Cuckfield Museum is delighted to announce that it has achieved Full Accreditation status.

The Accreditation Standard is a sort of "kite-mark", a confirmation that a museum is meeting national professional standards in key areas of museum management, collection care and public services.

It is a nation-wide scheme which is open to all museums, libraries and galleries as well as organisations like the National Trust. The process of achieving Accreditation is a challenging one for even the largest museum with full-time professional staff. Being run entirely by volunteers with no professional employees, it is all the more to Cuckfield's credit that Full Accreditation status has been awarded - a rare achievement for a small museum. Others in Sussex who have been similarly successful include Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, Worthing Museum & Art Gallery, Horsham Museum and Weald and Downland Open Air Museum.

Ultimately the scheme benefits everyone who uses museums, libraries and galleries. Potential donors or lenders of objects or collections can feel confident that their treasures will be well cared for at Cuckfield. Having Full Accreditation status also makes the museum eligible for much needed grants and awards offered by a range of other heritage-protection organisations.

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The museum continues to offer new displays and events and a recent evening talk on “The Value of Tradition”, was very well received by an enthusiastic audience. Mak Norman spoke about Sussex traditional music and dancing with entertaining songs and a fascinating demonstration of Jig Doll dancing. Dancing dolls have been used for at least the past one hundred and fifty years in Great Britain, and are also known in Ireland and North America. They are by no means exclusive to Sussex, but, as with singing, stepdancing and other music-making, the tradition seems still popular in the region.

The earliest known model is now in Cliffe Castle, Keighley, Yorkshire, and was apparently exhibited at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. It is a female figure dressed in skirt, petticoat, bodice and shawl. Mak’s man was rather more simple but the technique to make him dance was fascinating to watch and proved the highlight of a very successful evening.

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Cuckfield Museum is supported by:

Mid-Sussex District Council, West Sussex County Council, Cuckfield Parish Council and Gatwick Airport Community Trust

Email us at: Cuckfieldmuseum@btconnect.com.

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