National award for council employee
A LEICESTERSHIRE County Council officer, who has worked with hundreds of volunteers and supported them to develop long-term opportunities, has been honoured with a national award.
Nicola Seika was named volunteer manager of the year at the Heritage Volunteering Conference last month at the Museum of London.
The award, which celebrates outstanding examples of volunteer leadership, innovation and collaboration, was handed to Nicola by a panel of judges from the Heritage Volunteering Group, who reviewed entries from volunteering projects across the country.
In her role as volunteering officer for heritage at the county council, Nicola supports more than 500 volunteers of all ages and has been a pioneer in developing new opportunities for people with hidden disabilities.
Her approach has challenged the stereotype of the traditional volunteer and what can be achieved by embracing diversity.
Richard Blunt, cabinet member for heritage, leisure and arts, said: “The work done by our volunteers has immeasurable benefits – to us as a local authority, the wider community and the volunteers themselves.
“Nicola has been at the forefront of developing and expanding opportunities for the volunteers and this national award is a well-deserved tribute to her hard work.”
Despite her hard work, the award came as a surprise to Nicola.
She said: “I wasn’t even aware that I had been nominated, so it came as a complete shock when my name was read out.
“I am honoured to have been recognised as volunteer manager of the year and I am grateful that I have the opportunity to do a job that I love, where I get to work alongside and support some fantastic volunteers.”
One of the most recent volunteering projects in which Nicola took a leading role is the Bosworth Tommies -a three-year project to research and highlight local links to the First World War.
This project, which is part of the Heritage Lottery funded Century of Stories, includes a group of 12 volunteers with learning difficulties and disabilities.
The work that has gone into the Bosworth Tom- mies, including the exhibition at Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre, resulted in the team being shortlisted in the volunteers of the year category at this year’s Museums and Heritage awards.