Isles of Scilly Museum celebrates award wins at Cornwall Heritage Awards

The Isles of Scilly Museum team celebrated major recognition at the Cornwall Heritage Awards yesterday (Monday 19 February) – scooping an impressive three awards at the ceremony celebrating the achievements of the heritage sector in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

 Museum Board co-chairs, Ann Tudor and Marthe Broadhurst, were awarded Leaders of The Year, whilst Tammy Bedford and Jeremy Brown – who oversee cultural development on Scilly – received the Heritage Heroes award.

 The Grand Ball of Rosevear community project won the Collaboration category – and Daisy Stevens, from the museum’s Young Curators group, received a commendation for One To Watch, recognising the commitment of a volunteer under the age of 25.

 The Grand Ball quilt was also nominated for Object of the Year, giving the museum a total of five award nominations and three wins.

Ann Tudor, co-chair of the Board of Trustees at the Isles of Scilly Museum Association, said: “This is a wonderful accolade for the Museum Association - and for Scilly heritage in the widest sense.  It’s a brilliant confirmation of all that’s happening on Scilly, a public affirmation for our new cultural centre and museum.”

The Grand Ball of Rosevear community project celebrated the history of the Bishop Rock lighthouse and used the museum archives as a starting point to develop a museum exhibition, a play, films, artist-led workshops, a dance and a souvenir publication.

Stephanie Clemens, event organiser and Museum Development Officer for Cornwall, said: “I’m so pleased for all the staff, volunteers and partners of the Isles of Scilly Museum. They have consistently met the challenges of running a museum service whilst developing a new cultural centre and museum with determination, enthusiasm and creativity. All their awards and commendations were thoroughly well deserved.”

The Isles of Scilly Museum is going through a period of expansion and development as they work in partnership with the new Cultural Centre and Museum team to realise the vision of renovating the Town Hall – a project which will provide a new permanent home for their collection.

The awards celebrate and recognise the commitment of those people involved in the day-to-day work of the museum – members of a team who are also helping to bring the plan of the new cultural centre and museum on St Mary's to life.

 The Grade II listed Town Hall in Hugh Town, St Mary’s, was always a place for the community to gather and to welcome visitors.

The Cultural Centre and Museum project - led by the Council of the Isles of Scilly working in partnership with the Isles of Scilly Museum - plans to rejuvenate that legacy by creating an attractive, year-round flexible venue.

The renovated Town Hall will provide a new home for the Isles of Scilly Museum, celebrating the culture and stories of Scilly and shining a light on the rich heritage of the islands.

The building will become a new venue for live music performances, art exhibitions, craft fairs, cinema and theatre - creating a vital performance and exhibition space for local artists and performers and touring companies.

Creating a space for local people to gather is at the heart of the project, and the building will provide a community hall available to hire for events and celebrations.

This project is led by the Council of the Isles of Scilly, working in partnership with the Isles of Scilly Museum Association. Our funders included Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Shared Prosperity Fund, Arts Council England, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.