York Museums Trust

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York Museums Trust has now completed its redundancy process.

DATE: 10 November 2020

York Museums Trust has now completed its redundancy process. This has followed a collective consultation that concluded on 30 September, in which we have listened, responded and acted on staff and trade unions’ comments and feedback to absorb the reductions and create a new structure for the charity. It will see the Trust’s workforce reduce, through voluntary and compulsory redundancy, from 144 to 101 staff as of 1 November 2020. This represents a loss of 37.67 full time equivalent roles.

We are devastated to have had to lose so many people who have worked so hard to make the Trust what it is today. Without reducing the size of our workforce we would not be in a position to survive and rebuild after the significant financial impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had, and continues to have, on the Trust. This is despite our best efforts to source emergency funding and reduce our costs in every other way. This restructure will allow the Trust to make the vital annual saving of £570,000 to ensure survival of the charity for the future.

I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in these consultations, including those whose jobs have sadly been affected. It is their hard work and commitment over the years which has made us into a successful organisation and helped us achieve so much. I would like to wish them all the best for the future during what I know is a very difficult time.

Like many organisations and businesses, we continue to evolve and adapt to the challenges caused by the pandemic. The partial reopening of York Art Gallery and York Castle Museum had proved popular prior to the second national lockdown and it was fantastic to see people enjoying and engaging with the cultural heritage in our care again. York Museum Gardens remain open as a vital resource for people to enjoy during such challenging times. I would like to thank everyone who visited for supporting us by buying a ticket or purchasing from our shops and café. I would also like to thank every single person, and organisation, who has donated to York Museums Trust during the past few months. All of these contributions have made a big difference to our continued operations and we can’t thank you enough. We are determined that the charity will continue to fulfil its mission inspiring people, sharing and caring for the very special art and collections, gardens, buildings and heritage sites in York. We look forward to welcoming you back to York Art Gallery and York Castle Museum, hopefully in early December.