Community Engagement Officer – Murston Saints Trust

Hours:

10.5 hours per week (0.3 FTE)

Terms:

2 year contract (with possibility of extension subject to securing funding)

Location:

Murston Heart, Stadium Way, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 3TW

An exciting opportunity for a part time Community Engagement Officer to develop and deliver a programme of creative and well-being events and take a lead in the next phase of Murston Heart’s journey as a creative community hub.

It could be particularly attractive for a creative practitioner who wants to pursue their own creative work alongside a paid community engagement role, as there is a possibility of the successful appointee taking their own studio on site at an attractive rate.

Murston Heart is a creative community hub based around the remains of a former medieval church at Murston, Sittingbourne ME10 3TW
. It is operated by the Murston All Saints Trust (MAST), a charity (Registered No: 273395) established for the purpose of caring for the medieval building and its surrounding churchyard, which are scheduled historic monuments, and establishing and operating a creative and community hub on the site.

Murston Heart opened in 2023, following the restoration of the church building and the construction of a new building containing a café and 6 studios for creative or community uses. This was a major project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NHLF), Swale Borough Council, English Heritage and a number of national and local charities.

The medieval chancel building is available for small exhibitions and concerts. The churchyard is a pocket park which is open to the public at all times. Six studios are let by licence to artistic/creative, educational or well-being users, with a seventh being retained for day hires and MAST’s own activities. The hub includes a café which is operated separately on a commercial basis, as well as benefiting the hub by drawing visitors to Murston Heart and working with MAST to ensure the success of special events.

The NHLF funding, alongside supporting the capital costs of the restoration and new building, enabled a three-year programme of heritage and cultural events, involving working with local schools and other members of the community, which began while the restoration and construction works were being carried out. Following a pause over the past year (other than events and activities organised by the studio occupants), the Trustees would like to resume a sustainable programme of community and creative events with the aim of increasing local engagement with Murston Heart and providing opportunities for cultural enrichment and well-being within the community.

You will support the activities of MAST and Murston Heart by organising and delivering inclusive arts, music and well-being events for people of all ages and partner with the occupants of the studios to help achieve this. As our Community Engagement Officer, you will play a vital role in the day-to-day running of our venue, make grant applications, recruit and liaise with volunteers, and help promote Murston Heart in the local area and online, through regular social media posts.