A fond farewell to Julia, chair of our board

It is with great sadness that we say ‘goodbye’ to Julia Findlater, who stepped down as chair of the Wessex Museums Trust at the end of August.

Julia joined Wessex Museums as chair of the board of trustees in January 2020. Her professional experience, spanning museums and education, brought new strengths to the board. This included the roles of Chief Curator at English Heritage (London region) and Curator of Leighton House Museum & Art Gallery, as well senior leadership roles in secondary education.

She led Wessex Museums Trust through a period of unprecedented disruption, securing both the charity and the delivery of the partnership programme in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. She has been an active and present leader for the trust, often joining in working group meetings, and being hugely supportive to staff across the partnership. 

Kristina Broughton, Wessex Museums Partnership Manager, said:

“Since taking on the position of chair in January 2020, Julia has helped to steer us through the many complexities of partnership working with astute leadership and grace, guiding us through a period of immense challenge that nobody could have predicted. I cannot thank Julia enough for her dedication and support over the last 18 months. All at Wessex Museums send her best wishes for the future.”

Gill Donnell, who’s now co-chairing the board of trustees with Glyn Coy, added:

“I joined Wessex Museums as a trustee at the same time as Julia and have benefited immensely from her wisdom and leadership since that time. She will be much missed, but of course I wish her all the very best.”

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