Testimonials

Testimonial from Barry Cox and Chloe Veale, CEO and Curator at History of Advertising Trust (HAT) - 12/2/2010

'We would like to express our appreciation to Beacon East for the excellent support that the History of Advertising Trust has received from the service. Our organisation has especially benefited from the unstinting dedication of Mark Bruhin to his role as the Norfolk & Cambridge PDP manager and East Region PDP Representative.

Since the extension and refurbishment of its research and study facilities in Raveningham, Norfolk in 2006, HAT Archive has been able to develop “Learning Links” partnerships with local schools and teachers funded by the Museum, Libraries & Archives Council and DCSF. With the increasing demands of the14-19 agenda and the introduction of the new Diplomas, in 2009 HAT was awarded a Heritage Lottery Grant for its AD:Mission Project. This has funded the employment of Jane Easey as HAT’s Learning & Access Development Co-ordinator to integrate its archive collections with the new learning programmes now under development in Norfolk and Suffolk secondary schools.

Since 2007, Beacon East has skilfully and energetically organised several very successful Professional Development days at HAT Archive. Through its PDP scheme Beacon East has played a crucial role in enabling HAT’s staff to meet and engage directly with local and regional teachers, share ideas and identify their requirements. The enthusiastic feedback and evidence gathered from attendees at these events and “taster sessions”, as well as Mark Bruhin’s first class supporting letter, have helped HAT to build a persuasive and successful case to the Heritage Lottery Fund. This vital funding opportunity is now enabling HAT to fulfil its important educational mission in a meaningful and sustainable way.

An AD:Mission Project forum of eight practising teachers from Norfolk and Suffolk has now been recruited to regularly meet and communicate via an on-line “Moodle” system guided by an e-learning consultant. Through these means they will create and deliver the e-learning programmes and resources so urgently needed by their colleagues within the 14-19 learning community, not only locally and regionally but throughout the UK. This will also raise awareness of HAT’s unique and historic advertising archives to wider audiences.

This phenomenon is further proof of the huge impact Beacon East’s PDP scheme has made on HAT, as all of the teachers who have joined HAT’s AD:Mission Project teachers’ forum have become directly involved through their attendance at a PDP/HAT event.

It is unlikely that any of these developments would have happened so effectively without Mark’s professional input, remarkable organisational flair and genuine recognition of HAT’s educational potential.  We have only high praise for Beacon East, its aims and endeavours, which have already made such a real and far-reaching difference to our organisation. We very much look forward to our continuing partnership.'