Harvington Hall is recruiting a new Management Committee

The Hall, in Worcestershire, was given to the Archdiocese in 1923. It was made weatherproof in 1930-31 and opened to the public in the late summer of 1931. By the autumn of 1939, when work was stopped by the war, it was one of the show-places of the Midlands.

It contains the finest surviving series of priest-holes in the country and is also the only site in the country where Catholic chapels of the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and a nineteenth-century church all survive together in working order.

The Hall is a rare architectural record of the Counter-Reformation, and tells the incredible story of how Catholic families managed to practice their faith in secret under the harsh penal laws of Elizabethan and Stuart England.

It traces the journey of the Catholic faith in England from medieval times when the original hall was built to the present day, highlighting the dedication and risks taken by the Catholic priests at a time when it was deemed treasonable for them to celebrate Mass.

Radical restructure

The Hall is currently organising a radical re-structuring programme and is looking for a new committed team to develop its Management Committee.

Chairperson Deacon Paul O’Connor is currently responsible for the day to day decisions and is seeking individuals with experience in heritage and conservation management, business planning, fundraising, and volunteer management to join our dedicated team.

Applicants are expected to be self-motivated and sympathetic to the ethos, aims and objectives of the Catholic religion and Harvington Hall, irrespective of their personal beliefs, values or worldviews.

Members are asked to:

• Attend council meetings four times a year.
• Attend the annual AGM and thank you dinner
• Share with staff and the Archdiocese of Birmingham the developing strategic direction and profile for Harvington.
• Think strategically about the long-term future and management of the Hall, including its long-term financial resilience in challenging times.
• Have a shared commitment to preserving and maintaining a magnificent Tudor Hall to be enjoyed by future generations.

The Hall offers Members:

• All reasonable travel expenses.
• The chance to develop new skills.
• The opportunity to be part of redesigning and partnership working to create long-term environmental sustainability.
• The opportunity to make a real impact on preserving Harvington Hall for future generations.

The management committee collectively needs skills and experience in the following areas:

• Financial management, income generation and enterprise.
• Fundraising, communications and marketing.
• Historic conservation and restoration.
• Human Resource management.
• Volunteer management and brokerage.
• Collaborative partnership working.

Minimum Commitment

Members are expected to attend an induction session at Harvington Hall prior to their first board meeting. Members are expected to attend all board meetings. Board meetings are held four times a year and will last approximately two hours held at The Hall and where available streamed live.

Application details

To apply, please send complete application form along with covering letter to the acting Chair of Trustees, the Revd Deacon Paul O'Connor, [email protected] by Friday 12 February 2021 (12 noon)

Please include in your covering letter a brief statement outlining any previous heritage and business management, volunteer management and fundraising experience you may have. The acting Chair of Trustees will be in touch with all applicants within two weeks of the deadline.

Management Committee Role Description

Management Committee Description and Person Spec

Committee Application Form