About Us

Barnsley Museums & Heritage Trust is a fundraising charity founded in 2015 to help preserve, enhance and champion the borough’s heritage for the future.

The Trust – a voluntary independent board of community champions – aims to generate funds and support from individuals, businesses and organisations to safeguard the future of Barnsley Museums as a source of learning, curiosity, inspiration and enjoyment for all.

The Trust funds and supports five free-entry heritage attractions in Barnsley: Experience Barnsley, Cannon Hall Museum Park & Gardens, Worsbrough Mill and Country Park, The Cooper Gallery, and Elsecar Heritage Centre.

Meet our Trustees
Our trustees are a group of independent community champions who all have a combined interest and wealth of experience to ensure the future of our venues. Their mission is to positively impact Barnsley’s communities by enabling activities and events and protecting our arts, culture, and rich heritage for future generations.

John Hamshere – Chair of Barnsley Museums & Heritage Trust
John became a Trustee at the inception of the Trust in 2015 and took the Chair in October 2023. John retired in 2017 after a career in developing and managing heritage sites and museums. He spent the majority of his career in Sheffield, first as the founding Executive Director of Kelham Island Museum Ltd in 1994, an early pioneer in taking local authority museums into trust status, and then as CEO of the enlarged Sheffield Industrial Museums Trust in 1998 with the addition of Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet and Shepherd Wheel. John was active in countywide organisations in Yorkshire including the then Heritage Lottery Fund Regional Committee. It was such activities that led to his involvement with Barnsley Museums, becoming a particular enthusiast for the internationally important Newcomen Engine at Elsecar and for the industrial heritage in which it is set. John, in his spare time, now enjoys undertaking many DIY projects, watching rugby and cricket, walking, theatre and spending time with his family.

Ian McMillan – Poet and Broadcaster
Ian is poet-in-residence for The Academy of Urbanism and Barnsley FC. He presents The Verb every week on BBC radio and is regularly on BBC Breakfast, Coast, Pick of the Week, You & Yours, Last Word and The Arts Show.

David Exley – Managing Director, Ledgard Jepson
Ledgard Jepson specialises in branding, marketing and digital and has worked with high-profile clients across the UK and abroad.  David has worked closely with Barnsley Museums since he rebranded them in 2013 creating temporary exhibitions, publications and signage. His clients in the heritage sector also include English Heritage, Historic England, Birmingham Museums Trust, Doncaster and Wakefield Museums. Passionate about the success of his home town, David has visited our heritage sites with his father as a child and is proud to now be a trustee and helping safeguard them for future generations. 

Lee Manterfield – HSBC Corporate, Relationship Director, SYCC
Lee is responsible for HSBC’s major corporate clients across the South Yorkshire Region having worked for them for 25 years.  Born and brought up in Barnsley, Lee is keen to maintain free at the point of access cultural and educational recreation within the borough and spotlighting Barnsley, its economy and its culture as a destination. He is a member of the Barnsley Economic Partnership and also a season ticket holder @ Barnsley FC.

Graham Walker, commercial content editor for Johnston Press
Graham Walker is a multi-award-winning journalist and commercial content editor for Johnston Press. His responsibilities often take him all over the county, but he describes Barnsley as home. Graham currently represents over 50 titles, including The Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Evening Post and The Star in Sheffield.

Tracey Johnson, Digital Media Centre, Barnsley
Tracey Johnson is a creative and digital business strategist, project director and founder with many years of experience in the digital, technology and creative industries. She leads the Digital Media Centre in Barnsley, a landmark hub for the creative and digital industries and home to over 50 businesses, as well as a range of programmes to support sector growth. Tracey is also part of the award-winning Enterprising Barnsley business growth team at Barnsley Council.

“Milly Charlesworth – Constable

“I signed up to be a trustee for BMHT through college whilst I was studying for my A-levels. The trust was looking for a representative for students and young people from Barnsley. I was born in Barnsley and my Grandad had a local butcher’s shop when I was growing up. Studying in the town centre, walking in Cawthorne Park and around Worsborough mill reservoir, I’ve seen places evolve over the last few years and I was excited to be a part of that and learn a bit more about how trust sites are managed. Meetings involve discussing where funding should be funnelled and what conservation work needs undertaking. I’m no expert on paintings or history but I have a love for Barnsley and am proud to help in whatever way I can. We are hoping to reach more people who love Barnsley so we can have a board who can share all perspectives when it comes to what’s best for our community.”