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.

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Polly Hutchison and the Wonderseekers' Young Steering Group 2023

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.

Previous Winners

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.