John Bunyan Museum, Mill Street has some exciting news to report this month, with success at the recent SHARE volunteer awards for Museums in the East. Where the Curator, Nicola Sherhod, was awarded a highly commended for Volunteer Management. Representatives from the museum attended the ceremony in Bury St Edmunds, with each category awarded a winner and a highly commended, presented by Hedley Swain, Area Director, Arts Council England.

This was the judge’s citation:                                                                                                                                                 

“The judges were very impressed with the way that Nicola had empowered the volunteers to take an increasingly full part in the life of the museum, to mutual benefit.”

SHARE Museums East instigated a Volunteers Award this year open to nominations from all museums or heritage attractions in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambs, Beds, and Herts. Three individuals and the Museum Stewards Team were nominated from the John Bunyan Museum.

Cherry Protheroe, Chairperson of the John Bunyan Museum & Library Committee said “This is fantastic news for our museum and I am delighted for Nicola who deserves our congratulations. It is very well deserved.”

The SHARE Volunteer Awards received an impressive 87 nominations, across 7 categories, from 46 different museums around the Eastern region. Nominations were received from museums all sizes as the awards scheme seeks to recognise the valuable contribution that volunteers make to museums and their communities.

A full list of the nominations and winners can be found at: http://sharemuseumseast.org.uk/volunteer-awards/ 

The SHARE Volunteer Awards for Museums in the East is a collaboration between SHARE Museums East , IWM Duxford and the University of Cambridge Museums.  The Awards are funded by Arts Council England through their Museum Development programme, managed in the region by Norfolk Museums Service as SHARE Museums East.

The John Bunyan Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday 11.00am – 4.00pm and admission is free.

For more details on volunteering contact the Curator Nicola Sherhod on 01234 270303 or email curator@bunyanmeeting.co.uk         

www.bunyanmeeting.co.uk/museum