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Rachael Thomas
Castle Manager
Best moments - Working with so many talented and exceptional people
to deliver this project: the staff team at the Castle, colleagues within
LCC, and the project consultants and contractors. So many people have
brought so much professionalism, energy and enthusiasm to the project,
it's been a joy and a privilege to work with and learn from all of them.
Worst moments - At the time, the missed birthday parties, sports days,
school concerts, speech day ... a project like this takes over your life!
Post opening, all is forgiven!!
Richard Wills
Executive Director
, chaired the County Council's Programme Board that
coordinated our efforts and ensured that Lincoln Castle Revealed stayed
on budget.
My greatest challenge was ensuring we had the right team at the start
of the project.
My best memories are the encounters with so many enthusiastic people
engaged in Lincoln Castle Revealed, who are rightly proud of their
contribution.
Cllr Nick Worth
Executive Member for Lincoln Castle Lincolnshire County Council
Best moments - The opening was the crowning moment for me, to see
the pride on the faces of all the staff and contractors who have worked
so hard on the project, working evenings and weekends when required,
right up to the last minute and to finish a £22m project on time and
within budget, with so few issues, was a great tribute to them all. The
quality of the finish is outstanding.
Wobbly moments - Inevitably there were a couple of wobbly moments,
the discovery of the stone sarcophagus was a real bonus, but with such
a tight schedule I was really hoping we didn't find too much more!!
The topping out ceremony on the roof of the Magna Carta Vault was a
personal challenge and definite wobbly moment for me - I hate heights!
Will the Magna Carta Vault have the bespoke door fitted in time for
humidity levels to even out and will the right humidity be in the display
case to allow it to be displayed in time for the opening? You could feel
the tension almost hour by hour as new readings were taken, it was out
of our hands.... A novel couldn't have done it justice!
Sally Bleasdale
Education Manager.
Sally is responsible for developing the learning
programme at Lincoln Castle.
Best moment - A real highlight for me was on the first day we opened
and the new Early Years room - Countess Lucy - was full of excited little
faces and lots of mums and dads saying their children didn't want to
leave. It made all the hard work so worth it.
Worst moment - A low point was on a cold and really wet October
day when 50 Bishop Grosseteste student teachers turned up for a
Take One...Building project visit to Lucy Tower and they couldn't go
up because of the delays and the weather. Luckily, wonderful Friends
of Lincoln Castle guides helped with indoor talks at the Heritage Skills
Centre. The project concluded this April with an inspired exhibition of
artwork from 10 local schools.
Rachael Thomas
Richard Wills
Cllr Nick Worth
Sally Bleasdale