The World Reimagined is coming to Port Sunlight!

We’re delighted to announce that Port Sunlight will be taking part in The World Reimagined, a national art project offering free visitor trails that explore how we understand Transatlantic Slavery and its impact on society in the UK today.

Created by artists, these globes bring to life a UK-wide journey of discovery that reminds us all how Transatlantic Slavery is not just ‘Black History’ – it’s everyone’s shared history.

Until 31^st Oct, the public will be able to follow a trail of 10 Globe sculptures across Liverpool City Region and PSVT is proud to be the sponsor partner of the Wirral’s own Globe sculpture, located at The Priory in Birkenhead.

What’s more, Port Sunlight will also be playing host to a smaller Learning Globe artwork, created by pupils from West Kirby Grammar School, at our SoapWorks venue.  Schools and community groups across the UK have used these globes to engage with themes designed to empower them in creating a future world where racial justice is a reality. Locally, the Learning Globes will form an additional free art trail through Liverpool City Region for the public to enjoy.

To learn more about SoapWorks click here.

The globe sculpture at Port Sunlight will be free to view. Trail visitors will also be able to enjoy half price to SoapWorks (open 10am-5pm, Wednesday-Sunday), a chance to uncover Port Sunlight’s own links to the colonial past.

We’ll shortly be announcing a program of exciting local activities linked to the themes explored by The World Reimagined, so keep an eye out for more information on this soon!

PSVT is incredibly […]

In this time of mourning, we pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

All Image credits: Reproduced with kind permission of Unilever plc

A message from our CEO, Paul Harris, in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II:

We are deeply saddened to hear of the death of Her Majesty Queen. Our thoughts are very much with The Royal Family, and their loved ones, at this difficult time, as we remember her lifetime of service. She will be sorely missed by so many around the world.

The Queen has been the very epitome of unstinting dutifulness and devoted commitment throughout her long reign and I know many staff here at PSVT, volunteers, past and present residents and visitors will continue to share wonderful memories of the special occasions she visited the village, from her first visit in 1957, to her more recent visit in 1988 to mark the centenary of the founding of Port Sunlight. We will treasure these memories.

Take a look here at our special tribute to her during her visits to Port Sunlight.

We will continue with our regular opening hours during this time and therefore our museum venues and offices will be closed on Monday 19 September.

Everyone at PSVT has the royal family in their thoughts at this time.

Paul Harris

Chief Executive Officer

Port Sunlight is recruiting for a Gardener / Driver! 

Update: This vacancy has now been filled. Thank you for your interest.

Full Time: 40 hours per week

Salary: £19,760.00 per annum

Port Sunlight Village Trust is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Port Sunlight Conservation Area. The village is the finest surviving example of early urban planning in the UK. It is one of the Liverpool City Region’s premier visitor attractions and home to over 2,000 residents.

An independent charity established in 1999, the trust maintains all of the parks, gardens, and monuments and memorials in the village. We own one-third of the housing stock – some 300 properties – and eight of the public buildings from which we derive our primary source of income. We also operate the award-winning Arts Council Accredited Port Sunlight Museum through which we engage local schools, domestic and international visitors, and the local community.

We are seeking to recruit a Gardener / Driver to join the Landscape Team and assist with the horticulture maintenance of our unique and historic village. Applicants should have previous experience in quality horticulture maintenance, be able to undertake a variety of skilled manual tasks associated with this type of role, and hold a valid UK driving licence. Ideally, applicants should possess a formal horticulture qualification and have obtained their PA1 and PA6A spraying certification.

More information is available in the Job Description here. To apply, please send your CV and a supporting statement of no more than 500 words using this form to [email protected] by 10.00am on Friday 20^th January. Interviews will take place in January.

Rare opportunity to join PSVT’s Senior Leadership Team on a 12-month contract

Update: Please note this post has now been filled. Thank you.

