Mark Berridge, Castle & Culture Manager, The Castle, Bude, won Leader of the Year award at the 7th annual Cornish Heritage Awards ceremony held at Liskeard Public Hall on the evening of Monday 17th March. Mark was shortlisted down to three candidates and was presented with the winning trophy by Mark Trevethan, Cultural Lead for Cornwall Council.
The Cornwall Heritage Awards is all about celebrating and sharing the achievements of the heritage community in Cornwall. The Awards bring together the very best projects, collaborations, initiatives and teams from organisations all over Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. There are more than 70 heritage organisations in Cornwall of great variety and individuality, including museums, art galleries, castles, mines, historic properties, industrial heritage sites, archives and community museums. Cornwall’s diverse heritage organisations offer something unique and special. The Cornwall Heritage Awards is an opportunity to find out about the wonderful work our heritage organisations do and to celebrate their successes.
Each year organisations across Cornwall submit entries for the different awards which they feel they can enter. From all the entries, each category is shortlisted to three and then judged by independent judges. The Castle has submitted entries each year and this year, The Castle office team decided to nominate Mark for the Leader of the Year award. Mark said, “I am so touched and pleased that my team nominated me for the award. It shows that they appreciate everything I do for them and shows to me, not that I didn’t know already, what a great team I have.”
In June 2016, Mark took up the position of Castle Manager, with responsibility for overseeing the whole castle including the museum, café, art galleries, gift shop and any public or private events including weddings.
From the get go, Mark’s enthusiasm was infectious, and he had a clear vision for The Castle and what he wanted to achieve. His mantra is, ‘There’s always something going on at the Castle’, by creating a venue for local and visitors alike, where there is always something different to see and do all year round. Initially, he worked closely with the Heritage Curator to review exhibitions and displays, most of which hadn’t been updated since The Castle had opened in 2007. As well as the museum, Mark was also instrumental in developing the café, The Castle as a wedding venue and encouraging local artists to exhibit in the art galleries. Over the years, what The Castle is able to offer its visitors has grown considerably. As a result, new roles have been introduced, such as a Wedding and Events Officer, Marketing and Promotions Officer, Café Manager, and most recently an Outreach officer.
Mark is incredibly supportive of his staff, ensuring that they reach their full potential. Staff feel supported and confident in their own abilities, knowing that Mark has complete faith in them. Mark knows his staff well and will encourage them to go for opportunities that he feels will benefit their career. He has high expectations, leading by example and is never too busy to listen to his staff, addressing any issues as they arise.
The success of The Castle and the success and wellbeing of his staff is at the heart of everything he does. He is passionate about The Castle and its history. In 2024, Mark published a book about the history of the Castle and its residents, to sell in the gift shop. Mark had spent over three years researching, writing and designing this historical account. In 2019, Bude – Stratton Town Council took
over the town’s library from Cornwall Council and Mark took over its management and the team has gone from strength to strength.
The Castle today is unrecognisable from where it was over eight years ago. It is a multi-award-winning venue that is at the heart of the community. It has grown in size and reputation, with over 100,000 visitors each year. There is a strong team, who all demonstrate drive and dedication in their work, thanks in no small part to Mark’s expert leadership.
Mark warmly expressed, “I am so pleased with the award and feel honoured to be recognised for my leadership skills at these prestigious Cornish awards. I have been managing people for most of my working life and winning this award means so much. I also feel that this is another win for The Castle and will go along side all the other awards we have won over the past few years. It just shows, through the help of my team, my initial vision is being met and that The Castle is thriving.”
