Volunteer wins prestigious award for support on Weald & Downland gardens project

Lyn Burlyn has been awarded the Marsh Volunteers for Museum Learning Award in recognition of her ‘vital’ and ‘exceptional’ role in the museum’s historic gardens projects in 2021.

The Marsh Awards are run in partnership with the British Museum and recognise the best and most innovative ways in which volunteers work within local and national museums and galleries to engage the public with collections and exhibitions.

Lyn was one of 12 people across the UK who was recognised in last year’s awards. She shares the award for the South East region with John Collins’ Cycle Collection at Harlow Museum and Walled Gardens. They split their £500 prize and Lyn put her £250 into the museum’s volunteers fund for her fellow volunteers to enjoy.

A volunteer at the museum since 2011, Lyn started out as a general steward before joining the garden volunteer team.

Lyn said: “I am proud and honoured to have been nominated and delighted to have been recognised for the award on behalf of myself and all the wonderful volunteers at the museum. Volunteering at the Weald & Downland Living Museum is an important part of my life. Being part of the amazing volunteer team gives me a wonderful sense of community and the museum itself is a healing and magical place. I love being outdoors with nature and every day I have the opportunity to meet new people and help them to learn something new on their visit.”

Simon Wardell, museum director, said: “We would like to congratulate Lyn for receiving this important and well-deserved award. Our volunteer team are undoubtedly the backbone of our museum. Lyn is a shining example of the incredible contribution they make to ensure every visitor has a wonderfully rich and enjoyable learning experience. Lyn’s passion for folklore and superstitions is compelling and she is always so generous with the knowledge she shares with visitors, regaling them with fascinating stories of how plants were used in the past and making comparisons to modern day use and alternatives.”

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There are six period gardens at the museum, which have been recreated to show the transition of gardens from the early 16th century through to the late 19th century. Each garden represents the period and social status of the house to which it is attached, containing the herbs, vegetables and plants that would have met the needs of the rural household.

To find out more visit - www.wealddown.co.uk