Port Sunlight Village Trust (PSVT) is seeking to recruit a dynamic and suitably experienced professional to join their Senior Leadership Team on a temporary basis.

We are looking to appoint a Director of Heritage to cover Parental Leave for up to 12 months. You will work with the CEO, other Directors, and Board of trustees to realise a new 5-year plan for the organisation and a longer-term masterplan for Port Sunlight.

About the post

As Director of Heritage, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for the Heritage Directorate, which is responsible for the care and protection of Port Sunlight’s heritage and collections and making their stories and legacies accessible and relevant to everyone through research and public programming.

As well as people management and overseeing the day-to-day operational management of the Directorate, you will also lead the following projects over the next 12 months:

• Review of the 10-year Conservation Management Plan
• Development and implementation of a new Monuments Strategy
• Phase 1 National Lottery Heritage Fund bid for a new Museum concept and interpretive strategy for the site
• Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the University of Manchester working with communities to explore William Lever’s colonialist business practices in our museum and public spaces.
• Equity Diversity & Inclusion improvement plan
• Research into a new model for community involvement
• Development of a new Volunteer Strategy
• Bid for World Heritage Site Inscription, pending the outcome of an application to the UK’s Tentative List (due January 2023).

The successful candidate will ideally be able to commence the role in October 2022 and the contract will run […]

PSVT is recruiting for four staff posts to support Port Sunlight’s future direction

Port Sunlight Village Trust, custodian of the world’s finest planned working-class community, is looking for four talented and suitably experienced individuals to fill some exciting staff posts, three of which are brand new. They are Public Programme Manager, Marketing & Communications Manager, Volunteer Coordinator, and Visitor Team Supervisor.

These posts are coming at an important and exciting time for PSVT and Port Sunlight. We are forging ahead with plans for a new museum concept which will transform our visitor attractions, progressing World Heritage ambitions, openly exploring the village’s colonial links, working to diversify our audiences and workforce, and considering a new model for meaningful community involvement. The postholders will contribute to all these areas of our work.

At present, diverse social groups are underrepresented at PSVT, and this is something we want to change. Therefore, we particularly encourage applications from people who are of the Global Majority, Disabled, Neurodiverse, D/deaf, LGBTQIA2S+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Two-Spirit), and/or from working-class backgrounds. We are also keen to hear from candidates under 30 years old who are passionate about representing a younger perspective.

If you are seeking job satisfaction, like the idea of shaping your role within an organisation and bringing a fresh perspective, and want to make a real difference, then look no further…

Staff Posts

Public Programme Manager

You will lead the development and delivery of a high quality and inclusive public programme – indoors, outdoors, and on-line – to engage existing and new audiences in meaningful cultural experiences that unlock PSVT’s vision, collections and heritage assets, and story. You will be creative, people-focussed, and an […]

PSVT seeks new Board members

Off the back of announcing our World Heritage ambitions for Port Sunlight, the world’s finest planned working-class community, custodians Port Sunlight Village Trust are now seeking a new voluntary Board member. We are looking to appoint a trustee with expertise in global heritage conservation.

As a trustee, you will work alongside the senior leadership team and Board to realise a new 5-year plan for the organisation and a longer-term masterplan for Port Sunlight. With the conclusion of some members’ terms of office, we want to take this opportunity to diversify our Board so that it is more reflective of modern society and the communities we serve.

At present, diverse social groups are underrepresented at PSVT, and this is something we want to change. Therefore, we particularly encourage applications from people who are of the Global Majority, Disabled, Neurodiverse, D/deaf, LGBTQIA2S+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Two-Spirit), and/or from working-class backgrounds. We would also be keen to hear from candidates under 30 years old who are passionate about representing a younger perspective and have the experience to contribute at Board level. Board positions are voluntary, but travel expenses are covered.

