Five appointments made to the National Museums Liverpool Board
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has appointed John Belchem, Dinah Birch, Lynn Collins, Anna Farthing and Philip Lloyd as Trustees of National Museums Liverpool for terms of four years.
John Belchem
Appointed from 1st March 2023 until 28th February 2027
After completing his doctorate at the University of Sussex, John emigrated to New Zealand to lecture in history at Massey University. In January 1980. He took up a lectureship at the University of Liverpool, remaining for 33 years, serving as Head of History, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and finally as Pro-Vice Chancellor. John edited Liverpool 800: culture, character and history, commissioned to mark the 800th anniversary in 2007. In extensive publications and broadcasting, John continues to explore Liverpool’s complex history, purported ‘otherness’ and exceptionalism, external misperception and misrepresentation. Working at the interface of academic history, public history and heritage, he has become acutely aware of the richness and fragility of the city’s remarkable urban historical framework. Alongside my involvement in securing the inscription of the World Heritage Site, now alas lost, he has assisted in various conservation and repurposing projects. In a recent publication, he traced the complex but ultimately successful process of conservation and cultural regeneration of the Bluecoat, the city centre’s oldest building. Presently, he is Emeritus Professor of History, Vice-President of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, a Trustee of the Merseyside Buildings Preservation Trust and Chair of Merseyside Civic Society.
Dinah Birch
Appointed from 1st March 2023 until 28th February 2027
Dinah Birch is Emeritus Professor of English Literature at the University of Liverpool. As Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Cultural Engagement at the University she was responsible for the wide-ranging programme of cultural activities developed in association with the University’s first Heritage Strategy, in local regional and national contexts. She has published widely on Victorian fiction and poetry, and on the work of the artist and critic John Ruskin. Her books include Ruskin’s Myths (1988) and Our Victorian Education (2008), and she is the General Editor of the Oxford Companion to English Literature (2009). She has published editions of Elizabeth Gaskell’s Cranford (2011), Anthony
Trollope’s Can You Forgive Her? (2012) and The Small House at Allington (2014) with Oxford University Press, together with recent essays on George Eliot, Anthony Trollope, and John Ruskin. She writes regularly for the Times Literary Supplement, contributes to Melvyn Bragg’s In Our Time and Sky Arts documentary broadcasts, and has served as a judge on the Booker Prize panel.
Lynn Collins
Appointed from 1st March 2023 until 28th February 2027
Lynn Collins is currently Director of Field Services at the Royal College of Midwives. Lynn took up post in March 2022 having served as TUC Regional Secretary North West for the past 9 years. In her TUC role Lynn established a North West Labour History group and in 2018 organised the events programme to commemorate 150 years of the TUC. She also worked with women in Liverpool to commemorate the role that women have played in the city’s labour history including installing a blue plaque to Jeannie Mole a woman union organiser. She has been active in trades unions, social justice and equality movements all her working life and has held public office as a School Governor, an Employment Tribunal member and as Chair of HealthWatch Liverpool until 2023
In 2017 Lynn was appointed by Steve Rotheram, the Metro Mayor of Liverpool City Region, as Mayoral Advisor on Equalities, and as Chair of his Fairness and Social Justice Advisory Board, a position she held until 2021. Lynn is a trustee at the Working-Class Movement Library in Salford, and is a member of the ‘Hall of Fame’ of the Anti Racism Charity Show Racism the Red Card.
Anna Farthing
Appointed from 1st March 2023 until 28th February 2027
Anna Farthing is a creative producer and cultural consultant working across programming and strategy. She frequently works on launch and regeneration projects. Her doctoral research at Manchester University explored creative public engagement with challenging subjects. It has since been applied to histories of conflict and slavery, climate change, public health and placemaking. Anna is currently Director of Civic and Cultural Engagement at Arts University Bournemouth with responsibility for cultural assets, research, and innovation. She was previously Arts Programme Director for University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, where she founded a systemic arts and culture programme for ten hospitals, and the Weston Arts and Health Festival. As a creative director, Anna led the Philip Larkin programme for Hull UK City of Culture and the International Agatha Christie Festival in Torquay. Heritage clients include National Maritime Museum, National Museum of the Royal Navy, International Slavery Museum, British Empire and Commonwealth Museum, Bristol Museums, Thackray Medical Museum, Manx National Heritage, English Heritage, Chatsworth and the National Trust. Having begun her career as a director of theatre and opera, she continues to support young artists and the development of new work. Anna is currently a trustee of St George’s Music Trust.
Philip Lloyd
Appointed from 1st March 2023 until 28th February 2027
Phil has worked with schools in Liverpool since 2013 having relocated from the West Midlands. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience from a 30-year career in the education sector in schools, local authorities and colleges. He currently works as an Executive Principal and Ofsted Inspector. He graduated as an engineer from the University of Nottingham before embarking on a career as a science teacher, becoming a Master of Education (Leadership) and Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching. With a passion for education as an important vehicle supporting social mobility and an absolute commitment to world-class education for all pupils regardless of background he is enthusiastic about the role of the cultural sector in equipping young people with a wider knowledge and understanding of the world encouraging them to be curious, innovative, inventive and well-informed. Phil has demonstrable success in leadings teams and challenging underperformance in different settings, effectively translating national policy frameworks to meet local needs. As a board member in different organisations over the last 15 years he has developed an excellent understanding of business functions, including finance, human resources, marketing and recruitment.
Remuneration and Governance Code
Trustees of National Museums Liverpool are not remunerated. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. John Belchem, Dinah Birch, Lynn Collins, Anna Farthing and Philip Lloyd have not declared any significant political activity.