Dr. Ed lost his job as curator and natural history keeper at Maidstone Museum, as well as 4 of his colleagues, including the Operations Manager. This drastic action, for a saving of less than �100,000; when the High Street is being re-vamped at a cost well in excess of �2 million!
Once again, we push away historic and cultural activities and knowledge. This time the sacrifice is NOT worth the ridiculous saving that it brings.
What will become of the Maidstone Museum, a local landmark, in a few years if we change its bricks and mortar, but we lose its soul?
We really need to show the strength of feeling towards this cut, and tell the council that it simply cuts too deep - to demand that Dr. Ed and his colleagues are reinstated. Please forward this to all your Facebook friends, contacts, family and whoever cares for our children to still have access to inspiring people and places.
Dear Councillor Wilson
We the undersigned are extremely disturbed by the recent news that Dr. Ed, keeper of Natural History at Maidstone Museum, and 4 further staff, have lost their jobs at the museum within the last few weeks.
We have located a sum of money in your savings 2011-2012 table of £86,500, and suspect that this is the sum being 'saved' by making these redundancies.
Someone of such rich knowledge, enthusiasm and experience should
never be considered redundant, especially a person who has been placed to serve the community. In this economic age the gap between the poor and the wealthy widens, and interest in the arts, history and culture can really help people take a reference and connect positively with the world in which they live. So important, that it forms part of the social values that have a bearing within us all. The loss of these staff is not just a massive blow for Maidstone, but also for Kent and its visitors.
We genuinely believe that the High Street regeneration project costing £2 million will have nowhere as near an impact as the loss of those jobs at the museum. To think that something that costs less than 4.3% of the High Street project could have such an effect is, I agree, a staggering thought.
We ask you to give further consideration to the role of Dr. Ed, and other inspiring people in our local community, and the necessity to make arts and culture accessible and attractive to all. We the undersigned all share grave concern about this loss. On the other hand if the High Street regeneration project were to be put on-hold we would all readily accept that other things were more important. The extension to the Museum & Art Gallery has progressed significantly. We challenge you to prove that Maidstone Borough Council matches its commitment to support both our existing and expanding cultural resources. This includes the people.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
