We are thrilled to announce that Colchester Museums manager, Pippa Pickles, has been shortlisted for a prestigious award in the 2021 Museums + Heritage Awards.
The awards celebrate and recognise the leading lights and institutions in the Museums and Heritage sector across the world. The challenges of the global pandemic have inspired the creation of two new award categories, and it is in one of these that Pippa has been shortlisted.
Amongst stiff competition and hundreds of nominations, the Colchester Museums manager has made it to the final six nominees in the Covid Special Recognition Award. The nomination recognises Pippa’s contribution to the pandemic by not only opening Colchester Castle safely following the first lockdown, but for all her hard work in leading Colchester Borough Council’s team in supporting the NHS vaccination programme.
Alongside her core museums work, she led the non-clinical team – made up of colleagues, partners and volunteers – for Colchester’s mass vaccination centre. The team supported the NHS by utilising their combined skills to limit queuing, facilitating social distancing and ensuring that those receiving vaccinations felt welcomed and safe. Working long days at the vaccination centre and overseeing Colchester Museums re-opening plans, Pippa worked tirelessly to help her community despite contracting Covid-19 early in the pandemic.
Voting is now open in the awards and you can find out more about Pippa’s achievements and how to vote here.
Adrian Pritchard, Chief Executive of Colchester Borough Council, said: “This is a well-deserved recognition for a member of my team who put her community and their wellbeing first in the worst crisis we have seen in recent years. Pippa and her team alongside partners, colleagues and volunteers, have all worked long days and evenings whilst continuing their jobs to help our local community. We are immensely proud of her contribution to Colchester’s residents.
“Pippa is one of many colleagues across the council who has worked tirelessly and gone the extra mile to work on Covid-related projects alongside their day-to-day roles – all contributing to Colchester’s recovery and the welfare of our residents.”
We are also delighted to announce that colleagues at Ipswich Museums have also been nominated for a Museums + Heritage award. Their nomination celebrates their work in the local Ipswich community. The Community Impact award nomination recognises the work the museum team undertook in creating Museum From Home packages for children in the local community. You can find out more about this award and vote for our Ipswich colleagues here.
Councillor Julie Young, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Performance and Deputy Leader of the Council, said: “I am overwhelmed that Colchester + Ipswich Museums teams have been recognised for all their hard work over the past year. Both nominations are very much deserved, and I would urge the public to cast a vote in their favour.”
Page last reviewed: 13 May 2021