MD North Forum, Kiplin Hall and Gardens, Thursday 18 September 2025
Our museum forums offer you “a professional day out” – a chance to catch up with your museum colleagues in the region, visit an interesting venue, get the most out of being at a site, hear some interesting case studies – and enjoy being out in a different museum with different colleagues!
Forums usually start with tea and coffee from 10am and introductions from 10:30am. A delicious, complimentary lunch is provided. Meetings usually finish around 3:30-4pm.
Every forum will involve a chance to view and discuss at least one aspect of the host site, hear short case studies from different speakers, and network with colleagues.
The theme for the day is grants and fundraising. Along with a tour of the hall, the agenda includes:
10:00-10:30 Arrival and Refreshments
10.30-10:45 MDN Welcome & Introduction to the day, Alan Bentley and Sue Hughes, Museum Development Advisers, Museum Development North
10:45-11:15 James Etherington, Director, Kiplin Hall and Gardens, £1.8 million in 6 years, the good, the bad and the lucky
11:15-11:45 Katharine Boardman, Relationship Manager – Museums, Arts Council England, Chase the ambition, not the funding
11:45-12:00 Break
12:00-12:30 Tim Cutts, Yorkshire Funders, Connecting with independent grant makers
12:30-13:00 Rosie Hicks, Corporate Partnerships Manager, National Railway Museum, Corporate Fundraising at the National Railway Museum
13:00-13:30 Lunch
1:30-2:30 Tour of the Visitor Centre and Galleries with Director James Etherington
2:30-3.30 Hilary Machell, Fundraising Consultant, Creating Your Fundraising Case for Support Presentation & Workshop
3:30-3:45 Closing Discussion, MDN Thanks & Signposting, Alan Bentley and Sue Hughes, Museum Development Advisers, Museum Development North
Whilst we hope there’s something in the plan for the day that appeals to you, we often find that it’s the unexpected and spontaneous conversations that spark most ideas and opportunities! So, join us for a refreshing, professional day out and see what fresh thinking you can gain.
Catering: As part of MD North’s commitment to environmental responsibility and carbon reduction, catering for our in-person events is vegetarian and vegan. We encourage you to bring a reusable hot drink cup and water bottle, and perhaps a Tupperware to take home any leftovers to minimise food waste.
Access: The meeting room is in the visitor centre and is around 50metres from the car park which has five disabled parking spaces. There is step-free access and four toilets including one with disabled access and one ambulatory. The tour will include the visitor centre which is on two levels, with only the ground floor accessible. The first floor is accessible by stairs. The tour of the hall will be on the ground floor which is accessible via a small ramp and is around 100metres away from the visitor centre. For more information visit here.
Booking: Please only book if you are committed to attending, so that we give everyone a timely opportunity to book and remove the added paperwork required in dealing with cancellations. If for some reason you can no longer attend, please let us know asap so we can reallocate your place.
For more information, please contact: sue.hughes@museumdevelopmentnorth.org.uk.
Location
Kiplin Hall and Gardens
Near Scorton, Richmond, North Yorkshire, DL10 6AT