For the Heritage Conservation role, we require:

• Expertise in architecture and/or building conservation
• Experience of World Heritage Site Inscription, and established professional network
• Understanding of the history, heritage, and significance of Port Sunlight.
• Understanding of how conservation of the historic built environment can be reconciled with both contemporary development needs and climate crisis challenges.
• Awareness of the legacies of colonialism in contemporary Britain, and a willingness to support the anti-racist addressal of this problematic heritage in a Port Sunlight context

About Us

PSVT is a […]

Port Sunlight announces World Heritage bid after UK Government reopens the Tentative List

The UK Government’s open call for applications to the Tentative List for World Heritage Site (WHS) inscription gives the exemplary worker village Port Sunlight a once in a decade opportunity to be considered for global recognition.

Since 2000, the question of Port Sunlight’s eligibility for WHS inscription has been raised by the community and local politicians. As part of its strategic and conservation planning in 2018, village custodians Port Sunlight Village Trust (PSVT) and key stakeholders reconsidered WHS inscription and this time determined that it was a realistic opportunity for Wirral, the community and the heritage site.

Today, PSVT are putting together a bid for Port Sunlight to be recognised as a World Heritage Site, with support from strategic partners Wirral Council, National Museums Liverpool and Unilever.

Paul Harris, Chief Executive at PSVT explains:

“The UK’s Tentative List is typically only reviewed at ten-yearly intervals so this is a rare opportunity that must be seized. Port Sunlight’s ambition for inscription has really developed over two decades. We have done our research, sought expert advice, learnt from others, talked to and reflected on the needs of stakeholders and constituents, weighed up the potential impact for heritage and people, and considered the needs of our businesses.

“We are pursuing inscription to celebrate Port Sunlight’s global value – a radical and influential innovation in community design and development for well-being and productivity for all people. In addition, we believe that inscription will support and inspire further collaborative working with our community and stakeholders, engagement with other inscribed sites and research institutions to unlock the site’s global legacies, increase […]

Platinum Jubilee Acer Tree

Many of you who visited the village at the weekend may have seen our very special Queen Elizabeth Acer tree to mark the Platinum Jubilee.

Image L-R: James Hayes, Maggie Sparks, Liam English, Caroline Everett and Andy Durney

Port Sunlight Gazette Summer Edition 2022

Port Sunlight Village Trust has published the Summer Edition of the village newsletter, the Port Sunlight Gazette, which is hand delivered to every household in the village.

It includes news and information from Port Sunlight Village Trust, village groups and societies, local businesses, and other important stakeholders. Check it out here or download a copy to keep here. For a large print version please download here.

Platinum Picnic at Port Sunlight

Celebratory events for the Platinum Jubilee

When: Sunday 5^th June 2022
Where: The Museum Green (next to Port Sunlight Museum and the Lady Lever Art Gallery)
Times: 12noon – 6.00pm
Cost: Free entry

Picnic on the Green

Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee will play a major role in bringing the UK back together again following the pandemic and to mark such an occasion, Port Sunlight Village Trust (PSVT) will be celebrating her 70 years of service on Sunday 5^th June with a picnic on the Museum Green, in the heart of the village.

In true Port Sunlight style, the free to attend event will have a live stage featuring local bands such as The Port Sunlight Sea Dogs, The Get Back Beats, and The Swing Era Jazz Band, hosted by compere Graeme White. Amongst an array of food and drink exhibitors to get those all-important picnic essentials, from barbecue bites to afternoon tea treats! The Green will also have vintage fair rides and stalls for all ages to enjoy.

Thanks to a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund, the event has been co-produced with the residents of Port Sunlight, along with village groups, societies and businesses. The whole village has been taking part in the planning from making bunting to volunteering on the day.

Katherine Lynch, Director of Heritage at PSVT comments;

“In her last Christmas message, the Queen said that her Platinum Jubilee Year should be an ‘opportunity for people everywhere to enjoy a sense of togetherness; a chance to give thanks for the enormous changes of the last 70 years: social, scientific, and cultural; and to look ahead with confidence,’ and that is very much what we hope […]