Volunteers Needed for Expanded Museum

As Ruddington’s Framework Knitters’ Museum on Chapel Street moves towards re-opening in October, it’s looking for new volunteers. Jan Perret writes… If you are local to Ruddington, you will probably have noticed that the museum has been undergoing extensive building work over the last few months, thanks to a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and FCC Communities Foundation. This money has allowed us to create a new entrance, reception, shop and cafe in the old ‘Gunn Cottage’ and this means we have more opportunities for you to be involved…

Read More

‘Behind The Scenes’ at Ruddington’s Framework Knitters’ Museum

Villagers and visitors are being given the opportunity to view the progress on an ambitious project enabled by National Lottery cash and other funding sources to double the size of a unique Ruddington heritage site on Chapel Street. From Sunday 6th June to Saturday 12th June there are tours ‘Behind the Scenes’ at the Framework Knitters’ Museum as part of ‘National Lottery Open Week’ 2021. It’s a chance to see how the expansion work is progressing into the recently purchased ‘Gunn Cottage’ – which sits between the existing museum and its…

Read More

Museum’s ‘Victorian Life Swap’

Back in July we reported how Ruddington’s Framework Knitters’ Museum had reopened with a more personal and ‘socially distanced’ visitor experience – having been shut for four months due to first COVID-19 ‘lockdown’. With full Coronavirus restrictions sadly now back on, once again the doors are firmly closed to the public until at least December 2nd. However, with spare time on their hands once more, staff at the popular village visitor attraction began to wonder what life must have been like without many of the things we take for granted. How…

Read More

Museum Reopens for a New Chapter

Having been closed since ‘lockdown’ began in March, Ruddington’s Framework Knitters’ Museum is reopening on Wednesday July 29th.* During closure, the team has been developing a more personal and ‘socially distanced’ visitor experience which it’s promised will be fun, interesting and safe. From this date, anyone visiting will be able to book the whole site for two hours to explore it with their family or social bubble. To make the tour as safe as possible, visitors will be asked to wear (knitted) cotton gloves as they explore the workers’ cottages…

Read More

Have Your Say on ‘A Right Good Yarn’

We’re being invited to share our views on the Framework Knitters’ Museum expansion proposals – for a chance to win £100. The Ruddington tourist attraction is inviting you to have your say on its “emerging development plans that are set to transform the site as we know it today”. It says the aim is to deliver new displays and exhibitions along with an improved visitor route connecting the three spaces and offering better retail and catering facilities. After the museum received initial National Lottery support for its redevelopment and expansion project called…

Read More

Museum Helps Secure £70k of Lottery Funding

One of Ruddington’s museums has helped to secure a major cash boost for for a regional project recording our textile heritage. ‘Textile Tales’, which is being led by Nottingham Trent University,has received a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant of £70,000 for an initiative across the East Midlands shared between our own Framework Knitters’ Museum, Mansfield Museum, Erewash Museum and Nottingham City Museums at Lakeside Arts. Made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, the project aims to engage local communities here in the historic heart of the UK’s textile industry. It’s also being supported by The…

Read More

Easter With Our Framework Knitters

Easter will be a busy time at Ruddington’s Framework Knitters’ Museum with events for villagers and visitors of all ages. This year it’s supporting Knit for Peace by using its historic, Griswold circular knitting machines to knit strips to be sewn into blankets – and is inviting anyone to have a try. Museum assistant Helen Brownett says: “Do come along and join us on any of the Easter weekend days, from Friday 19th April to Monday 21st April, 11-4 to get involved. You can knit on the machines; you can sew the blankets;…

Read More

Exciting Year Ahead for Framework Knitters’ Museum

Ruddington’s Framework Knitters’ Museum on Chapel Street is gearing up for what it hopes could be its most successful year to date. Further to securing Heritage Lottery Funding (HLF) last year, plans are now afoot to put the museum’s ambitious redevelopment and expansion project – christened “A Right Good Yarn” – in motion. This will see the site as we know it transformed {artist impressions courtesy of FWKM – top and below}, with a new visitor route, enhanced interactive displays and exhibitions, a new and improved shop and café, and lots…

Read More

New Boss at the Framework Knitters’ Museum

Ruddington’s historic Framework Knitters’ Museum has announced it has a new Curator. Jim Grevatte is taking over the management role during exciting times for our village heritage site – which very recently secured Heritage Lottery Funding for its future expansion plans. Having been in post for just two years, departing Curator Nicola Wood has left for a new job at Canalside Heritage Centre in Beeston Rylands as full time manager. FKM Trustee Faye Stenson comments: “We’d like to thank Nicola for the huge amount she’s achieved for our museum and wish her all the…

Read More

Framework Knitters’ Museum wins National Lottery Funding

Ruddington’s Framework Knitters’ Museum has received initial National Lottery support for a new project called ‘A Right Good Yarn’. Made possible by National Lottery players, the project aims to expand the museum into an adjacent property called ‘Gunn Cottage’, purchased in 2013, and redevelop the existing space. The monies will also allow vital conservation and renovation works to take place. Development funding of £114,300 has been awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to help the Framework Knitters’ Museum progress plans to apply for a full National Lottery grant at…

Read More