MEET THE TEAM

Jim Grevatte - Museum Manager & Curator

Jim is the Museum Manager and Curator. He is responsible for the day to day running of the museum, the development of key projects and for ensuring the delivery of the museum’s core activities and events programme.

With many years’ experience in the museum field, Jim has worked at The Galleries of Justice, as Regional Museums’ Adviser for East Midlands’ MLA and most recently as a well respected museums’ consultant.

Jim's vision for the museum centres around helping people understand the significance of the textile industry and the number of connections it has to people’s lives and histories. He's also keen for the museum to provide a window into today's knitting industry. He plans to work with tutors and students at Nottingham Trent University to use our extensive library and object collections for inspiration.

Helen Brownett - Textile Artist & Technical Demonstrator

Helen joined the Museum in 1995 as a volunteer on a government training scheme and has been with us ever since.

In 1997, she became a paid member of staff mainly demonstrating the Griswold machines, and helping visitors to enjoy and appreciate the circular knitting machines. Helen now works as a Textile Artist and Technical Demonstrator

Helen is extremely creative and is a talented artist. She enjoys using these skills to help develop the museum’s events programme, and to create and set the scenes for the many imaginative events that take place at the museum.

She also enjoys working with local artists and organising creative craft workshops, alongside helping to maintain the museum’s beautiful Victorian cottage garden.

Jan Perrett - Museum Assistant & Volunteer Coordinator

Jan’s role is primarily concerned with the recruitment and development of the Museum’s volunteers. In addition to managing the rotas, her role is to ensure that volunteers are supported and also offered involvement in projects relating to the ongoing development of the museum. She also assists in the organisation of group visits and events and contributes to its social media presence, particularly on Facebook and Instagram.

Jan worked for many years at the University of Nottingham and subsequently set up her own Higher Education Training Consultancy. She received an MBE in 2014 for Services to Higher Education.

Having started as a volunteer, herself, in 2018, Jan is acutely aware of the value of volunteering for the individual and for the museum. She believes that a team of happy, well-informed and confident volunteers ensures that all who visit the museum feel welcome and leave with a greater insight into the work and lives of framework knitters in the region.

Matthew Hamilton - Framework Coordinator & Framework Knitter

Matthew Hamilton is our very own Framework Knitter and Framework Coordinator. He is responsible for coordinating and leading what goes on in our frameshop, Disney room, and workshop. He is here to lead projects that go on in said rooms, and on top of that he is our lead Framework Knitter and is here to use the Frames, demonstrate, and teach our next generation of up and coming Framework Knitters.

Because of his grandmother, Matt’s journey starts the day he was born. Throughout his life, he was brought up with the museum as a part of his upbringing and in mid 2010, he started as a volunteer and started his Framework Knitting journey.

Over the years he became more and more familiar with the frames and over 9 years later he is still full steam ahead as he continues his work Framework Knitting. Matt took on the role he has today in late 2018/early 2019, continuing the legacy of his great predecessor and mentor Milla, leading the frameshop forward in the best possible way for the museum with the help of Jim, Helen, and all the other volunteers at the museum.

Faye Stenson - Trustee

Faye joined the Board in October 2014 with the aim of using her marketing, events management and business skills to help promote the museum, its events and activities.

She currently manages the Communications Plan for the museum's redevelopment project, 'A Right Good Yarn', which is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Away from the museum, she has worked as a freelance copywriter and marketing communications specialist since 2008.

Ian Rowson - Trustee

Ian has worked in and around the museum sector for over 20 years. His specific field of interest is collections management and documentation.

Ian particularly likes working with technology and social history collections, and his role as a Trustee for the Framework Knitters gives him an opportunity to keep engaged with many of the things that he is most interested in. Ian joined the Board in November 2016.

Brian Playle - Trustee

Brian was a former museum professional with Nottingham City Museums.

He is a long standing Trustee of the Framework Knitters Museum.

Neville Stankley - Trustee

Neville is currently a Senior Lecturer in Museum and Heritage Development with a focus on China and runs a social enterprise to support early career entrants to the sector.

He has a wealth of experience in the museum sector as a consultant and advisor formerly being Vice Chair of the East Midlands Museum Service, Programme Board Member for Museum Development East Midlands and Committee Member of the Nottinghamshire Heritage Forum.

Peter McGowan - Trustee

A longstanding Ruddington resident, Peter joined the museum Board in 2014. He brings with him a wealth of experience in the textiles trade, being director of a family-run knitting company as well as a Chartered Accountant.

Peter is a keen historian and has chaired the Ruddington Local History Society for a number of years. Other local appointments have included a 36 year stint as a Parish Councillor and 30 years with Rushcliffe Borough Council. Peter's other interests include antique collecting and speaking about antiques to local organisations.