Tour guide volunteer roles

Lead small groups on tours to the Vulcan, sharing its story and legacy. Be the face of the Vulcan experience!

Key Tasks:

• Chaperone visitors safely to and from viewing areas around the aircraft.

• Deliver scripted or informal talks about the aircraft’s history.

• Answer questions and encourage interaction.

• Assist visitors in locating their names under the aircraft.

• Assist with safety, information points, and general guest experience.

Skills Required:

• Confident public speaker or comfortable engaging with groups.

• Interest in aviation or history desirable but not essential (training provided).

• Reliable and friendly.

Ideal For:

· Confident speakers or those looking to develop presentation skills.

· People with an interest in history, aviation, or education.

· Those who enjoy storytelling and engaging with the public.

Welcome and guide visitors during open days, tours, and events. Help create a welcoming and safe environment for all.

Key Tasks:

• Greet attendees and check tickets.

• Direct parking and visitor flow.

• Assist with safety, information points, and general guest experience.

Skills Required:

• Good communication and people skills.

• Calm under pressure; happy working outdoors.

• Helpful attitude and willingness to engage.

Ideal For:

· Outgoing individuals who enjoy meeting people.

· Those seeking front-of-house experience or wanting to develop confidence in public-facing roles.

· Great for students, semi-retired or retired individuals.

We'd love you to consider volunteering here at Hay Castle, a centre for Arts, Culture, Heritage and Learning.  Awarded "Wales Building of the Year 2024" by RSAW, we opened our doors to the public for the first time in its 900 year history in 2022, following an extensive "just in time" renovation of this Grade 1 listed building and scheduled ancient monument.  As a volunteer you will be the life blood of the castle, with various opportunities such as greeting our visitors, introducing them to its history and stories, leading guided tours, engaging them with our prestigious exhibitions, helping them choose their presents and souvenirs to buy and take home.  Perhaps you'd prefer to help us keep our garden borders and yew trees looking glorious. 

As a Castle Volunteer, we can offer you discount on goods bought in our shop, occasional discounts on event tickets, and a volunteer thank you get-together, 2 or 3 times a year. You will also receive a volunteer pass to the castle, so that you and friends/family can enjoy time here together when you're not on duty.

If any of this appeals to you, we'd love to hear from you.

Based in either our Main Gallery or Stables Gallery, the role is integral in providing a high-quality visitor experience by bringing our gallery spaces to life by welcoming and engaging visitors, as well as sharing your passion and the stories of our exhibitions.

Tasks and Responsibilities 

• Welcoming and engaging visitors in a warm and friendly manner 
• Interpreting our gallery spaces, exhibition content, the Richmond Borough Art Collection and the gallery’s history for all ages and abilities
• Being a visible presence in our galleries, ensuring everyone's safety and the security of our exhibitions
• Guiding visitors around the gallery and wider site
• Monitoring visitor numbers and contributing to evaluation initiatives 
• Representing the Gallery and Richmond Arts Service

What we hope you will get from the role 

• The opportunity to engage with people and communities from the local area, West London and beyond
• Opportunity to develop interpersonal and communication skills
• -An insight into the day-to-day running of a contemporary art gallery and museum crossing a range of sectors 
• Opportunities to engage with artists and learn about their practice
• An understanding of the breadth of arts activity offered by Richmond Arts Service 

Training and Support 

We will provide training and an induction which covers all aspects of the role. On-going support and supervision will be provided by staff throughout your time with us. Additionally, there are regular training sessions to supplement and further your initial training, as well as a varied programme of volunteer events and activities to join in, meet people and learn something new!

We offer a tour of our exhibitions with the artist(s) or a member of staff prior to their opening. This will give you a first hand insight into the concept, processes and artist’s vision behind the exhibition. 

Desirable qualities and experience 

• Enthusiasm for meeting and engaging with people and sharing information
• Interest for contemporary art, history and/or heritage 
• Able to answer enquiries in a friendly and helpful manner 
• Willingness to learn 
• Enjoys being part of a team 
• Ability to complete tasks independently 
• Good time keeping 

Availability 

The gallery is open to the public Tuesday to Sunday, 10am – 5pm, with two volunteer shifts a day, 10am – 1pm and 1pm – 5pm.

We ask for a minimum commitment of one shift every fortnight, although there is flexibility over scheduling.

Location 

This role is based at Orleans House Gallery, in either the Main Gallery or Stables Gallery. 

Expenses 

We will cover travel expenses up to £17 per day.

