Diving museum volunteer can be a tourism superstar

A diving volunteer and aficionado at the Diving Museum at Stokes Bay has been nominated for a national tourism award.
VOLUNTEER LEADER Dr John Bevan is in the running for a tourism superstar awardVOLUNTEER LEADER Dr John Bevan is in the running for a tourism superstar award
VOLUNTEER LEADER Dr John Bevan is in the running for a tourism superstar award

Dr John Bevan, chairman of the Historical Diving Society, is up for the Visit England Tourism Superstar awards along with 11 people from attractions around the country.

The 72-year-old was nominated by John Gibbs, tourism officer at Gosport Borough Council, for his outstanding contribution to the museum experience.

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Dr Bevan said: ‘I’m absolutely overjoyed to be nominated and surprised. Everything we do is for fun and we really love it.

‘The most enjoyment I get is with the visitors themselves, explaining the kit and the interesting stories behind it.’

Dr Bevan is the volunteer leader in a team of 20 volunteers and plays an active role in all aspects of running the museum – from sourcing exhibits, welcoming visitors, dealing with the finances through to maintaining the building.

He led the project in converting the derelict No 2 Battery into an international tourist venue, which identifies Gosport as the home of global diving.

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The competition is run by the Daily Mirror and recognises the dedication and passion of those working in the tourism industry.

It is awarded to an individual who 
goes above and beyond the call of duty to ensure visitors have an unforgettable experience.

Dr Bevan also plays a major part in the Gosport Heritage Open Days scheme, and is working towards achieving national arts council accreditation and national museum status for the museum.

Last year the museum was in the top six in the country in the Telegraph’s family-friendly museums awards and also reached the top six in services with a smile in The News’s We Can Do It competition.

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The winner will be decided solely by the public vote, so to cast your vote go to mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/travel/british-breaks/vote-now-your-visitengland-tourism-7164018.

The winner will receive the award at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence event in March.

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