The Hockey Museum (THM) is delighted to announce its participation in MuseumWIDE, a new training programme from South East Museum Development. It will guide THM on its journey to become more welcoming, inclusive, diverse and equitable, building on the values and strengths already evident in hockey and within the museum’s heritage collections.

The Hockey Museum has created an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee led by Trustee Tochi Panesar. Also represented on the committee are fellow trustees, staff members and volunteers ensuring input from across the museum’s operation. The committee’s initial ambition is to create a series of EDI commitments that would permeate throughout THM ensuring consideration of EDI principles in future activity. MuseumWIDE was identified as a vehicle through which we can achieve this successfully. In addition to a programme of webinar-based learning, as part of the project THM will work with expert consultant Isilda Almeida to self-assess and reflect, and to shape our EDI commitments.

We were delighted to learn on 11 November that we had been one of the 11 successful candidates across the South East of England. For a small, independent museum we are in very good company!

Through our participation in MuseumWIDE we hope to become a more relevant and inclusive museum for volunteers, staff, and in-person and online visitors. It is an opportunity to draw on external expertise to continue our organisational growth. This EDI project will build upon previous work undertaken to review THM’s strategic direction and learn new digital skills, all in the name of making THM a more sustainable and engaging museum.

The MuseumWIDE project begins on 18 November 2021 and concludes on 26 May 2022. Below is an overview of the itinerary.

The MuseumWIDE Programme

The programme will consist of a total of 6 live online group training sessions, as well as 4 recorded sessions for participant museums to watch and return to at their convenience. Regular online coffee mornings will provide a relaxed space for participants to discuss their ongoing work, the programme content and speak openly with Isilda Almeida. Isilda will also be providing 1-2-1 sessions with each participating museum.

For more information on the MuseumWIDE programme, visit the South East Museum Development website: click here.

THM’s EDI Committee hopes to engage as many trustees and volunteers as possible in this programme.

Our thanks to Helen Derbyshire, our South East Museums Development Officer, for her support and encouragement to pursue this programme.