Marsh Charitable Trust – Marsh Volunteer Award for Engaging the Public in Historic Vessels

Marsh Volunteer Award for Engaging the Public in Historic Vessels

This is Award for an individual volunteer or a group of volunteers who have made a significant contribution to a historic vessel through engaging the public. This can be through marketing or promoting the vessel, or through educational programmes that reach a wider audience.

Nominations can be made via the National Historic Ships website and will be judged by a panel of experts in the field and the MCT.

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Friends of Kennet and Brian Goodhew 2019

Friends of Kennet

The Friends of Kennet from the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Society have made an invaluable contribution to the restoration and subsequent use of the Kennet to educate the public about the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, its boats, boaters and their families. They were awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund grant from 2011 until 2014, which enabled them to engage with a wide range of audiences and encourage more volunteers to become involved with the vessel. The ship is now equipped with a wide range of resources and attracts around 42,500 visitors, including over 2,000 schoolchildren, each year.

Brian Goodhew

Brian Goodhew has been awarded a special commendation in the Engaging the Public category for his, almost, lifetime of service to the Medway Queen. He is responsible for raising awareness and public engagement on the vessel, and has built a good relationship with the press and local radio to enable him to do this. He is about to step down from his position, at the age of 81, and so this commendation serves as recognition of the invaluable contribution he has made.

Previous Winners

Lewis Folland and The Friends of LV 50

Lewis Folland

Lewis joined the Solent Steam Packet straight from school and soon demonstrated his abilities as a responsible, capable individual and crew member. As a younger crew member, his computer knowledge and social media skills became very useful to the older members of the crew. He became the group’s website manager and is responsible for maintaining and updating the website with the latest news and information so that the public can be as informed as possible. He has introduced an online booking facility which has seen passenger numbers increase from 1,200 in 2013 to an expected 3,000 plus in the 2018 sailing season.

Lewis has been able to expand the reach of the organisation thanks to his social media skills and the introduction of a Twitter account for SS Shieldhall. This has helped the ship to keep a high profile in the local and national maritime community and reach new and diverse audiences. As a younger member of the crew, he bridges the gap for many passengers who find him easy to relate to and communicate with when they are on board. Lewis is a multi-talented, sociable, charming and reliable volunteer and a valuable asset to the world of maritime heritage preservation.

Friends of LV50

The Friends of LV50 were formed in November 2014 from a small group of interested local volunteers who wished to promote the heritage and preservation of the lightship LV50. They began by discovering more about the history of the ship and as a result have been able to tell a compelling story which has been communicated to the public.

The group have put on a number of events, including Open Days and Heritage Days, to engage members of the public with the LV50. In 2018, she was opened for her first school visit which gave pupils an interactive experience of what life would have been like on board the ship. They have also organised more innovative events, such as music evenings, to attract wider groups of people to the vessel. The Friends promote the vessel at heritage events and are funding their own website and social media page. Visitors to the LV50 have come from far and wide, as far as Hong Kong in one case, and have come away with knowledge about this vessel’s previously hidden history.

Peter Dolby

Peter became involved with The Endeavour, and the Trust that was formed to preserve her, in 2001. In the initial stages he was involved with her restoration and in 2005 was part of the team which took The Endeavour to Dunkirk to take part in the 65^th commemorative anniversary, a trip which now forms part of the talk that Peter gives to schools, scout groups and adult community groups.

Peter is responsible for the compilation and distribution of the quarterly newsletter produced by the Trust and he helps man a stall in Leigh on Sea, talking to members of the public about the history and importance of this local vessel. He is in regular communication with the local press and media, providing information about the boat’s history and ensuring that the public are kept up to date about the activities of the ship.

Peter has served as Treasurer, Membership Secretary and a Trustee for the Endeavour Trust, taking on a number of governance and fundraising roles in this capacity. His contributions to The Endeavour and the Trust are immeasurable and have ensured the smooth running of its work and the raising of its profile which will hopefully ensure that this historic vessel will be around for future generations to enjoy.