Our last Steam Up was a very special one, for three of our volunteers received their Silver Owl Awards from Share Museum East!
Before our busy Steam Up on 22nd October, trustee John Sheppard presented our Steam Team volunteers, Stephen Attenborough, Andy Rowlinson and Chris Webb with their Silver Owls. Edward Hinde, another one of our Steam Team Silver Owl recipicates but sadly could not make the weekend (Edward you were missed!). Each of them have been volunteering with us for well over 25 years and we couldn’t be happier with their engery, dedication and commitemnet they have given to the Museum.
The award celebrated 25 years of museum voluntary service, and was awarded to 90 people in the region. We have a number of volunteers who were eligible for this, and these three were the first of ours nominees to recieve them.
Stephen Attenborough
Stephen has been volunteering with the Museum since he was a young boy, and has been a frequent volunteer at the Museum’s steam days (perhaps you have seen him on the HD engine or boiler?). Stephen brings a real sense of peace to the team, and his wealth of knowledge on steam is second to none!
Since starting volunteering with us, Stephen has moved away from Cambridge, and now drives in over 200 miles (as the crow flies!) just to come and get the engines going for you to enjoy - talk about dedication!
Andy Rowlinson
Andy started volunteering at the Museum after rowing past the chimney one day and getting curious. Since then, he’s been hooked! Andy’s sense of humour is out of the world, and he always knows how to cheer up the most miserable of days with his presence. Andy is perhaps best known to current Musuem regulars as the owner of Lulu, the boiler dog who can be seen sat by the fire on most steam ups.
Below is a picture of him on top of the chimney taken by Fred Dibnah himself! You can see Andy talking about his volunteer journey here.
Chris Webb
Chris has been a regular at the Museum since the 80s, and all the time he has put into the Hathorn Davey Engines will be a ridiculous number! Chris is our Hathorn Davey expert, and it is because of him we are able to pass on the knowledge of how to drive the engines to our newer volunteers!
Chris is a steady presence at all of our steam ups and his dedication to hard work is appreicated by all who know him! Like Stephen, he travels a long way to come see us and we are so grateful he does. You can see Chris talk about his history with the Museum here.
