Warwickshire &amp; West Midlands


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1200" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Lisa-Ford.jpg" alt="Head of Learning and Engagement Lisa Ford" class="wp-image-65762" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Lisa-Ford.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Lisa-Ford-667x800.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Lisa-Ford-833x1000.jpg 833w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Lisa-Ford-768x922.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Lisa Ford, Head of Learning and Engagement at Coventry Transport Museum</figcaption></figure>



<p><a href="https://www.transport-museum.com/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coventry’s Transport Museum</a> might gleam with shiny Jaguars and vehicles once owned by royalty, but step inside and you&#8217;re in for a whole different ride. At the wheel is Lisa Ford, Head of Learning and Engagement across Coventry Transport Museum, <a href="https://www.theherbert.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Herbert Art Gallery,</a> and <a href="https://www.luntromanfort.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lunt Roman Fort</a>. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Coventry-Transport-Museum-1-1000x667.jpg" alt="Coventry Transport Museum" class="wp-image-65764" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Coventry-Transport-Museum-1-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Coventry-Transport-Museum-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Coventry-Transport-Museum-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Coventry-Transport-Museum-1.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>She&#8217;s all about sparking imaginations early – because when you nurture curiosity in little ones, you&#8217;re shaping the museum-lovers (and maybe even curators) of tomorrow. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Coventry-Transport-Museum.jpg" alt="Coventry Transport Museum inside" class="wp-image-65765" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Coventry-Transport-Museum.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Coventry-Transport-Museum-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Coventry-Transport-Museum-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Coventry-Transport-Museum-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Bye-bye oily nostalgia, hello&nbsp;<em>electric</em>&nbsp;passion for history. With exhibitions that buzz, soundscapes that sing and stories you can touch, Lisa’s helping Coventry tell the tale of a city that changed the world through transport — and still keeps it moving.</p>



<p>Whether you’re a petrolhead, design geek, or nostalgia junkie, the museum beats at the heart of Coventry’s creative scene. And with Coventry&#8217;s Vintage Sleigh ready to glide back in for Christmas (<strong>Sat 29 Nov – Tue 23 Dec</strong>), we grab five minutes with Lisa to talk culture, curiosity, and what fuels her motor. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-books">BOOKS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1200" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/The-Language-of-Kindness.jpg" alt="The Language of Kindness front cover" class="wp-image-65859" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/The-Language-of-Kindness.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/The-Language-of-Kindness-667x800.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/The-Language-of-Kindness-833x1000.jpg 833w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/The-Language-of-Kindness-768x922.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>I&#8217;m an absolute sucker for books. Right now, I&#8217;m reading <em>The Language of Kindness</em> by Christie Watson – I was drawn to this as my mother-in law was a nurse, and it&#8217;s such a beautiful memoir of a nurse&#8217;s life. Before that, it was <em>Build your Running Body </em>by Pete Magill &#8211; I’m really into fitness (the London Marathon&#8217;s looming). Next up is <em>Why Mummy Drinks at Christmas</em> by Gill Sims – the title says it all, doesn&#8217;t it. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-theatre">THEATRE</h2>



<p>These days, I like to keep things local, so you&#8217;ll often find me at the <a href="https://www.albanytheatre.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Albany Theatre</a>. I head to<a href="https://www.belgrade.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> The Belgrade </a>for pantomimes – it&#8217;s a bit of a tradition &#8211; and recently I went to <em>Chitty Chitty Bang Bang</em> at <a href="https://www.warwickartscentre.co.uk/somethingforeveryone/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=arts_always_on_autumn_live_25&amp;utm_content=brand&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23074719345&amp;gbraid=0AAAAArBQb_-menunkMh5ZTBN1Q8zyJ2Lw&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiA5abIBhCaARIsAM3-zFVAuQNKfY2XhkYzpAGx_2ie_tLytukEUtSZtFZfh7OmbwqXi7DC1lIaAq-yEALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Warwick Arts Centre</a>.  It was an amateur performance, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the props and acting were incredible. When the car actually <em>flew</em>, the whole audience gasped – nobody saw what was coming.  </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-film">FILM</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Wicked-the-film.jpg" alt="Wicked the film" class="wp-image-65861" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Wicked-the-film.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Wicked-the-film-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Wicked-the-film-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Wicked-the-film-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Wicked</em>, the movie</figcaption></figure>



<p>Give me a period drama any day – I love how they bring history to life and make the past feel tangible. I often find myself wondering if any of our museum vehicles would make the perfect film cameo. Disney films are another guilty pleasure, and <em>Wicked</em> still tops the list. My children love it too — they’ve learned all the songs, which feels lovely as I’ve been singing them for years after falling for the West End show.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tv-shows">TV SHOWS</h2>



