Volunteer historian honoured for excellence

LINTON researcher and cataloguer, Del Atkinson has been acknowledged at the recent Australian Museums and Galleries Association Victoria annual awards.

The Linton and District Historical Society volunteer received an honourable mention from the AMaGA Victoria judging panel for her commitment to the community group, and her outstanding professionalism across all that she undertakes at the resource centre and beyond.

Ms Atkinson said she gains much fulfillment from her volunteering. She was delighted to hear the surprise announcement and to be recognised at a State level.

“It was really lovely to feel appreciated,” she said.

Ms Atkinson’s Historical Society projects and achievements have been varied, including research into many family histories, the curation of a photography exhibition last year called Women of Linton, the writing of historical pieces for the group’s news publication, and working as a co-editor on a 2018 Society publication called Linton: A Photographic History.

Her fellow Lintonian volunteers at the Historical Society submitted nominations for the AMaGA Victoria recognition in secret.

The community group’s president, Dr Jill Wheeler said separate members of the committee all sent in individual submissions.

All hands were on deck to emphasise, “praise and detail the quality” knowledge and practices Ms Atkinson brings to their team.

“Their comments included what an inspiring mentor Del had been for them in their cataloguing work, and how thorough, accurate, rigorous and incisive her historical research was,” Dr Wheeler said.

State-wide museums, galleries and collections have been celebrated in the AMaGA Victoria awards for the last 27 years.