During the financial year, Connect Conserve Cymru CIC continued to expand its community benefit by supporting conservators living and working in Wales, with a particular focus on emerging, returning, and freelance professionals. Membership has grown steadily, reflecting increased demand for placements, mentoring, and practical experience. The CIC provided structured opportunities for students, interns, and early career conservators to develop professional skills and gain confidence by working alongside experienced practitioners on live contracts. We also provided pro bono conservation to a small charity that could not raise the money for a key piece for their exhibition to be conserved. Connect Conserve delivered conservation training and sector support across Wales, including salvage and emergency preparedness, and material identification and conservation training, both in person and online. The CIC strengthened its relationships with accredited museums, Icon Cymru, Cardiff University, and National Museum of Wales, ensuring that smaller museums benefit from specialist advice, practical conservation care, and improved access to professional networks. A major contract with the National Museum of Ireland provided several weeks of paid work for members, demonstrating the CIC’s ability to secure external projects that directly benefit the Welsh conservation community. Over the year, Connect Conserve Cymru employed three emerging professionals, hosted two Cardiff University placements, and provided paid work to five core members, four members, and three non members, all of whom were covered under the CIC’s insurance policy. As a membership based organisation, Connect Conserve Cymru has continued to build a supportive professional community across Wales. Members were kept informed through regular communication, including email updates and job calls, and core members met in person to maintain connections and share ideas. Feedback from members has been positive, highlighting the value of the CIC’s support, training, and employment opportunities. Through these activities, Connect Conserve Cymru CIC has delivered clear community benefit by strengthening sector capacity, improving access to professional development, and supporting the sustainability of conservation practice in Wales.

Connect Conserve Cymru CIC’s stakeholders include members, accredited museums in Wales, students and interns, emerging and returning professionals, Icon Cymru, the Welsh Government, the Federation of Museums and Art Galleries of Wales, and partner organisations such as the National Museum of Wales and Cardiff University. Stakeholders are consulted through in person and online meetings, email updates, phone calls, and an opt in WhatsApp group used by c.17 members actively seeking work. Regular dialogue also takes place with Welsh Government officials regarding sector needs, training delivery, and policy development, and with accredited museums and universities when planning or delivering projects, placements, and skills development activities. Feedback from these consultations has informed the CIC’s actions, including: - Expanding training programmes requested by Welsh Government and sector partners. - Providing structured support for emerging and returning professionals, including internships and placements. - Increasing project tendering to create paid work opportunities for members within their skills profiles. - Strengthening collaboration between national institutions and smaller museums to improve sector capacity. - Ensuring all members working on CIC projects are covered under Connect Conserve’s insurance policy. - Adjusting organisational priorities and communication methods in response to member and museum feedback. Stakeholder consultation is ongoing and continues to shape the CIC’s development, service delivery, and community benefit.

As the CIC’s contractual activity has increased, so has the amount of operational work required. Two CCC directors, who have continued to contribute many hours voluntarily, received remuneration for the first time this year for specific additional tasks, including project management, bookkeeping and financial administration. This work was carried out in addition to their voluntary responsibilities as directors.

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