International Women’s Day Award for Helen

8th March 20238th March 2023 Graham Wright

Ruddington’s Framework Knitters’ Museum is celebrating its long-standing textile artist and technical demonstrator, Helen Brownett, by presenting her with an achievement award for International Women’s Day, which is TODAY (Wednesday 8th March 2023). The accolade is in recognition of Helen’s 28 years of service here, inspiring thousands of visitors and encouraging many to become interested in knitting on the museum’s hand powered ‘Griswold’ machines. Helen is best known for her elaborate ‘office’; which is filled with hundreds of yarns of wool, creating a unique and vibrant workspace! Museum manager Sarah Godfrey…

To mark sixty years since the loss of a full passenger service on the Great Central Railway Main Line, the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre on Mere Way is hosting an exhibition of the railway’s history. They’re combining this with a chance to explore Rushcliffe Halt and Hotchley Hill signalbox. Since ‘big trains’ have not restarted yet, instead there’s a FREE heritage bus service from Ruddington linking the two sites. More details can be found on the event poster below: Organisers say: “We hope to see you there!”

Ruddington’s New Gift Shop

8th December 20228th December 2022 Graham Wright

The retail area of one of Ruddington’s top tourist attractions has been transformed this week thanks to a significant cash boost. We reported in October how £8,335 had been awarded towards The Framework Knitter’s Museum‘s ‘Shop Improvement Project’ through the Museum Development East Midlands (MDEM)’s Recovery and Reboot Grants. This also included core funding and a donation from ‘The Friends of the Ruddington Framework Knitters’ Museum’. It’s involved the installation of a reception desk for ‘point of sale’ alongside extensive new display cabinets and shelving in ‘Parker’s Yard’ – which sits within the former…

£8k Funding for Improved Museum Shop

23rd October 202223rd October 2022 Graham Wright

Staff and volunteers at Ruddington’s historic Framework Knitters’ Museum are celebrating the award of new cash to upgrade their newly established café and shop. ‘Parker’s Yard’ was added late last year when the museum site expanded into the former ‘Gun Cottage’ – between the original workers’ cottages and frameshops and the old Knitters’ Chapel. This allowed a brand new visitor entrance, hospitality and retail area – including a separate new garden. It was achieved via grants totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds from The Heritage Lottery Fund, FCC Communities Foundation, various…

Barbara’s New Book

9th October 202218th October 2022 Graham Wright

A Ruddington legend has been busy again – this time launching her new book about a very specific bit of our village history. You may or may not have realised that 2017 marked the 50th anniversary of James Peacock Infant and Nursery School‘s move from St Peter’s Rooms on Church Street to its current, larger premises at Manor Park. At the time of this half-century celebration, Barbara Breakwell was a School Governor (from 2009 to 2018) and also the Treasurer of ‘The Friends of James Peacock School’. “I like local history…

New Ruddington Café Launches

10th July 202211th July 2022 Graham Wright

The recently opened coffee shop within the new extension and gardens at Ruddington’s knitting and textile museum is now officially in new hands – following its ‘launch’ this weekend. The Split Screen Coffee Company – which has previously traded from The Bottle Top on High Street as well as from its famous converted VW camper van – is now running the hospitality area at Parker’s Yard within the former ‘Gunn Cottage’. Along with the museum gift shop and its Old Chapel, these are areas of Ruddington’s internationally famous tourist attraction which can…

Telly Fame For Our Framework Knitters!

19th June 202223rd June 2022 Graham Wright

Ruddington will feature on national television again this week – after a well known presenter and her camera crew secretly dropped in on one of our village’s heritage attractions earlier in the year. It was at the start of February that BBC1‘s Bargain Hunt came to Nottinghamshire, where host Natasha Raskin Sharp and experts Ben Cooper and Izzie Balmer brought the two teams antique hunting. During the morning of Friday February 4th Natasha visited Ruddington’s Framework Knitters’ Museum on Chapel Street to discover how a 16th-century curate revolutionised the world of knitting –…

New Museum Manager Announced

10th May 202210th May 2022 Graham Wright

Following the stepping back of former manager and curator Jim Grevatte, Ruddington’s Framework Knitters’ Museum has just revealed its latest boss. After completing “a competitive recruitment process” for their new ‘Operations Manager’ role, the venues’ Trustees say they are “delighted” to announce that Ruddington resident Sarah Godfrey has been appointed. Sarah is already well known for her extensive community work within our village. The Trustees add: “With a strong arts background, Sarah brings us an unusual combination of both creativity and commercial awareness, as well as a wealth of experience…

It’s Goodbye to Jim

1st May 20229th May 2022 Graham Wright

The man who has guided a Ruddington museum through one of the most important periods in its history has now left for pastures new. Jim Grevatte, who’s been the Manager and Curator at The Framework Knitters’ Museum since December 2018, has just stepped down from the role following the appointment of a new ‘Operations Manager’.* However, he will continue as a trustee for our internationally famous Chapel Street tourist attraction. Over the last three years, Jim has been instrumental in implementing (amongst many other things) the ‘Right Good Yarn’ project…

Funding Boost for Museum

14th March 20227th April 2022 Graham Wright

Staff and volunteers at Ruddington’s historic Framework Knitters’ Museum say they’re “super happy” to have received new funding worth £62,925. The cash will be used for urgent structural, chimney, window and roofing repairs, as well as improving the heating and security at their Chapel Street tourist attraction. The award is part of a £48m national package of additional government support for museums and libraries in the UK from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Arts Council England. The museum has already benefitted from extensive previous funding to help with its ambitious…

Tag: History