SS Great Britain appoints a new general manager

The charity behind Brunel’s SS Great Britain in Bristol has appointed a new chief executive. On Monday 3 June, Andrew Edwards will join the SS Great Britain Trust, which runs the museum, tourist attraction and the Brunel Institute.

Edwards was previously chief executive of the Sussex Archaeological Society; Canterbury Cathedral Trust; and the National Churches Fund. He is also a trustee of the Tenby Museum and Art Gallery and the Creative Dimension Trust, and a mentor for the Changing Lives campaign at St Marylebone Church, London.

He will take over from interim co-directors Angela Spreadbury and Phil Smith.

“I am delighted to be joining the SS Great Britain Trust at such an exciting time,” he said. “By joining a strong team with ambitious plans, we will realize the potential of the Albion Dockyard project to deliver wide-ranging benefits to the West in the English region and beyond.”

Mr Edwards has joined the trust as it continues to work to transform Albion Shipyard following its initial development phase.

The first phase of the Albion Dockyard project saw the Grade II listed dry dock and dockyard re-open as a working dockyard, operated by the Albion Dock Company. The new viewing area allows visitors to discover stories about the dock’s history and current operations.

The first phase also saw an expansion of the trust’s community engagement programs, including funding for a dedicated community history scholarship and support for community researchers, enabling people from local communities to access museum archives and research migration history, allowing the trust to expand its work with the city.

The charity said that as the project moves into the fundraising and implementation phase, Edward’s experience will be “invaluable”.