer, and for many years to come.”

Poole Museum is set to reopen in the summer as a leading cultural destination, following two and a half years of redevelopment, supported by funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Visitors to the new Poole Museum, which remains free for general entry, can look forward to three brand new maritime galleries; increased interactive and engaging display; a new temporary exhibitions gallery bringing national touring exhibitions to Poole; a vibrant events and activities programme; better access throughout the museum’s estate; conserved and restored heritage buildings; and a welcoming new café space and enhanced wedding venue.

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