Cottages Woodhall England

The Cottage Museum received the prestigious Award for Excellence at the bi-annual Lincolnshire Heritage Award Ceremony which took place at Gainsborough Old Hall on the 10th July 2014. The museum was also highly commended for the Inspiration award category for their submission ‘The Future of Woodhall Spa Museum. The awards celebrate the work taking place in museums, historic houses and heritage sites across the county. This year the entries were judged by David Sleight (Dean of Public Engagement, University of Lincoln, Emma Tatlow (Visit Lincoln Partnership Manager) and Steve LeMottee (Executive Director of East Midland Museum Service). The Cottage Museum recently underwent a significant redevelopment supported by funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Jackie Goodall, who played a key role in the redevelopment and is closely involved with a variety of heritage initiatives, was presented with an award to acknowledge her ‘outstanding contribution to Lincolnshire Heritage’.

Woodhall Spa Cottage Museum has an exemplary track record of delivery. Volunteers engage in opportunities presented but don’t overstretch themselves. Plans are measured and exciting and push the boundaries of a volunteer run museum. Projects aim to raise awareness of, and access to, the collection and the facilities that are on offer. The success of this approach and the work of the volunteers has resulted in the following achievements:

2015

• September – the John Barker Trophy, Community Building Volunteer Award was presented to Rodger Pickavance. The award is presented by Community Lincs annually and recognises the work of those volunteers who, willingly and freely, give their time and effort to manage and maintain Lincolnshire community buildings. Rodger was the development project leader for the work mainly funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund grant.
• July – the Education Programme won the prestigious Sandford Award for Heritage Education. It recognises and promotes quality and excellence in education provision across the Heritage Sector. Volunteers at the Cottage Museum worked towards the Sandford Award over the course of the past two years.
• June – the Cottage Museum won the award for Customer Care at the East Midlands Heritage Awards which recognise excellence and innovation at museums across the region. The Cottage Museum was also shortlisted for the Award for Engaging Children and Young People for it’s young Person’s Museum Guide and the Wendy Golland Award for Quality Research for its research into the history of The Petwood Gardens.

2014

• September – as part of the 70th anniversary of WWII’s Battle of Arnhem in the Netherlands, a day of events to honour the brave servicemen who took part, was organised by the museum. Hundreds of veterans, dignitaries and families gathered in Woodhall Spa on September 6th to commemorate the region’s involvement.
  The event was co-ordinated by Jackie Goodall with the help of a team of volunteers from the museum and the local communities in and around Woodhall Spa. The Arnhem Commemoration Day was funded and supported by the Armed Forces Covenant, The Woodhall Spa Parish Council, The Veteran Regimental Associations’ family and friends, East Lindsey District Council and Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage.