National honour for community work by Leicester archaeologist
An archaeologist at our University has received a national accolade for her community work.
The Council for British Archaeology has announced this year’s winners of the Marsh Community Archaeology Awards. Deputy Director of the University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS), Vicki Score, has been awarded the Marsh Archaeology Award for Community Archaeologist of the Year.
Vicki said: “I feel privileged and humbled by this award. Archaeology is my passion and to be recognised for something that I love doing is simply great. What drives me is the hunger for knowledge and engagement with local people who have an interest in archaeology and how it can shed new light on our history. Working in the community across the East Midlands has been an absolute privilege.”
The Marsh Community Archaeology Awards, supported by the Marsh Christian Trust, celebrate excellence in community archaeology and recognise the passion and dedication of the many people working so hard to protect and understand British archaeology. Awards are made in three categories: Young Archaeologist of the Year, Community Archaeologist of the Year and Community Archaeology.
Currently Deputy Director at ULAS, Vicki Score has worked for over 25 years in the East Midlands. As well as her commercial experience, she has been heavily involved with the Hallaton Fieldwork Group. This involvement started when fieldwalking members discovered the “Hallaton Hoard”. Vicki spent time working with volunteers and writing the acclaimed publication “Hounds, Hoards and Helmets”. She was then integral in establishing a multimedia presence in museums. The Group asked Vicki to continue to volunteer with them. As a result, she project manages their excavations and uses her knowledge to educate group members. Vicki also helps to incorporate members as trained volunteers on other sites around Leicestershire.
Vicki is very respected and uses authority combined with humour to make sure the more enthusiastic members are working to industry standards. She regularly provides advice, including heading up the successful grant application from CBA East Midlands for isotope analysis on skeletons found at the St Morrell site, another important Hallaton community dig, which added to the knowledge of the heritage of Leicestershire.
She also currently volunteers her time to work with Professor Simon James of the University of Leicester on the Ancient Akrotiri Project to train students in Cyprus alongside injured service personnel as part of Operation Nightingale. She is also an integral part of the Defence Archaeology Group, which works alongside professional institutions, and the Ministry of Defence and Help for Heroes. She provides other local archaeological groups with expert advice and help, and has given over 100 talks nationally.