Present: Mrs Eileen Bowlt, Mr David Varley, Ms Kitty Chisholm, Mr Anthony Palmer and Ms Linda Thomas

Apologies: Ms Helen Betteridge, Ms Kate Lewis, Mr Fen Oswin, Mrs Eileen Smyth, Mr George Cooper and Mr Tony Mitchell

In attendance: Mrs Carolynne Cotton, Ms Mandy Mordue, Ms Clara Pereira, Mr Paul Davidson

1. Welcome and Introduction
The Chair welcomed everyone to the sixth meeting of the Steering Group and invited all attendees to introduce themselves.

Ms Linda Thomas was attending for the first time as Project Sponsor for Brunel University; Mr Anthony Palmer was re-attending after a period of absence, as Head of History, Mellow Lane Secondary School, Hayes End.

2. Project Update

2.1 Hillingdon
The Assistant Archivist (Uxbridge) presented a report on the Project, stating that three new collections had been catalogued, including the sizeable Providence Congregational Church (Uxbridge) collection. The number of catalogued records had increased from 971 on 31 July to 1213 on 31 August. This amounted to 16% of the total collections (or 11% of the total store/strongroom area in linear metres). The number of photographs catalogued had risen from 218 on 31 July to 246 by 31 August.

Two volunteers had been assigned new tasks: cataloguing photographs; and background research on personal names indexed in connection with the catalogue records.

Research had also begun on the main themes for the education website.

The Project Manager (Uxbridge) told the meeting that she had informed the Heritage Lottery Fund of the likely non-completion of the cataloguing by the end of the Project, but had not yet received a reply. There was a brief discussion on the reasons for cataloguing falling behind target – it was suggested by the Assistant Archivist (Uxbridge) that the cataloguing rate might improve as the larger, more uniform collections were catalogued. Mr David Varley asked if projected cataloguing figures could be provided for the end of the Project. The Project Manager (Uxbridge) stated that she was working on this, and at present it looked as though at least 65% of the collections would be catalogued by September 2007.

2.2 Photographic collections, Hillingdon
In the absence of the Digital Technician, the Project Manager (Uxbridge) reported that 25% of the photographic collections had been completed within six months. At present this meant that the digitising of the photographic collections was within target, though this may change once the Digital Technician starts photographing objects for the website from the Museum Collection.

2.3 Brunel University/BFSS
The Project Manager (Brunel) reported that further applications had been received to visit the newly-opened reading room, and that Runnymede Campus staff had been interested in arranging an open day to view photographs of the site. A staff computer had been installed in the reading room. Display cases had been received for exhibitions. The BFSS Council was now able to hold their annual meeting in the reading room, and it was hoped that increased use of the reading room as a meeting space would promote the work of the Archive and Records Centre.

The BFSS Archive had been moved to a self-contained storage facility. The final shelving had been installed on 23 June 2006.

It was planned that Brunel University Skills for Society would advertise for volunteers from 2 October 2006, to aid in repackaging the BFSS archives and sorting the photographic collections.

Pest traps had been installed throughout the building.

Material from the collections had been identified for educational use. Contact had been made with the Brunel University Alumni Office concerning a possible link with the Heritage Builds Bridges website and projected Alumni user forum as a way of encouraging lifelong learning and gaining anecdotal material on life in the colleges forming Brunel University.

Approximately 50% of the Maria Grey material had been sorted and boxed. Cataloguing and repackaging was continuing on the BFSS collections. The majority of the Shoreditch collection had been listed on paper, sorted and boxed. The Shoreditch photographic collection was being sorted in preparation for the Runnymede site staff open day.

2.4 Project Plan
The Project Manager (Uxbridge) presented a project chart; she stated that the main part of the Project at present was focusing on cataloguing, as well as on designing and producing the Project website. The Digital Technician was currently waiting for final content (to be produced within the next week) before the Publicity Web Page could go on-line on 14 October.

Ms. Kitty Chisholm noted that the Group should remember the work which lay behind many Project tasks (including cataloguing), and that the project chart was a way of reminding members of this. She also stated that cataloguing staff were required not only to understand what they were cataloguing but also to ensure that catalogued materials were being used properly. She suggested that the rate of cataloguing would accelerate as cataloguers became fully accustomed with the systems they were working with, etc, and as particular collections were prioritised with reference to possible educational content.

2.5 Budget
The Project Manager (Uxbridge) presented an updated version of the Project budget. At present the Project had underspent in a number of areas, including conservation, software, general materials, stationary and salaries. Training costs for configuring the AdLib interface could be taken out of the budget for software. Publicity materials were also within budget, though this would change within the final year of the Project. There was a minor problem with the budget for IT support; however, this was due to the way the IT department was invoicing the Project. There was an overspend on recruitment, though this had been covered through the contingency fund. Training and travel were also overspent, though only by £3 for the latter. The budget for evaluation would only be used towards the end of the Project. Ms. Kitty Chisholm stated that the Heritage Lottery Fund should be amenable to any problems arising with the budget providing the education content on the website was delivered.

