ACED Volunteer of the Year 2025 is announced

The ACED Volunteer of the Year award recognises a volunteer’s contribution to an arts or heritage organisation and recognises the impact they have made to the East Devon cultural landscape.  

Congratulations to the winner of the ACED Volunteer of the Year 2025 award: Laura Hewitt from Seaton Museum.

Laura started volunteering at Seaton Museum in 2023 and then, despite being a relative newcomer, stepped into the role of Assistant Curator. Shortly afterwards the curator, Ted Gosling, sadly died, so Laura took on the position of curator, still in a voluntary capacity. She has thrown herself into her new role: taking on the task of redecorating and reorganising the museum and spearheading the conservation of its neglected collections.

Laura has also provided a much-needed source of income through successful grant applications and a successful programme of talks. She has been the saviour of Seaton Museum and it now has a bright future.

A special recognition award for an outstanding contribution to arts & culture was won by Louise Cole from Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub and Sidmouth School of Art. Louise was recognised as a natural connector, with a remarkable ability to find hidden skills and talents in others.

The announcement was made at the ACED Network Summer Meeting at A La Ronde, Exmouth. Laura and Louise were both honoured with a beautiful glass award, created by contemporary fused glass artist, Susan Purser Hope.

The shortlisted nominees were: Adrian Ayres - Axminster Guildhall, Rebecca Green - Axminster Heritage Centre, Peter Hayes – Exmouth Museum and Heritage Centre, Daphne Searle – Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Rebecca Selby - Sidmouth Folk Festival, Caroline Steggles - Beehive Honiton, David Wright – Budleigh Music Festival.

On winning the award, Laura Hewitt said:

I am delighted to receive this award. The dedication and commitment of our small team of volunteers, including the Assistant Curator, Peter Thomas, my husband, Tim, the AVHA Trustees and Seaton Town Council, have been crucial to the museum's survival. 

Thank you to the community of East Devon museums: Axminster, Exmouth, Honiton and Ottery, ACED and Museum Development South West, whose kind support and training have been invaluable. 

Volunteering has been an amazing and rewarding experience and I would encourage anybody who is considering volunteering, in any area, to do so - every contribution makes a difference. Well done to all the other nominees, and all the other volunteers out there.

Louise Cole commented:

Celebrating the amazing work of volunteers in East Devon in itself is a wonderful thing, our communities are so shaped by the people from all walks across all domains who give their time and make positive things happen. 

I was very humbled to receive this special recognition, it represents for me collective valuing of the many volunteers who help with the work that Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub (SSCH) / Sea Fest and Sidmouth School of Art (SSA) are doing in Sidmouth and beyond. 

Art and culture is so vital in bringing people together, enhancing our wellbeing  and inspiring creativity in young and older people, SCCH and SSA are so grateful to the many volunteers who help us to achieve this.”  

Councillor Nick Hookway, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Sport, Leisure and Tourism, said:

This annual award recognises the fantastic contribution volunteers make to our cultural sector across the district. 

The range of nominations was so impressive. It was a difficult decision for the panel to make, given so many volunteers go above and beyond what is expected, but Laura's dedication to Seaton Museum really is an outstanding commitment to celebrate. Thanks to her enthusiasm and eagerness to learn new skills in collections care and conservation, Seaton Museum is going from strength to strength.