December 2025
Dear Members,
We hope your festive season is off to a joyful start! Ours began in spectacular style with our Christmas event at the wonderfully atmospheric Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum on 1 December. The team there gave us an exceptionally warm welcome, and the house looked magical – festive decorations throughout, traditional carols, and a beautifully lit tree in almost every room. I was delighted to enjoy my first mince pie and mulled wine of the year alongside fellow South West Fed members and trustees.
Our members’ events are always special, not only for the chance to explore unique museums and heritage sites across the region, but also for the conversations, shared learning, and sector-wide connections they inspire.
This year, our programme continued to be hugely popular with members and non-members alike, helping to keep the South West Fed financially sustainable and allowing us to maintain free membership for everyone. In 2025, we enjoyed memorable visits to We The Curious, Science + Innovation Park Wroughton, the American Museum in Bath, and the Museum of Gloucester. Our online talks also shone a spotlight on best practice beyond the region, with insightful contributions from Queer Britain, Manchester Museum, and The Sainsbury Centre in Norwich.
You can revisit highlights, write-ups, and photos from all our events here:
https://swfed.org.uk/past-events/
Thank you to everyone who has taken a moment to complete our post-event surveys. Your feedback directly shapes our programming and helps us continue offering relevant, engaging events that showcase innovation across the sector. We are also deeply grateful to the organisations and teams who host us so generously, giving their time, expertise, and spaces so we can keep ticket prices accessible, with concessionary rates available for students and jobseekers.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to launch our 2026 programme in January with a visit to the region’s newest museum – the Shoemakers Museum. You can book here, and more details about upcoming events will be shared in our monthly newsletters, on social media, and on our website.
This year also marked the launch of the Kathy Callow Legacy Fund, for which the South West Fed is the proud custodian. The fund supports small accredited museums with the care and display of social history collections. We were thrilled to award the first grant, nearly £1,400, to Tavistock Museum, enabling them to showcase previously unseen clothing and objects from the area’s copper mining boom. The next funding round will launch at our AGM in June.
As we enter the South West Fed’s 95th year, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to our Board of Trustees. Their dedication, expertise, and countless hours of voluntary work make everything we do possible. This year, we welcomed four new trustees: Matthew Cock, Tim Powell, Sophie Piggot, and Jess Trethowan, who bring a wealth of experience and fresh perspectives. You can learn more about Tim and Sophie in January’s newsletter.
We’re continually working to enhance communications and member benefits, and we always welcome your thoughts. Please feel free to share feedback through our surveys, speak to us at events, or contact us at info@swfed.org.uk.
Finally, as we look to an exciting year ahead, your support makes all the difference. If you’re able, please consider making a donation to help us continue offering free membership, affordable events, and funding opportunities for museums across the South West. And if you’ve enjoyed being part of the South West Fed community, please encourage your colleagues and friends to join us – together we can strengthen and celebrate the region’s vibrant heritage sector.
I wish all our members a restful, joyful festive season. May you find time to unwind, celebrate with friends and family, and recharge for the year ahead. Thank you for your continued support, we look forward to seeing you at events in 2026!
With warm festive wishes,
Iona Keen, Chair
South West Federation of Museums & Art Galleries
December 2025
