My experience ranges from working with large organisations to small community groups. I have helped my clients to plan and develop visitor experiences at all kinds of special places, from museums, historic buildings and visitor centres to parks, forests, towns and landscapes. I have also worked at every scale, from single leaflets and panels to major exhibitions and full landscape strategies.
Here are some projects that I have been working on recently.
OOT & ABOOT – Talking Coquetdale: touring exhibition (2023)
For the Out of Town Museum
Bailiffgate Museum & Art Gallery, Alnwick
Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund
- An immersive, colourful and sensory journey into the lives and stories of the people of remote rural Coquetdale, based around a rich new oral history collection
- I worked with interpretive designer Marcus Byron to the develop the exhibition concept and deliver this popular hands-on exhibition, in close collaboration with project leader Sally Brewis and her volunteer team
- OOT & ABOOT visited six community venues in the Coquet Valley, then spent a month at Bailiffgate Museum and six weeks at The Sill National Landscapes Discovery Centre on Hadrian’s Wall. Key elements of the displays now have a permanent home at Bailiffgate Museum
- Over 10,000 local people and visitors came to the exhibition across the different venues and the displays were hugely well received
- Highly Commended in the Association for Heritage Interpretation’s Engaging People Awards 2023
‘I am finally beginning to understand the place I have lived in for so many years. You have drawn stories, pictures and sound together brilliantly.’
Exhibition visitor
St Aidan’s Crypt (2018)
St Aidan’s Church, Bamburgh
For Bamburgh Heritage Trust & Northumberland Coast AONB
Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund
- Atmospheric audio-visual experience in the historic crypt, telling the incredible story of the Anglo-Saxon people whose remains are newly interred there, with supporting interpretive displays in the church
- I prepared the interpretation plan for the Accessing Aidan project, which helped secure National Lottery Heritage Funding
- I worked with interpretive designers Bright to develop and deliver the interpretive scheme and wrote the AV and exhibition copy
- Award Winner: ‘Hidden Gem’, UK Heritage Awards 2019; Best Coast or Countryside Project, LOVE Northumberland Awards 2021; Bowland Award 2022 for best project, best practice or outstanding contribution to the wellbeing of National Landscapes (National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty)
‘With the help of new technology, the secrets these ancient people took to their graves 1,400 years ago have been unlocked and brought to life for a 21st century audience’
Jeff Watson, Northumberland County Councillor and Chair of Northumberland Coast AONB
Destination Tweed interpretation plan (2022)
For Tweed Forum and partners
Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund
- Major landscape-scale interpretation plan for the new source-to-sea trail along the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders
- I developed and delivered the interpretation plan, drawing on the remarkable heritage, natural history and rich community stories of the river, identifying the aims, audiences, unifying storylines and messages and a vision for the interpretive experience
- I worked alongside interpretive designers Bright to establish the interpretive vision and develop a suite of branded interpretive resources and activities, in close consultation with Tweed Forum, its partners, stakeholders and the catchment area communities
- The interpretation plan helped Tweed Forum to secure over £2million of National Lottery Heritage Funding
‘Destination Tweed will celebrate and share the nature, history and stories of the River Tweed, one of the UK’s most highly designated and inspirational river corridors.’
Destination Tweed Vision Statement, Tweed Forum 2022
Travelling Treasure & Inspired Futures (2016-2020)
For the Diocese of Newcastle
Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund
- Inspired Futures supported 18 churches in the north-east of England to find sustainable futures
- I was a key member of the consultant team, working with the church groups to develop heritage skills and prepare heritage activity plans
- Travelling Treasure touring exhibition was a key output, developed with significant input from the church teams
- I worked with interpretive designer Marcus Byron to design the exhibition elements and manage production
- Travelling Treasure toured eleven churches during 2019 and early 2020, and began touring again independently in 2022
- Highly Commended in the Association for Heritage Interpretation’s Engaging People Awards 2021
‘What a surprise! I have lived here 20 years and I never knew how old, beautiful and inspirational this church is. Thanks for educating me!’
Exhibition visitor
Guisborough Town Hall (2021)
Activity Planning, Delivery & Evaluation
For Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council and partners
Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund
- I worked closely with fellow heritage engagement consultant Carolyn Lloyd Brown to deliver an Activity Plan during the restoration of historic Guisborough Town Hall
- The activities we devised helped tell the story of the building, showcase heritage skills and engage the local community and young people with aspects of their heritage and craft skills
- We successfully delivered community heritage training workshops; a series of hard hat tours of the building; a community Heritage Festival; and a new town trail leaflet
‘It expanded my knowledge about archives in general and the Town Hall in particular’ / ‘It felt as though I was taking a step back in time!’
Community heritage training workshop participants
‘What a wonderful wordsmith you are. You have given us a great backbone of work which is in constant use and appreciated every day.’
Alastair Bradley, Church Warden, St Michael & All Angels Church, Houghton le Spring