The volunteers of Swindon’s Richard Jefferies Museum Trust have been awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service in recognition of their outstanding achievements.
This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
Based near Coate Water Country Park on the edge of Swindon, the community-run museum was selected for the Royal honour because of the work the volunteers have done to save the museum and develop it into a thriving, popular venue enjoyed by thousands of people from the local area and beyond.
The museum was nominated for the award by local historian Graham Carter, who felt the work the volunteers do was important enough to make it stand out among other entries. As well as writing his own recommendation,
Graham’s nomination was enthusiastically supported by letters from other fans of the museum.
Formerly known as The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the award was established in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee. It is awarded annually to a select number of the UK’s most inspiring volunteer-led groups for their charitable endeavours.
Volunteer director of the museum, Dr Mike Pringle, was the first to get the news, and said: “This is just fantastic. The museum thrives because of an amazing team of people who give their time for nothing, and over the years they have delivered thousands of activities and events, as well as looking after the museum and its collections, and the incredible gardens of the old place.
"It is so lovely that everyone can share in this top achievement after all their hard work, dedication, and warm, friendly approach to everything. And huge thanks to those who nominated us in the first place.”
The announcement is just one of several recent reasons to celebrate for the museum’s volunteers. Last Friday, the museum hosted a party on Richard Jefferies’ birthday, with special guests including: the Lord-Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Dame Sarah Troughton; Member of Parliament for South Swindon Heidi Alexander MP and Mayor of Swindon Cll Neil Hopkins.
After a toast from the Lord Lieutenant, who described Richard Jefferies’ writing as “...one of the most beautiful, romantic things we have in North Wiltshire,” the Mayor praised the volunteers, saying: “The site is nothing without the volunteers, and I think that if Richard Jefferies was here today he would be so proud of everybody who’s played a part in keeping the museum going.
"It is such a gem in Swindon’s history and its culture, and the volunteers are absolutely wonderful because they run so many different types of events here for the community. Thank you to everyone who’s played a part, and let’s look forward to the next hundred years!”
In response, Heidi Alexander said: “This is such a special place; we’ve got an oasis here in Swindon. I really hope that, with all your endeavours to get a new building that makes the museum fit for all seasons, you open this beautiful place up to future generations for many years to come.”
Celebrating 15 years since the volunteer organisation was established, the partygoers toasted past achievements but also looked forward to the challenges ahead, which include plans for a new centre for arts and wildlife to help secure a strong future for the museum.
There were also a number of other reasons for them to celebrate:
- This year is the centenary of when Jefferies’ birthplace was bought by Swindon Corporation in recognition of the Victorian author’s outstanding contributions to literature and nature
- The party also hosted Colin Corkerton, Chair of the Richard Jefferies Society, with a launch of the fourth and final instalment of the comprehensive biography of Richard Jefferies, A Peculiarly English Genius, by Andrew Rossabi, and published by the Society
- A certificate was awarded to the museum’s collections team for their attainment of Full Museum Accreditation status from Arts Council England
- The volunteer gardeners were rewarded with two certificates marking their efforts in reaching the highest level assessment in the Royal Horticultural Society’s It’s Your Neighbourhood scheme as part of South Swindon Parish Council’s successful In Bloom entry
- A giant cheque was presented by Ian Hatch, representing the Freemasons’ Charity, as a contribution towards the museum’s plans for a new building.
Following all the excitement, the museum’s volunteers are now preparing to spend the Winter months doing much of the behind the scenes work needed to keep the place going, including cleaning and sorting, working in the gardens, collections and archive work, applying for grants, and pushing on with their plans for a new building.
A date will be set in the new year for the physical presentation of the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, which includes a trophy and a certificate signed by the King.
Two of the museum’s team will also be invited to attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.
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