Long Service “Silver Owl” Awards for our Valued Volunteers

On Thursday 10 November, three Saffron Walden Museum volunteers – who have each been volunteering with us for 25 years or more were awarded a certificate and Silver Owl badge at the SHARE Museums East 2022 conference in Ely.

They are:

June Baker  (pictured left, on the right hand side)

In addition to her regular shifts on the ‘Front of House’ Welcome Desk, June also covers occasional Sundays and Volunteer desk duties in the evenings at the ‘Museum at Night’ events (where she can be seen wearing a witch’s hat and mauve hair!).

She has taken on responsibility for inducting and mentoring new recruits, ensuring that ‘Team Saffron Walden Museum’ consistently deliver excellent customer service at the Welcome Desk.

June is committed to contributing towards the museum’s exhibition programme. She has loaned personal items and stories for many special exhibitions, including accessories for Completing the Look: 300 Years of Fashion Accessories, the Uttlesford: A Community of Collectors temporary exhibition, the National Volunteer week displays and most recently royal memorabilia for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.

Jenny Day (pictured above left hand side)

In her capacity as Welcome volunteer, Jenny is the ‘Face of the Museum’ being the first impression a visitor gets either in person or on the telephone.

Jenny gives a friendly welcome to visitors; sells tickets and merchandise and provides information about the Museum.

As well as the length of service, Jenny has demonstrated amazing commitment, by kindly covering double shifts on the ‘Front of House’ Welcome Desk on a fortnightly basis and coming in to cover other volunteers shifts when they are unable to attend the Museum, even when she herself was struggling with a poorly leg!

 

Ann Holloway (pictured below, on the left hand side, with Museum Curator/Manager Carolyn Wingfield)

Over the years Ann has supported the museum in many ways, highlights include:

Ann took part in our co-curated community exhibition, Uttlesford: A Community of Collectors, working with curatorial staff to create a display of her collection of Pestle and Mortars.

In the absence of a Learning Officer at the Museum (prior to Charlotte , our Learning & Outreach Officer being in post), Ann kindly dressed as ‘Mistress Ann’ bringing in her own collection of Tudor artefacts and conducted hands-on history activities with the school children. This really made a positive difference to the school visits and we received wonderful letters of thanks from the school teachers and children.

We extend our congratulations and grateful thanks to them all.

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