British Association of Friends of Museums

United Kingdom-based museum organization

The British Association of Friends of Museums (BAFM) is an independent organisation for Friends, supporters, and volunteers in museums, galleries, and heritage sites within the United Kingdom.[1] It was established in 1973.[2] It is a registered charity no 1159670.[3] BAFM represents around 200,000 Friends and volunteers in the UK.[1] It provides a network of support from people with practical experience of running Friends organisations and is a central source of information. It has links with UK Area Museum Councils and other national UK organisations such as:

* Association of Independent Museums(AIM)
* Charity Commission for England and Wales
* Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport(DCMS)[4] (UK government)
* Museums Association(MA)
* National Council for Voluntary Organisations(NCVO)

BAFM is a member of the World Federation of Friends of Museums. It organizes national and regional events, provides a Handbook for Friends, a Handbook for Heritage Volunteer Managers & Administrators, and many information sheets. The BAFM publish a biannual Journal.[5]

## Patron

[edit]

Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester

## President

[edit]

* 2005-2014 Loyd Grossman OBE, FSA.

[6]

* 2015-2023 Dame Rosemary Butler DBE.[7]
* from 2023- The Lord Cormack DL FSA

## Annual Conferences

[edit]

* 1989 Annual Conference at Bristol.[8]
* 2006 Norwich with keynote speaker Joan Bakewell.
* 2007 Annual Conference in Liverpool. 2007 Robert Logan award presented by Loyd Grossman.
* 2008 35th Annual Conference at Penzance.[9]
* 2009 36th Annual Conference and AGM at York.[10]
* 2010 BAFM 37th Annual Conference & AGM Isle of Man 24–26 September 2010.[11]
* 2011 Annual Conference at London Transport Museum in September.
* 2014 41st Annual Conference at Swansea.[12]
* 2015 42nd Annual Conference at Cheltenham.[13]
* 2016 43rd Annual Conference at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum, Coalbrookdale.[14]
* 2017 44th Annual Conference at the London Transport Museum.[15]
* 2018 Annual Conference at Newcastle upon Tyne.[16] The winner of the first best newsletter award was The Black Country Museum Friends.
* 2019 Annual Conference at Reading, Berkshire.[17] The winner of the best newsletter was the Lyme Regis Museum Friends.[18]
* 2020 AGM held remotely.[19]
* 2021 Annual AGM on Zoom.[20]
* 2022 49th Annual Conference at Dundee. October 2022[5]
* 2023 50th Annual Conference at Doncaster in September. The winner of the Newsletter of the year award was the Friends of Birmingham Museums.[21]
* 2024 51st Annual Conference at Wisbech in October in place of Southampton who withdrew.[22]
* 2025 52nd Annual Conference at Bristol

## Awards

[edit]

Since 2021 BAFM has operated an IMPACT award currently (2022) £1k.[23]

* The Friends of The Egypt Centre in Swansea were winners of 2022 Impact Award. Runners Up were The Friends of Beamish Museum. Highly commended were:

The Friends of Lyme Regis Museum, The Friends of Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Herefordshire Museum Service Support Group and The Friends of Reading Museum.[24]

* 2021 Impact Winners - Friends of Upminster Windmill. Highly Commended were: Costume and Textile Association, The Friends of the Judges Lodgings, Lancaster and The Friends of The Whitworth.[25]

Robert Logan Award

* 2015 Jasmine Farram of Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery.[26]
* 2019 Holiday Donaldson [27]

Newsletter of the Year Award

* 2023 Winners Friends of Birmingham Museums. Runners Up Certificates of Merit - Friends of Bowes Museum and the Friends of Bristol Museum and Archives. Highly Commended Certificates - The Friends of Oakwell Park, the Friends of Southampton City Art Gallery and the Friends of Rayleigh Town Museum.[28]

Friends of the Year Award

* 2023 Friends of Wisbech & Fenland Museum

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b What is BAFM? Archived 2010-06-28 at the Wayback Machine, British Association of Friends of Museums.
2. ^ "A Brief History of BAfM | British Association of Friends of Museums". www.bafm.co.uk. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
3. ^ "BAFM". www.charitycommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
4. ^ British Association of Friends of Museums: Understanding the Future[permanent dead link], DCMS, UK.
5. ^ a b "BAFM Journal" (130). BAFM. 2022. `{{cite journal}}`: Cite journal requires `|journal=` (help)
6. ^ "BAFM President". www.graphicdesugns.co.uk. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
7. ^ "President". www.bafm.co.uk. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
8. ^ "Newsletter wins". Sandwell Evening Mail. 5 September 1989. p. 25.
9. ^ "The Museum's Association" (PDF). www.museumsassociation.org. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
10. ^ "FOIM Newsletter - Winter 2009/10" (PDF). www.squarespace.com. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
11. ^ "BAFM Annual Conference". www.imuseum.im. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
12. ^ "Swansea". www.jiscmail.ac.uk. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
13. ^ "Cheltenham". www.graphicdesigns.co.uk. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
14. ^ "Ironbridge Gorge Museum" (PDF). www.bafm.co.uk. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
15. ^ "Annual Conference". www.bafm.co.uk. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
16. ^ "Join us". www.bafm.co.uk. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
17. ^ Ross, Ramsay (2019). "BAFM Annual Conference". British Association of Friends of Museum's Journal (125): 5.
18. ^ "The Friends of Lyme Regis Museum win top award for its newsletter". Retrieved 19 October 2022.
19. ^ "2020 conference". www.bafm.co.uk. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
20. ^ "AGM". www.bafm.co.uk. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
21. ^ Adgar, David (2023). "Newsletter of the year awards". BAFM Journal (131): 16.
22. ^ Adgar, David (2023). "Stop Press". BAFM Journal (131): 18.
23. ^ "Awards". www.bafm.co.uk. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
24. ^ "Impact awards". www.bafm.co.uk. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
25. ^ "Impact Award". www.bafm.co.uk. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
26. ^ "BAfM – The Robert Logan Award 2017". www.aimuseums.wordpress.com. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
27. ^ "People". www.punchdrunkenrichment.org.uk. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
28. ^ Adgar, David. "Newsletter of the Year Award". BAFM Journal (131): 16–17.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website