Image: Margaret Anderson (Glasgow Life)
Museums and heritage attractions mark the 40th anniversary of Volunteers’ Week by highlighting the service of their long-time volunteers
As museums, galleries and heritage attractions across the UK mark National Volunteer Week, organisations have begun to share stories celebrating the dedication and impact of their long-serving volunteers.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Volunteers’ Week, taking place from 3 to 9 June.
In Glasgow, Margaret Anderson is being honored for her 40 years of service as a volunteer guide at the Burrell Collection.
At 80 years old, the former history teacher has welcomed visitors from around the globe, sharing her vast knowledge of the museum’s treasures with “enthusiasm” that staff and guests alike find “rewarding.”
Anderson’s outstanding contributions, including training new volunteers and shaping policies, earned her an MBE in 2004.
Glasgow Life Head of Museums, Duncan Dornan described Anderson as “a wonderful asset to The Burrell Collection”, adding “[the] contribution that she has made, and continues to make, is truly remarkable.
“She, and all of the volunteers who support our museums teams, help in so many ways to enhance our cultural offering, enabling all of our venues to offer an exceptional, welcoming and memorable visitor experience.”
In County Durham, volunteer Lydia Nicholson has been recognised with an “Exceptional Positive Attitude” honor at Auckland Castle.
One of Nicholson’s peers wrote: “By nominating Lydia I want to show my appreciation to the person who brought the joys of Auckland Castle to me. My first visit was a guided tour by her and also the reason I became a volunteer.”
“In short, her boundless enthusiasm and dedication deserves the recognition that we, her fellow volunteers, already have for her.”
Chichester’s Weald & Downland Living Museum has highlighted two of its volunteers. Diana Zeuner, who has been volunteering at the museum for over 50 years, wrote about her time at the museum, starting when she was 18 years old.
Writing on the museum’s website, Zeuner explains meeting the Museum’s founder Roy Armstrong, who inspired her to help establish the open-air museum, and her contributions over the years, including stewarding buildings, practical work on the site, photography, and managing the working horse stables.
The museum also highlighted the volunteering of engineer Nick Wedlock, who “found a new calling” in the Museum’s forge and mill environments through which he continues to connect with his passion for engineering and craftsmanship.
“This is my social contact, I suppose you could call it, after my wife died. It has made a huge difference to me,” said Nick in a post on the museum’s website.
“I like working in the forge the most, but a lot of the enjoyment is meeting people,” he said.
Volunteers’ Week is organised by NCVO (The National Council for Voluntary Organisations).
