During our last Volunteer Forum on 17 March 2015, attendees were asked to write down their suggestions for improving Fulham Palace. Below are those suggestions and the responses.
Income generation
- Winter Ball – fundraising event: Will consider as part of our fund-raising strategy
- Filming crews – BBC, ITV, Universal - secondary spend: We are registered with a few film agencies and we are getting more photo shoots now. Waiting for the big break!
- Selling produce at Farmer’s Market: Produce group just been set up, this year they will be concentrating on sales in the walled garden, but something to look into for the future. Also asking if Friends will run a stall at the Farmer’s market once a month.
- In the absence of the competition from Garden Centre we use our access to supplier to fill gap in market to supply Fulham with garden supplies, seeds, fertilizer, compost: We will be looking at selling seeds. Larger items will be more difficult as we cannot offer visitor parking on site at present
- More Fulham Palace branded products in the shop: We are hoping to launch our new pop up shop in reception in April/May 2015
Events
- Museums at night: We run Museums at Night, this year will be our 3rd year. The event is on 15 May – check the What’s on for further details
- Murder mystery like Cluedo: Will discuss at our next Events meeting
- Open House London: We do this every year, this year it will fall on Sunday 20 September 2015
- Local Businesses Day where they can come in and display their wares, cook dishes from restaurant menus, wine tastings, etc: We will talk about this further and look at how it would benefit Fulham Palace
Courses/training
- Series of gardening lectures for each season/subject area eg bulb planting, borders, veg plot etc: Will pass the ideas on to Lettie/Lucy. We have had a successful apple growing course and are about to launch a veg growing course in April.
- Gardening talks on specific topics eg beginners, propagation or dig v. no dig: As above
Signage and reception
- ‘Thank you for coming’ sign on the back of the A frame by gate of Tudor courtyard: Arlene Fraser to look into this.
- Brown sign at Putney stations, tube and National Rail: Signage group set up with staff and volunteers, meeting LBHF 25/3/15
- Signage at Putney Bridge station and Craven Cottage. Lighting could also be improved: As above
- Signage for the Palace (currently zero): As above
- Better welcome, somehow draw people on past reception: We do have receptionists on duty, and they provide a great welcome. We are looking for more volunteers to work on reception so that there is always a presence. Arlene looking at improving the lighting.
- Start tours at reception: Tours currently start in the museum but we could look at changing this.
- More to evoke the river entrance: Phase III plans will look at opening up another entrance or views to the Palace from the river and Bishop’s Park
Garden and grounds
- Replace the Banksia – or put another climbing rose in: This is the rose that was growing up the Chapel wall. It fell down because it had become too heavy, and the gardeners cut it back. Lucy will be putting a climbing rose in the garden and will look at what options there are in this position.
- Meadow at back of walled garden: Because this is used as a set up and prep area for large events we have previously not planted this up. But Lucy is looking at planting a wild flower meadow.
- Goats for the moat: We have considered goats and sheep but the concern is how to protect them from the public! We continue to look at how we manage the moat slopes and the gardeners are attending a course next month.
- Pathway to entrance and surface in the courtyard: We would like to remove the tarmac driveway and have something more appropriate as part of Phase III. We will remove the pink sign at the top of the drive. The Tudor courtyard surface needs to be more appropriate so will also look at this as part of Phase III.
Facilities
- Double bins everywhere in stables for schools and restaurant – one recycled material, one general waste - embarrassing with schools in particular: Arlene Fraser to put this in place
Learning and interpretation
- Display the Bishops’ Badges embroidered by many of our volunteers in past years and other embroideries done by classes: Could rotate the display in the museum and look at long term options as part of Phase III. Can photograph and put on the volunteer portal for now.
- More opportunities to display, show off and explain our very extensive costume and handling collection – at present only seen by schoolchildren: This is something we can look at as part of the consultation for Phase III
- In some of the bare rooms very limited replica period furniture – say 3 bits that can easily be moved when let out – so bare – maybe one small carpet: This is something we are looking at as part of Phase III. Hope to have replica in Great Hall and a few other historic rooms.
*‘Phase III’ is the next lottery project, including the restoration of the Tudor Quadrangle and parts of the garden.