10 January 2019
News from the Mechanics’ Institution Trust
Press release from the Mechanics’ Institute trust. NOTE the sections in BOLD. If you think the MIT hasn’t achieved anything – please think again. If you want to support them or Swindon Civic Voice – or better still both – they’re not the same organisation then get in touch.
The Mechanics’ Institution Trust has announced the departure of its Executive Officer, Daniel Rose.
Daniel, who first started volunteering with the Trust over 16 years ago, will be following his dream of relocating with his family to Greece.
The Trust is very grateful for Daniel’s invaluable commitment and achievements since he first joined as a volunteer aged 17.
This news may come as a surprise to those who have followed us over the years, but as Daniel explains below it is has been expected for some time. The Trust remains committed to carrying on its work, although Daniel will take some effort to replace.
Daniel’s potential was quickly recognised when he was chair of Swindon Youth Council and he was invited to become a trustee for the Mechanics’ Institution Trust aged 18. This was an expression of the Trust’s aspiration to appeal to and support the abilities of Swindon’s young people in taking the Mechanics’ Institution into the future. With the experience he gained working for the National Trust, by 2006Daniel was ready to Chair the Mechanics’ Institution Trust making him one of the youngest leaders of a Building Preservation Trust in the UK.
In2016t he Trust was able to afford to employ a part-time Executive Officer and was delighted to appoint Daniel to this position and he left the Swindon-based National Trust at that point after 11 years in various national roles. He has delivered fantastic work for the Trust, achieving significant progress towards our long-term goals, fitting this alongside his other work for the national organisation, the Architectural Heritage Fund.
In his time at the Trust, Daniel has overseen the redevelopment of the Central Community Centre, the Railway Village Museum and the Baker’s Café. Most recently, he has negotiated an agreement for the Trust to undertake the redevelopment of the former Cricketers’ pub. All this work will continue, thanks to Daniel’s efforts to secure and strengthen the Trust’s finances and strategy.
Daniel has forged relationships with Swindon Borough Council and in 2018 the Trust was able to work in partnership with the Council on a Heritage Action Zone bid. The successful bid, awarded by Historic England in November 2018, has the prospect of focussing local attention, resource and energy on the neglected but significant railway conservation area in Swindon.
Daniel has also built excellent working relationships with national heritage bodies, including funders, and leaves a legacy of understanding which sets the Trust in good stead for the future.
We wish Daniel and his young family a happy transition to their new home in Greece, which has long been their dream.
Commenting on his decision to step down, Daniel says “I never expected to spend 16 years at this task, but the challenges were always balanced by the progress, however slow, and the cause of the Mechanics’ Institution was too important to let go of.”
“My wife Jen and I have long considered moving to Greece and experiencing a different lifestyle and, with a young pre-school son, now is the right time for us.
I will remain supportive of the Mechanics’ Institution Trust and look forward to watching the organisation continue to grow and develop. It is possible to work remotely anywhere in the world these days and I will maintain consultancy contracts in the UK, and I am grasping that opportunity. I will check in with the Trust whenever my work with the Architectural Heritage Fund and other consultancy brings me to the UK and hope to see its long efforts come to a happy conclusion for all the friends I will keep in Swindon.”
Daniel will be leaving the Trust on 20 January 2019. The Mechanics’ Institution Trust will make further statements in the near future about each of its projects after its next Board meeting.