Hereford Waterworks Museum Volunteer Wins Prestigious Award
On 11 September Alex Rowe, 20, attended an award ceremony at the Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre where he was announced the winner of the West Midlands Museum Development 2019 Volunteer (Young Person) Award.
A final year blacksmithing student at Herefordshire & Ludlow College (Holme Lacy), and the Waterworks Museum’s first Youth Trustee, Alex is in his third year of working at the Museum. Visitors will see Alex on most open days explaining the operation of the giant triple expansion steam engine.
On receiving the award Alex said “I am ecstatic to receive this award, the evening was extremely enjoyable! Hopefully I can inspire more young people to take a little time to volunteer. I am very grateful to the museum for taking me under their wing right from the start”
The judges recognised Alex’s huge contribution in so many ways. He has used his blacksmithing skills to design and create four iron safety plates for the triple expansion steam engine, and his ‘behind the scene’ video blogs and ambassadorial talks have helped boost awareness of the Museum to a younger audience of potential visitors and volunteers. Add to this Alex’s can-do attitude, his willingness to help with any task and his confidence in coming forward with ideas to improve the visitor experience, and it is little wonder that he stood out amongst the nominees.
Museum Chairman, Richard Curtis, said: ‘Alex has made a huge impact at the Waterworks Museum in a very short period of time and fitted in as an important member of the volunteer team within only a few weeks of joining us. He can be (and we are) very proud of his achievements and this award.’
Established in 1974, the museum is an independent working museum concerned primarily, but not exclusively, with the story of the supply of water for public consumption from earliest habitation to the close of the 20th century.
For more information visit waterworksmuseum.org.uk or contact info@waterworksmuseum.org.uk
Forthcoming Events – The Waterworks Museum has three more family open days in 2019.
Visitors can enter free of charge on Sunday 29th September, when there will be a WW2 theme and entertainment. The final open days will be on Sundays 13th October (Stirling Engine Rally) and 27th October.
Under 16s are admitted free of charge on all open days.