Public appointment: member reappointed on the Board of National Museums Scotland (NMS)

The Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development and Minister with Special Responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine, Mr Gray, today announced the reappointment of Laura Young MBE as a Member of the Board of National Museums Scotland (NMS).

Member

Laura Young MBE is a multi-award-winning social entrepreneur and founder of the children’s mental health charity, Teapot Trust which now operates in 15 NHS Health Boards across the UK. Based in East Lothian, Teapot Trust provides art therapy and art activities to children coping with long-term health conditions. Laura Young now works as an executive coach, helping founders and CEOs develop their businesses and think strategically. She began her career 30 years ago at the Science Museum London and remains an ardent supporter of museums and heritage crafts.

Reappointment

This reappointment will be for four years and will run from 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2026.

This reappointment is regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration

This reappointment is part-time, with an average time commitment of 9-12 days per year. Appointments to the Board of National Museums Scotland are not remunerated.

Other ministerial appointments

Laura Young does not hold any other public appointments.

Political activity

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.

Laura Young has had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

National Museums Scotland (NMS) is one of the leading museums groups in Europe. It cares for a multi-disciplinary collection of over 12 million objects, bringing together the arts and sciences, and the cultures of Scotland and the world, alongside the diversity of the natural world. The organisation has approximately 460 staff across five sites and receives around £25 million of Scottish Government funding annually. NMS is also a Scottish Charity (no. SC 011130).

NMS’ key priorities reflect its statutory duties to care for the items it holds, and to make them accessible through providing education, encouraging research, and promoting public awareness. Its four museums (the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street in Edinburgh, the National War Museum in Edinburgh Castle, the National Museum of Flight in East Lothian and the National Museum of Rural Life near East Kilbride) are enjoyed by local and international visitors and received over 3 million visits in the year before Covid-19.

As a national centre of excellence, the organisation is committed to widening access to and participation with its collections, reaching out across Scotland, the UK and internationally. This includes an extensive programme of: touring exhibitions; loans; community-based partnership projects, often within disadvantaged areas; training and skills development, including developing young people; the provision of advice and support to the museum sector; administering the National Fund for Acquisitions; and operating the Treasure Trove scheme. National Museums Scotland is hugely proud of the impact it has on people’s lives through sharing the fascinating stories of the millions of remarkable objects it cares for in Scotland’s National Collection.

NMS operates within the context of the Scottish Government’s national outcomes and strategic objectives. As with all public bodies it also operates within a challenging financial climate and must make the most of opportunities to continue to collaborate with other key national and international organisations from a range of sectors and to generate income from a range or sources.

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