Marsh Charitable Trust – Marsh Volunteer Award with the Association for Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC)

Marsh Volunteer Award with the Association for Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC)

This Award recognises one volunteer from the organisations across the ASDC Network who has made an outstanding contribution to the Science and Discovery Centre where they are based.

The Award provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the role and impact of science centres in their communities and will allow ASDC to map out and benchmark the current volunteering programmes across the sector and enable them to explore how to develop and support these programmes as well as share best practice.

< back

Colin MacLaine and Isabella 2026

Marsh Volunteer of the Year Award

Colin MacLaine, Kirckcudbright Dark Space Planetarium

Colin is a highly skilled engineer and a keen amateur astronomer, whose passion for science and space is infectious. He was a pivotal member of the small group who imagined the planetarium into existence and drove much of the fundraising to repurpose the once derelict building where the planetarium resides. He has headed up the Board at the planetarium for the last 6 years, giving his time, support and knowledge freely. Colin turns his hand to anything and everything as needed at the time, including stepping in as interim manager and helping to develop a strategic plan for the planetarium. He is always available to assist staff at the planetarium, often rearranging his week so that he can attend important meetings and also assist with outreach activities. Colin is positive, engaging to visitors, supportive to staff and a brilliant guide and mentor who genuinely wants the planetarium to succeed.

Marsh Youth Volunteer of the Year Award

Isabella, Armagh Observatory and Planetarium

Isabella began regularly attending Stargazing Evenings at the Observatory when she was 16, bringing her own telescope and enthusiastically helping with set up and engagement events. This inspired her to become more involved with the Observatory, so she became a formal volunteer when she was 18 and now works across three key areas. She is a Reference Library Assistant, a member of the Dome Show Development Team and undertakes the digitisation of historic weather records. Isabella’s passion extends beyond astronomy to local history, science, education and climate and she incorporates all of these passions in her volunteering, ensuring that the Observatory can communicate science in new and accessible ways. She volunteers around her busy student life, and dedicates one or two evenings a week to her volunteering role. Isabella is an example of how volunteering can develop alongside education and personal interests, and she is an asset to the Observatory team.

Previous Winners

Hamish Newhouse and Z King

Marsh Volunteer of the Year Award

Hamish Newhouse – Kielder Observatory, Northumberland

Hamish has volunteered at the Observatory for over 2 years and is a valued member of the team, travelling over two hours each way to complete his shifts. His positive attitude and love of astronomy ripples through the team and he is regularly mentioned in guest feedback as a highlight of their visit. He is an excellent team player, covering shifts at the last minute and organising events for volunteers to come together and get to know one another. Hamish is incredibly passionate about space and astronomy, sharing his knowledge with volunteers and visitors alike and ensuring that guests are engaging with the topics in the Observatory. He has given his time to support maintenance projects in the Observatory, additionally to his regular volunteering hours, to ensure that guests have the best possible experience during their visit. Hamish helps to make astronomy accessible to all, taking the time to learn how to support visitors with additional needs and treating every visitor with the same enthusiasm, empathy and respect. He has also acknowledged that volunteering at the Observatory has helped him through his own mental health challenges, thus embodying the benefits of volunteering.

Marsh Youth Volunteer of the Year Award

Z King – International Centre for Life, Newcastle

Z has been a volunteer at the Centre for Life since 2020 when they were 11 year’s old. Z is autistic and has used their lived experiences to challenge and improve the policies and support available at the Centre for people with additional needs. The Centre has recently introduced sensory bags, containing fidget toys and supportive resources for people with additional needs, and the contents of these have been strongly influenced by Z. Z has made video case studies for the Centre’s accessibility pages to share their experiences and spoke at the ASDC Conference about how Science Centres across the country, and indeed the world, can support people with additional needs who come to visit them. Z has also been involved with the planning of Relaxed Sundays at the Centre, contextualising the experience of people with additional needs and ensuring that they are supported at the Centre. Z’s confidence has grown while they have been a volunteer and their passion for making science accessible to all shines through.

Polly Hutchison and the Wonderseekers' Young Steering Group

Polly Hutchison, Natural History Museum

Polly has been a learning volunteer at the Natural History Museum since 2008 and is an incredible ambassador for science. She actively researches to ensure that she is providing the best possible experience for visitors to the museum, sharing her passion enthusiastically with all who come through the doors, regardless of background or language barriers. Every visitor who crosses her path feels welcomed, valued and learns something inspiring. Polly encourages visitors to think outside the box and take in information that they may not have originally been interested in. She has encouraged several visitors to apply to become Learning Volunteers and has supported them throughout their training and induction. Polly has also taken part in the wellbeing programme at the museum, encouraging those who may feel socially isolated to become more involved in the museum. She is an asset to the museum and her legacy among learning volunteers will continue for a long time.

Wonderseekers’ Young Steering Group, Winchester Science Centre

The Wonderseekers’ Young Steering Group are a group of young volunteers at Winchester Science Centre who are helping to shape the future of their organisation. The group shows a considerable passion for science and nature and great willingness to contribute their time and experience to support the Charity’s development. They have seen their ideas, particularly the development of outdoor science engagement, trials and co-creation sessions turn into real activities for visitors to enjoy.

Stuart Phillips – Glasgow Science Centre

Stuart is an 18-year-old volunteer with the Earth Allies programme, a climate activism course which he signed up to due to an interest in marine life and climate change. Once the course came to an end Stuart, who is autistic, elected to stay on as a volunteer at the Centre where he has been volunteering every weekend since. Volunteering has been a personal development opportunity for Stuart and he has grown in confidence, going from shadowing staff to interacting with visitors independently. He has completed over 1000 diversity surveys with a range of visitors which is helping the Centre to become more inclusive and accessible. Stuart is always on hand to answer visitor queries and he is more than willing to share his knowledge and experience with those he interacts with. Having a volunteer with autism has contributed to a greater awareness of hidden disabilities amongst staff at the Centre, and Stuart will continue to volunteer at the Centre.