OV’s Excellent Education Award

On Thursday 3rd April, at the Bank House in Bransford, Discover History won the ‘Community Involvement’ category of the Worcestershire Education Awards 2025. This year’s awards saw over 200 nominations for the different categories.

OV Helen Harding (née Lee, Ch 94-01) and her husband Paul Harding, who is the School Staff Instructor (SSI) for King’s CCF, have both run Discover History, a popular education company, since 2003.

Discover History began with the aim of bringing history to life for people of all ages and abilities. Covering every period in history from the Stone Age, they deliver hands-on and immersive history workshops and fun filled history days to schools and adult groups across Britain. They also deliver talks, guided walks and living history performances for heritage attractions.

“Receiving this award confirms that what we do has a positive effect on people of all ages. From teaching nursery school children how our ancestors played with toys, to residents in care homes looking at the Coronation of our late Queen Elizabeth II,” Helen explained.

Paul added, “We both love education and history. What we do never feels like a job!”

Discover History has won several awards across Britain, including the Worcestershire Education Awards in 2017 and 2023. They were also finalists in the same awards in 2018 and 2024.