<p>I love a good binge-watch of old series – <em>Grey’s Anatomy</em> is my go-to, and as you can imagine, there’s plenty to catch up on there. My husband and I both have a soft spot for a hospital drama. We were also completely hooked on <em>Sherwood</em> – those twists kept us glued right to the end. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exhibitions">EXHIBITIONS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Jason-and-The-adventure.jpg" alt="Jason and the Adventure 254" class="wp-image-65858" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Jason-and-The-adventure.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Jason-and-The-adventure-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Jason-and-The-adventure-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Jason-and-The-adventure-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Jason and the Adventure of 254,</em> by Jason Wilsher-Mills at The Herbert Art Gallery &amp; Museum. Gallery Photo: Benjamin Gilbert/Wellcome Collection.</figcaption></figure>



<p>I also work at <a href="https://www.theherbert.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Herbert Art Gallery,</a> and I was completely obsessed with an exhibition we recently hosted &#8211; <em><a href="https://www.theherbert.org/whats-on/1857/jason-and-the-adventure-of-254" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jason and the Adventure of the 254</a></em> by Jason Wilsher-Mills. It was so visually powerful and full of heart. I also loved <a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/legion-life-roman-army" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Legion Life in the Roman Army </a>at the British Museum, which I visited last year. With one of our sites being the Lunt Roman Fort, I really connect with exhibitions that explore similar themes to us – they keep me buzzing with new ideas. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-podcasts">PODCASTS</h2>



<p>I tend to dip into a lot of historical podcasts – especially anything by<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/01D0AFRb4NwV2bbMbsQMgo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Lucy Worsley</a>. The one that inspires my work the most, though, is <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/79SPOMYmgXoZJzKh5rYI6F#:~:text=Podcast%20on%20Prescription%20is%20back%20and%20the%20first%20episode%20of,first%20guest%20is%20Iona%20Bain." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Podcast on Prescription</a> from the National Association of Social Prescribing. I love how they bring in community leaders to show the impact of meaningful engagement. It explores how social prescribing can move people away from relying solely on clinical settings to manage anxiety or depression, and instead towards nurturing wellbeing through things like visiting museums, which always reminds me why I love what I do. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-music">MUSIC</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/The-Long-Way-Home-by-Belinda-Millar-1.jpg" alt="The band, The Specials " class="wp-image-65834" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/The-Long-Way-Home-by-Belinda-Millar-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/The-Long-Way-Home-by-Belinda-Millar-1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/The-Long-Way-Home-by-Belinda-Millar-1-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/The-Long-Way-Home-by-Belinda-Millar-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/The-Long-Way-Home-by-Belinda-Millar-1-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>The Specials</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>I’ve always loved the pop-punk scene – it all traces back to punk, which in turn grew out of ska.&nbsp;<em>The Specials</em>&nbsp;has been a constant soundtrack in my life, and one of my all-time favourite bands is&nbsp;The Police.&nbsp;They’ve always said how much&nbsp;The Specials&nbsp;influenced them.&nbsp;Ghost Town&nbsp;is an absolute&nbsp;classic,&nbsp;and it ties beautifully to one of our exhibitions,<em>&nbsp;Motor-City UK</em>, which explores the decline of the motor industry, including the closure of the Peugeot factory and how Coventry constantly finds new ways to reinvent itself.</p>



<p><strong>Why visit now: </strong>Coventry Transport Museum&#8217;s brilliant for families, budding engineers and anyone interested in the city&#8217;s  car and motoring heritage. There&#8217;s everything from <a href="https://www.transport-museum.com/events/1608/mini-museum-engineers-play" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">museum drop-ins</a> and <a href="https://www.transport-museum.com/events/1476/mini-museum-explorer-tour" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mini-Explorer </a>tours for parents and carers with children under 5&#8217;s to free creative <a href="https://www.transport-museum.com/events/1522/family-museum-engineers-play-saturday-play-days" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Family Museum Engineers Play Days</a> every Sat (until March). </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Coventry-Transport-Museum-Girls-only-holiday-club-1000x667.jpg" alt="Coventry Transport Museum hosts holiday clubs, including one which is specifically girls-only." class="wp-image-67605" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Coventry-Transport-Museum-Girls-only-holiday-club-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Coventry-Transport-Museum-Girls-only-holiday-club-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Coventry-Transport-Museum-Girls-only-holiday-club-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2025/11/Coventry-Transport-Museum-Girls-only-holiday-club.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Already planning Feb half-term? The Transport Museum is hosting a <a href="https://www.transport-museum.com/events/1628/holiday-club-girls-only-and-identifying-as-female" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Girls-only Holiday Club</a> for 7-11-year-olds from <strong>17-20 Feb</strong> and a <a href="https://www.transport-museum.com/events/1629/holiday-club-kids-for-ages-7-10" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Holiday Club</a> for 7-10-year-olds from <strong>18-20 Feb</strong> offering a day of hands-on specially designed STEM activities for kids eager to hone their engineering skills. They each cost £16.96 and run from 9am-4pm.</p>



<p><em><a href="https://www.transport-museum.com/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coventry Transport Museum,</a> Millennium Place, Coventry CV1 1JD. Tel: 024 7623 4270.</em></p>


My Cultural Kicks: Coventry Transport Museum’s Head of Learning & Engagement, Lisa Ford

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