The Business Archives Councils of England, Wales and Scotland have joined forces to present a new event series – Business Bites. For this event, we invite everyone with an interest in business archives to this informal event where current challenges, successes and ideas are shared at a lunchtime meeting.
The theme of this event is – Advocacy and Celebration
Where: Online – via Zoom
When: Wednesday, 24th September 2025, 12.30pm – 13.30pm
Advocacy is one of the most important tools in the toolbox of business archivists. Being able to express the importance of what we do to the organisations we work with is a key part of securing funding, support and resource.
Hayley Whiting and Elaine Edwards will join us to talk about their advocacy and celebration projects within their organisations and the impact this has had on the archive.
RNLI 200: How the archive supported and inspired the charity's bicentenary.
2024 was a milestone year for the RNLI, the charity that saves lives at sea. Hayley Whiting will share just some of the ways the RNLI's archive was used to support and inspire the 200th anniversary, from the expected to the unexpected.
Biography:
With over 25 years in the archive sectors, Hayley Whiting has been the Heritage Archive and Research Manager at the RNLI since 2013. The records in the RNLI archive, largely based in Poole, Dorset, date from the foundation of the charity in 1824 right through to the present day. The RNLI's heritage team ensure the charity's story can be told for years to come, inspiring future generations of supporters and lifesavers.
Commemoration & Continuity: Keeping the War Dead relevant to today's audiences.
Intro. will cover a brief history of the work of Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) who cares for 1.7 million men and women worldwide. Followed by examples of the outreach & engagement strategies used by the Commission.
Biography: Elaine Edwards has worked for the CWGC just under 2 years. The previous 25 years being spent working in museums (20 of which were at the National Museum of Scotland). As Public Engagement Co-ordinator she cover the E & N of Scotland. She manages a team of volunteer speakers & tour guides. The commission do talks to groups from primary age to U3As & give tours of cemeteries containing CWGC graves. There are over 21,000 in Scotland alone. The role also includes laying wreaths, doing media, meeting with MPs/ MSPS, arranging events e.g. to mark major events such as VE and VJ Day 80 etc.
Please direct any questions or comments to [email protected]
Business Bites is an initiative by BAC and BACS to encourage conversations, bringing together the small community of business archivists and custodians of business archives across the UK, many of whom work alone, to share our experiences. Regular social meet ups will be held every few months, with a rotating theme to kick start conversations and allow you to meet your peers. Anything and everything business archives will be openly discussed among friends.
