After more than 11 years at the head of Bridport Museum, director Emily Hicks has announced she will be stepping down at the end of June.

Ms Hicks has worked hard to transform the museum, securing funding and seeing through the National Heritage Lottery Fund funded redevelopment of the museum; creating the successful 2019 Turner exhibition; and now leading an innovative community-led collections review, The Right Stuff.

She has helped steer the museum through the coronavirus pandemic and seen it celebrate its 90th anniversary this year.

Announcing her resignation, Ms Hicks said: "It has been a privilege to lead the museum since late 2010.  It seems really strange to think that I had never even heard of Bridport when I applied for the job. However, from the word go I soon realised it was an absolute gift of a job. A quirky community museum at the heart of a wonderfully vibrant and friendly town. 

"Two years in, and the bequest of the Sanctuary rope and net collection was the spur for applying for Lottery Funding. I doubt I'll ever have such a chance again: having permission to strip everything back to a blank sheet of paper and recreate a museum from scratch was an incredible opportunity. 

"I have been so fortunate in getting to work alongside such a wonderful band of volunteers, staff, trustees, consultants and community partners over the past 11 and a half years. They are the ones who have really done all the hard work - my task has always been about gathering the right people, in the right place, at the right time. Then amazing things happen – I am so grateful to all of them.

"I am soon to take up a new role 'over the border' into Devon, supporting their 54 libraries within the charity 'Libraries Unlimited' with fundraising. However, I shall be staying local and firmly connected with Bridport itself- it's impossible not to!"

Karen Hunt, chairman of trustees said: "We owe Emily a huge amount for the way she has transformed the museum over the past 11 years. Securing the funding for and overseeing the redevelopment of the galleries has really brought the collections back to life. We wish her all the very best for the future."