MESSAGE FROM THE ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT
Dear Borderers,
As many of you will be aware, there is work ongoing between the various Partners who are on the Barracks site in Berwick (such as English Heritage, Museums Northumberland and Berwick Visual Arts) in order to establish a heritage ‘hub’ in the Barracks. This hub is planned to significantly improve and enhance the appeal of the site as a major visitor attraction in the town and surrounding area, and there is complementary work ongoing to seek to improve the overall appeal of Berwick as a whole as a tourist destination. Currently, a study is underway to identify the viability of the proposed redevelopment for the medium to long term, and this is hoped to result in a bid for funding to the National Heritage Lottery Fund in 2020.
All of this has resulted in a significant increase in the Association’s routine workload in Berwick, and if the development takes place as planned, this load will only increase further, with greater need for day to day management of the work. As a result, the Trustees have decided that there is a requirement to enhance the role and responsibilities of the current Association Secretary, and so they have approved a new post, to be known as the KOSB Association Executive Officer, or ExO. This appointment will assume most of the current responsibilities of the Association Secretary’s post, but in addition will have greater responsibility for the management of the museum and volunteers, and will also have delegated authority to represent the Association in dealing with the Berwick Barracks Partners’ group. This will significantly enhance the Association’s ability to focus on the future.
The post of Association ExO is being advertised this week, both with the Officers Association and by the Army Museum Ogilby Trust (AMOT), with an appointment planned in late April to take up post in late May this year.
While this is an exciting opportunity, I wish to make it absolutely clear that the creation of this new post is in no way whatsoever a reflection of our current Association Secretary, Peter Walton. Peter has been in post for over four years, and has performed extremely well, particularly in regard of our Association events and WW1 commemorations, and we have collectively been very pleased with how he has filled the appointment. Peter has been fully informed of this change to the role, and understands completely the need to enhance the post’s responsibilities in line with the changing circumstances. Whether he intends to apply for the new post or not is entirely his decision, but he knows he is very welcome to do so if he chooses to.
I will let you all know the outcome of the recruitment process. If anyone has any questions, then please let me know.
Angus Loudon
President