The Project Manager (Uxbridge) stated that the next draw-down of funds from the Heritage Lottery Fund would be within a few months. She noted that she was looking into the possibility of extending the Project by using £21,000 from the contingency fund.

3. Educational content of website/publicity material

3.1 Summary of material for use in schools/schools questionnaire

The Museum Curator presented a tabulated summary of material held by Hillingdon Local Studies, Archives and Museum Service and Brunel University for possible use in various Key Stage units. At present, the three most likely-looking themes were –

Living in wartime Britain, incorporating History Key Stage 1 and 2, unit 9: ‘What was it like for children living in the Second World War?’, unit 17: ‘What are we remembering on Remembrance Day?’ and unit 18: ‘What was it like to live here in the past?’, etc.

Victorian Britain, incorporating History Key Stage 1 and 2, unit 11: ‘What was it like for children living in Victorian Britain?’ and unit 12: ‘How did life change in our locality in Victorian times?’, and History Key Stage 3, unit 12: ‘Snapshot 1900 what was British middle-class life like?’, etc.

People who help us, incorporating Citizenship Key Stage 1 and 2, unit 4: ‘People who help us – the local police’, Key Stage 3, unit 2: ‘Crime’, and Key Stage 4, ‘How and why are laws made?’, etc.

She stated that the Project was attempting to organise an education working group. She also noted that she had sent a questionnaire to all 77 primary and secondary schools in the Borough in order to gain feedback on the most popular Key Stage themes, and to involve teachers directly in the Project. The Project Manager (Uxbridge) told the meeting that she had asked Hillingdon Grid to set up an on-line version of the questionnaire.

Mrs. Eileen Bowlt asked why there was no mention of mediaeval history in the summary. The Museum Curator noted that the subjects listed on the summary had been chosen to reflect material held at both Hillingdon and Brunel.

Mr. Anthony Palmer noted that the summary, at first glance, contained some very useful material. He stated that there was no comparable local history on-line source for Hillingdon teachers, and that at present teachers were forced to look for primary source material on a number of separate websites.

Ms. Kitty Chisholm asked for it to be minuted that the summary had greatly advanced the educational side of the Project; that it had brought the Project to life; and that the work of its producers should be acknowledged.

3.2 Publicity Website

Mr. David Varley asked why there was no website already set up to provide access to local history material, and which could include test records, educational information and a teachers’ questionnaire. He stressed that the website needed to attract teachers as soon as possible and that the Project in general was under-publicised. The Project Manager (Uxbridge) stated that there was currently no web interface with the catalogue. Ms. Kitty Chisholm inquired about the possibility of a separate project and development website. The Project Manager (Uxbridge) reminded the members that the publicity website was due to go on-line on 14 October, though the IT department had been busy recently installing a new library issuing system. It was agreed that Mr. David Varley should look at the publicity website before it went on-line.

3.3 Project stationary

There followed a discussion on continuing delays with Project stationary, in relation to problems with the Hillingdon Borough logo. The members decided to go ahead with Project stationary without the logo, in order to publicise the Project as widely as possible.

3.4 Education Working Group

The Project Manager (Brunel) stated that an Education Working Group was necessary as the archive and museum staff on the Project lacked expertise in the area. The Project Manager (Uxbridge) stressed the importance of teachers’ input on the education webpages’ text. Mr. Anthony Palmer agreed to sit on the Working Group as a representative for secondary schools, and Mrs. Eileen Bowlt as a representative for adult learning. Mr. Anthony Palmer offered to explore possible links in his school in order to find a representative for primary schools. Ms. Kitty Chisholm noted that the Project may get further input from teachers when the website is on-line. The Museum Curator mentioned that she had been looking into contacting a consultant to give advice on resources for children at particular Key Stages.

3.5 Website education pages

Ms. Kitty Chisholm asked about the possibility of interactive projects on the website’s education pages. The Museum Curator explained how this might work, though guidance was still being sought on the technical side.

The Project Manager (Uxbridge) noted that the content and design of the education pages needed to be finished by the end of 2006, in order to provide the website designer with material to work on, and to leave time for testing.

3.6 Other

Mr. David Varley suggested that Heritage Builds Bridges would continue as an ever-expanding project, depending on the available resources.

4. Any other business

Ms. Kitty Chisholm asked if the ‘date of the next meeting’ could be added to future agendas. The Project Manager (Brunel) suggested that teachers should be informed of the dates of further steering group meetings.

The meeting closed at 3.20 pm.

Next Meeting

6 December 2006, Brunel University