Marsh Charitable Trust – Marsh Award for Volunteering with Royal Museums Greenwich

Marsh Award for Volunteering with Royal Museums Greenwich

This Award is run in partnership with the Royal Museums Greenwich and recognises the outstanding contributions made by volunteers across the Museums sites.

Royal Museums Greenwich has hundreds of volunteers who contribute their time, skills and interests in various ways, from looking after collections and archives, to providing support on learning programmes and welcoming visitors into the museum.

Nominations for the Award are gathered by Royal Museums Greenwich and judged in partnership with the MCT.

The Award was presented for the first time in 2019 but then paused due to the pandemic. In 2026, we were pleased to reintroduce the Award, which now recognises one individual volunteer and one volunteer team.

Pictured: Volunteers on the Main Deck of the Cutty Sark, raising the flags and tying off the ropes. © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

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Tony Nixon and the Cutty Sark Explainers 2026

Tony Nixon – Royal Observatory Greenwich Volunteer Tour Guide and Cutty Sark Explainer
Tony, now well into his 80s, has been a key member of the volunteer teams at the Royal Observatory Greenwich (ROG) and Cutty Sark for nearly 20 years. Since beginning his work at ROG in 2007, and joining Cutty Sark in 2014, Tony has demonstrated extraordinary dedication through delivering talks, answering visitor questions, and interpreting exhibits. As a former seafarer, Tony brings rare lived experience to maritime interpretation, offering authentic insights into ship handling, construction, and the history of Cutty Sark. He also has expert knowledge of horology and astronomy, enabling him to deliver clear and engaging explanations of Harrison’s sea clocks, the search for Longitude, and the astronomical legacy of Greenwich. Tony is widely admired for his warmth, clarity, and ability to adapt his approach to diverse audiences, and he consistently receives excellent public feedback. Beyond his public-facing role, he is a highly valued and supportive member of both volunteer communities.

Cutty Sark Explainers
The Cutty Sark Volunteer Explainer Team is a highly skilled and deeply committed group of volunteers who play a central role in bringing the ship’s history, technology, and stories to life for visitors. The team includes both long-standing and newer volunteers, many of whom bring decades of professional experience in seafaring, marine engineering, education, sailing, and maritime heritage. In addition to live visitor engagement, team members contribute to research and content development, help design and refine talks and activities, support school and family programming, share visitor feedback during monthly volunteer catch-ups, and contribute to online learning resources. Together, the Volunteer Explainer Team forms a knowledgeable, welcoming, and collaborative group that enriches the visitor experience at Cutty Sark and provides valuable support to staff.

Previous Winners

Roger Hodge, Sarah Wood and Mike Dryland

Roger Hodge
Roger has been volunteering for the Cutty Sark for over 15 years, and for Royal Museums Greenwich since the ship was acquired in 2015. He has worked with curators and conservation researchers to complete in-depth research to improve understanding of the ship’s fabric and its crews. Roger has consistently dedicated his time and research skills to the ship, most recently researching and writing blogs about each of the ship’s captains and making this information accessible to the public. His passion and dedication to the ship is second to none and he ensures that visitors have the most up to date and in-depth knowledge available to them. Roger is always willing to share his ideas and knowledge and expresses his passion in a coherent and enthusiastic way.

Mike Dryland
Mike delivers and co-ordinates a team of volunteers to provide talks to visitors explaining the ‘Longitude Problem’, the development of the Harrison marine timekeepers and why the Prime Meridian came to be at Greenwich. He has been volunteering since 2007, providing at least 3 hours a week, sometimes more, as a volunteer. Mike is an amazing communicator and his story telling abilities are incredibly engaging, even being invited to give tours to VIP visitors to the Royal Observatory. He is also a member of the Flamsteed Astronomy Society that supports public activities, including daytime solar viewing and ‘Evenings with the Stars’.

Sarah Wood
Sarah joined the conservation volunteer team in October 2016, when it began, and has remained one of it’s most ardent supporters. She volunteers every week and is always first to volunteer for special projects within the team. She has honed an exacting eye for detail and worked hard to care for some of the museum’s most inaccessible objects, taking on any challenge with enthusiasm. In addition to her conservation role, Sarah regularly winds the Harrison clocks and is pivotal in keeping them running, especially over the weekend. She is the cornerstone of what is an innovative, and often challenging, volunteer programme, which she is continuously helping to expand and develop.