Aldeburgh Museum
Activity Plan consultancy to support a Round 2 HLF application to regenerate this charming museum located in the Grade 1 listed Aldeburgh Moot Hall which tells the story of Aldeburgh’s rich history and heritage.
Beonna, Benington, Lincolnshire
Activity and interpretation planning and associated business planning for the Benington Community Heritage Trust (BCHT) in partnership with the Churches Conservation Trust for the development of Grade 1 listed All Saints Church leading to a successful £1.8m application to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
British Horological Institute, Upton, Nottinghamshire
Activity Plan consultants for a £4.5m HLF supported project designed to: restore a derelict Stable Block to create a ‘Centre for Horology’ in the grounds of Upton Hall; increase horology training capacity and address the recognised shortage of UK trained horologists; open the Upton Hall facilities to the public, provide an exhibition space, offer insights into key items from the museum collection and support the direct observation of horologists at work; provide a range of activities to increase volunteering, promote heritage skills and understanding and increase engagement with local people and communities.
Britten-Pears Foundation, Suffolk
Consultancy leading to the completion of an activity plan for Britten 100, a major project to increase learning about, and participation in, the heritage legacy of Benjamin Britten in Aldeburgh. The subsequent proposal to the HLF resulting in a £1.4m grant to mark and celebrate the centenary of Benjamin Britten, and the impact his work had on our national culture and music heritage.
Catton Park, Norwich
Consultancy to support the future development and long-term sustainability of the park. Catton Park is a nationally important space and an area of historic interest located on the outskirts of Norwich, Norfolk. The 70-acre park, which includes extensive woodlands, was the first known commission of the renowned landscape architect Humphry Repton.
City of London Corporation: Hampstead Heath
Wide-ranging work with staff and volunteers to support the development of an outcomes-led communications strategy for Hampstead Heath one of London's most popular open spaces and a major tourism destination.
Croydon Airport Society, London
Consultancy supporting the CAS explore options and build capacity to further develop its Visitor Centre and safeguard and make accessible its unique and significant paper and photographic archive and collection of items and memorabilia relating to the history of Croydon Airport, and aviation history more generally.
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust
Consultancy to support the production of Round 2 Skills for the Future proposal and training plan to the HLF. The project, Working for Nature provided practice-based skills training and relevant qualifications in natural heritage with a focus on ecosystem services. The project was delivered in partnership by Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trusts.
East Anglian Offshore Wind
Consultancy to develop a skills strategy and associated detailed implementation plan to support skills development for the East Anglia ONE offshore windfarm. The Crown Estate Commissioners awarded EAOW rights to develop Zone 5 of The Crown Estate’s UK Offshore Wind Round 3 tender process. This zone is a significant area of the seabed located off the coast of East Anglia with a target capacity of 7,200 megawatts of power.
Heritage Lincolnshire
Oakmere Solutions provided consultancy services to support the development of a Historic Environment skills initiative. The initiative engaged people across the East Midlands in the skills needed to conserve, protect and help the public engage with their heritage including archaeology, traditional building skills, project management for building preservation trusts and engagement. The initiative was led by a partnership of Heritage Lincolnshire, the Heritage Skills Centre in Lincoln Castle, and the Lincoln Cathedral Works Department.
Historic Royal Palaces, London
Consultancy working with staff, volunteers, service users and other stakeholders to review the HRP education strategy and associated activities and present options and recommendations for change. HRP is an independent charity that looks after the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, the Banqueting House, Kensington Palace and Kew Palace – palaces owned by HRM The Queen on behalf of the nation. The HRP education service provides learning visits for schools and colleges, adult learning events and family learning activities, welcoming some 200,000 education visitors annually.
Lincolnshire County Council, Lincolnshire
Options appraisal work for the organisational management of Lincoln Castle and a five year business plan for the Heritage Skills Centre located in the grounds of Lincoln Castle. In addition, as a separate consultancy Oakmere Solutions supported the securing of an apprenticeship funding through the HLF Skills for the Future programme.
Middleport Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent
Appointed by the Princes Regeneration Trust (PRT) – now Re-form – to undertake an external summative evaluation of the £9m restoration of Middleport Pottery, the historic home of the world-famous Burleigh pottery in Stoke-on-Trent and which is now both a working factory and unique visitor attraction. The evaluation assessed the achievements of the restoration against its targets and identified lessons and good practice that can inform and support the heritage sector more widely. In addition, the work included piloting and review of an outcome-led evaluation framework being developed by the PRT.
National Trust of Western Australia
Consultancy for the National Trust of Western Australia supporting its work in establishing a robust methodology for determining the social and economic value of the heritage.
Orangebox Centre of the Arts for Young People, Halifax
Consultancy and business planning resulting in a successful myplace application and £3.8 million funding for this contemporary facility in Yorkshire.
Samphire Hoe
Samphire Hoe is a 30-hectare nature reserve created during the construction of the Channel Tunnel, and located at the foot of Shakespeare Cliff, between Dover and Folkestone, Kent. The site is owned by Eurotunnel and managed in partnership with the White Cliffs Countryside Partnership. Oakmere Solutions provided options appraisal and recommendations for how the owners and managers of Samphire Hoe can build on its current successes and develop an expanded and sustainable service and commercial offer.
Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, London
Independent evaluation of the SPAB Maintenance Cooperative Project. This three year £1.2m HLF supported project designed to build capacity and promote best practice in preventative maintenance, through active networks of local groups or Maintenance Co-operatives in five regional areas: Cumbria; Hereford and Worcester; Lincolnshire; the North East; the South West. This work built on the success of the earlier Faith in Maintenance project for which Oakmere Solutions acted as the external evaluator. The project provided training and support for volunteers in England and Wales who help to maintain historic places of worship. FIM subsequently won a prestigious Europa Nostra Laureate Award supported by evaluation evidence.
St. Martin of Tours, Bilborough, Nottingham
Multi-year independent external evaluation of this HLF-supported project. The project aimed to reveal the rich heritage of the medieval church of St Martin of Tours, including two unique wall paintings by war artist, Evelyn Gibbs.
St. Nicholas’s Chapel, King’s Lynn
Production of a comprehensive Activity Plan and associated robust and evidenced Business Plan to support a successful and innovative £2.7m Round 2 proposal to the HLF.
Suffolk Horse Society
Mentoring and evaluation of this unique project designed to catalogue, safeguard and make accessible a specialist archive and collection that provides insights into the historic significance of the Suffolk Punch horse breed and the developing nature of agriculture and the land-based economy during the late 19th and 20th centuries.
