12 May 2022 - Cleveland Pools Trust Volunteers Win Museums and Heritage Award

The Cleveland Pools Volunteer team have won ‘Volunteers of the Year’ at the Museums and Heritage Awards. The award was presented to the team during a ceremony in London at the annual event that celebrates exceptional achievements in the heritage sector. The award comes as an acknowledgement of the dedication of the Cleveland Pools volunteer group in recent times. Despite challenging circumstances the large-scale team numbering more than 125 people, responded to the challenges of the pandemic with reduced site access, connected virtually, met outdoors, and developed creative ways to involve local people. The judges praised the staff and volunteer teams who engaged a range of community groups, reaching out to many who would otherwise have been isolated, including those in care homes and youth groups. In their appraisal, the Museums and Heritage award judges commented: ‘This large-scale, cross-generational group of volunteers successfully reached diverse members of the wider community, managing to bring the joy of the pools to a much wider audience’.

Alice Le Page, Learning and Engagement Trustee, Cleveland Pools Trust, said: ‘Volunteers are the heart of the Cleveland Pools, a lifeline of energy running through our organisation, and this award is further testament to their incredible dedication. We are so proud the volunteer team has been recognised with such a prestigious award. Thank you to everyone who has given their time and knowledge to the Pools.’