Volunteers’ Week

Celebrating Mid Devon’s Volunteer Run Attractions for Volunteers’ Week

Volunteers’ Week is a national celebration of the contribution volunteers make to our communities. The week, from Monday 3rd June to Sunday 9th June, provides a focus to recognise and thank volunteers for the time they offer, and the skills they bring to so many different organisations.

We asked the visitor attractions in Mid Devon that rely on volunteers, to tell us, in their own words, about the difference their volunteers make. Here’s what they had to say…

Killerton House

Buggy driving at Killerton, Devon

In recognition of Volunteers’ Week, we celebrate the invaluable contributions of our wonderful volunteers at Killerton.

With over 400 dedicated individuals, in a myriad of roles, they play a crucial part in the day-to-day operations across the estate. We truly couldn’t do what we do without them. We give a huge thank you to each and every one for their support and help.

Bampton Heritage and Visitor Centre

Bampton volunteers manning a street stall

Our volunteers provide the backbone of everything we do at Bampton Heritage and Visitor Centre. It is important to recognise and reward all the unpaid hours that volunteers give and we celebrate these endeavours with an annual tea party, as well as regular tea and chat sessions and visits to other museum or heritage sites.

Our volunteers have said: ‘By volunteering I feel I can give my skills to something really worthwhile’. ‘Volunteering has boosted my confidence and I love meeting new people and welcoming visitors to Bampton’.

If you have time to spare and would like to become part of a great friendly team in a variety of rewarding roles including welcoming visitors, recording local memories, leading walks, school visits, managing web pages, research and collection cataloging, please get in touch. We provide full training and seek to use your skills in a role that will suit you best. Start with an informal chat, with no commitment. Email: bamptonheritage@btinterent.com or ring Judi on 07595 497476.

The Grand Western Canal Country Park

The Grand Western Canal Country Park benefits enormously from the efforts of volunteers.  The Canal Ranger Service is assisted by

Volunteer Chris helping one of the Canal Rangers to put up a sign promoting this year’s 50th anniversary of the horse-drawn barge

several midweek volunteers who pitch in with whatever practical tasks are being undertaken along the canal. During the autumn and winter months, Ranger-led Volunteer Days provide an opportunity for larger groups of people to help out on the second Sunday of each month, with hedgelaying the most common and popular task. Wildlife survey and monitoring is also largely carried out by volunteers, who make regular checks of a range of species and feed this data into national recording schemes and help us to monitor positive and negative trends in species numbers and distribution along the canal.

Volunteers appreciate the opportunity to do something worthwhile, and enhance their local area within a friendly and helpful team environment. Many will learn new skills and some will even go on to pursue a career in countryside management. We’d like to say a huge thank you to all our volunteers, and if you’d like to find out about volunteering at the Canal please contact the Canal Rangers on 01884 254072 or email gwcanal@devon.gov.uk.

Crediton Area History & Museum Society

Crediton Museum

Crediton Area History & Museum Society – it’s a long name, but there’s a reason for that.

• We’re all about local history: and we focus on the Crediton Area
• We are a history society (giving talks, doing research) AND we run our local museum

We are entirely volunteer-run; Local People doing Local History. You don’t have to be a local born-and-bred. Lots of our volunteers are people who’ve come to live here more recently, and have become interested in the history of the area.
Ways that volunteers can help include stewarding at the museum; helping at talks; helping to organise and manage our collections; and undertaking research. There’s always someone to help and advise, and we welcome new ideas.

Find out more on our website www.creditonhistory.org.uk, look in at the museum (see website for opening hours), or email info@creditonhistory.org.uk

Tiverton Community Arts Theatre

Volunteers at Tiverton Community Arts Theatre

Volunteers are the most important and valued part of Tiverton Community Arts Theatre (TCAT) and positively contribute towards the success of TCAT. There are different reasons why people join the TCAT volunteering team but it provides an opportunity to meet new people and learn new skills (we have a variety of roles including social media, front of house, ice cream sales, stewards, sound & lighting, bar work). Many volunteers also tell us how proud they are to give something back to the local community.

We have a wonderful group of friendly volunteers and new volunteers are always welcome, so come and join this amazing team by emailing volunteering@tivertontheatre.com or if you’d prefer come and meet us at the TCAT stand at the Mid Devon Show on July 27th.

Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life

Volunteers’ Week is an opportunity for us to thank all our volunteers for the valuable gift of their time. We have an amazing team of

Volunteers at Tiverton Museum

volunteers without whom we could not open the doors of the Museum. Currently, we have a team of approximately 50 local people who contribute in a variety of different roles. Our volunteers are passionate about sharing the museum and the area’s heritage with visitors, but people volunteer for many different reasons and there are probably more roles and opportunities than you might imagine.

Our volunteers have said: ‘I find volunteering at The Museum extremely fulfilling and rewarding’, ‘it is good for my wellbeing’, ‘Everyone is very friendly and I feel my work is appreciated’. We thank all our volunteer team for their commitment and their contributions.

If you are interested in finding out more about all the possibilities of volunteering at the museum please contact volunteer@tivertonmuseum.org.uk or pop in and visit us.