Cambridge Town Hall chair Kirsty Johnson, left, and general manager Simon Brew, right, with Destination Cambridge general manager Ruth Crampton outside the hall. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
They share space together in the Cambridge Town Hall now and what could have been a fraught relationship between the hall trust and Destination Cambridge has developed into a virtual love fest.
That has much to do with the two general managers – Simon Brew for the Town Hall and Ruth Crampton for Destination Cambridge – who make a point of enjoying a social session with staff every Friday to work on the relationship.
Kirsty Johnson
“We’ve changed the model quite a lot so it’s actually completely different. We have someone on site now for all events,” Town Hall trust chair Kirsty Johnson told The News in advance of the trust’s annual meeting this week, held after the newspaper went to press.
Fourteen casual staff, including Crampton, have also been brought on to assist at events.
“All we were doing (before) was making a booking. There’s so much more to the whole operation now and it’s exciting,” said Crampton.
“We have a chance to bounce ideas and keep across the types of things Destination Cambridge is trying to bring to the town and how we support them. There are some good opportunities for the future,” said Brew.
The trust recently engaged a project manager to help with long term planning for full rejuvenation of the hall.
Johnson acknowledged Destination Cambridge’s support in her report to the annual meeting.
“Our trustees made the tough decision this would be the final year of the management contract between us as we look to resource these functions internally,” she said in her report.
“The relationship is one that we value and continue to grow as we now share a space in the Cambridge Town Hall.”
Elsewhere in the report Johnson acknowledged her “working” board who donated volunteer hours.
Town Hall update: Chair Kirsty Johnson, deputy chair Rob Feisst and trustee Jenny Cave spoke at a Waipa District Council meeting last year.
Founding trustee Jenny Cave recently resigned and this has prompted the trust to advertise for one or two new trustees.
Finding a new general manager in Brew was exciting, said Johnson.
“His influence has helped shape the strategic direction as well as future operational plans for the trust.
“Simon’s commitment, enthusiasm and experience in the arts’ world are a real asset to the trust,” she said.
“The progress of the trust over the last 12 months is something that I am personally very proud of. We are a small team of passionate and dedicated people, and it is this alone that has driven our progress.”
Plans in the pipeline include:
- More trust-led events
- Continued community engagement
- Further staff recruitment
- New operating processes and systems
- Capital works to address the immediate issues to activate the Cambridge Town Hall.
Cambridge Town Hall.