Company Secretary Weston Park Foundation (WPF)

About us

Who We Are

The Weston Park Foundation (WPF) is a charity governed by a Board of Trustees meeting twice yearly. The Foundation's assets run to many millions of pounds, with many of its treasures to be found within the House.  The Park is some 1,000 acres, including two Capability Brown landscapes.

WPF has a wholly owned and successful subsidiary, Weston Park Enterprises Ltd (WPEL), which trades at Weston: not just general tourism and visits, but a restaurant, cafe and an Art Gallery in the Granary, corporate hospitality, leisure and cultural tour residential stays in the House, major events in the Park, as well as six holiday rentals. 

Since its inception in 1986, the trustees have been able to restore the House and its possessions, the park, and the gardens to a condition not seen for centuries. Exciting new projects are in the pipeline aimed at increasing and diversifying income streams.

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)

Weston Park is dedicated to operating in a socially responsible and sustainable manner. We understand the importance of Environmental, Social, and Governance factors in delivering long-term value to our stakeholders, including employees, customers, partners, and communities.

Our ESG policy serves as a framework to guide our actions, ensuring we integrate these principles into our business practices. We believe this approach will help us create lasting value and contribute to a sustainable future.

Role Overview

We are looking to appoint someone with relevant experience to act as Company Secretary to the Board of Trustees of WPF as well as sit on the Audit Committee.  In addition to support the role of CEO of the organisation in terms of corporate governance and best practices of the charity.

We are seeking an individual who is committed and passionate about heritage and the positive impact it can have on communities.

Skills and knowledge.

Experience of running or advising a commercial /quasi-commercial organisation or a charity is essential; as is an ability to cope with financial accounts and projections and strong knowledge of corporate governance.  Knowledge of charity law and procedure is not essential, but would be helpful.

A legal background will be useful, in terms of fulfilling the role of Company Secretary, closely monitoring ongoing developments in collaboration with the Chairman and the Chief Executive, all the while providing informed advice as needed.  Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, accompanied by a readiness to engage in constructive and collaborative decision-making is essential.

We would welcome guidance on various governance issues, which encompass key areas. 

-      Offering support and direction to the Chair of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, and the Chair of the Audit Committee regarding their governance responsibilities, in alignment with established policies and best practices. Special care is taken in reviewing meeting minutes to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the records.

- Advising on procedural matters, including the delegation of powers

- Drafting terms of reference for committees

- Defining internal cross charge arrangements

- Hearing rare appeals related to dismissals or other employment claims

- Assisting with periodic tenders for professional services

- Committing to the promotion of diversity, equality, and inclusion, while fostering a culture of respect, learning, and understanding.

Commitment

The role of Company Secretary is voluntary but the postholder will receive an annual honorarium of £7k. Travel expenses for attending meetings can be covered if necessary. There are two Trustee Board meetings annually (Audit Committee meetings are held during these Board meetings) and five Executive Committee meetings. Active participation in this Committee is essential for strategic planning and related activities.

Application Process

The Weston Park Foundation is dedicated to fostering diverse and inclusive practices.  We invite applications from individuals who share our passion for preserving our charity's heritage.

About The Role

At Washington you will be involved first hand are in assisting the collection team in  maintaining and developing exhibits within the site at Washington to enhance the visitor experience.

This involves helping the Collection team to care for our large collection of rare and endangered species of waterfowl from around the world as well as wetland mammals.

Conducting public talks with our otters and Flamingos is also an important part of the role. Helping the team to inspire our visitors by the work we do and also showing them how they can get involved.

Why volunteer with us? We have one of the largest waterfowl collections in the North East, with over 40 species, 15 of which are of Conservation Concern, including the current flock of 56 breeding Chilean Flamingos and a pair of Asian Short-clawed Otters. Previous volunteers have gone on to work in animal conservation work around the world. 

We are currently looking for volunteers that can help us on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays or Sundays. We ask that you can commit a minimum of 6 months to get the most from your role. You must be over 18 to apply for this role.

Volunteers are an essential part of the WWT team. You'll get a warm welcome, including information on training, equipment and anything else you need. 

If you are interested in volunteering for WWT but don't wish to apply online, please email us or leave a message with your name and number. Please visit our webpage for more inforamtion and our contact details. 

About You

• Some practical experience in animal care would be desirable
•  Able to follow instructions and safely complete activities alone or as part of a team
• Good people skills
• Public speaking skills desirable
• Physical fitness and the ability to lift heavy loads
• Ability to work outdoors in all weather
• Driving licence is desirable
• Passion
• You need to be over 18 years old for this role.

About Us

We’re WWT, and we’re on a mission to restore the super-powered ecosystems we call wetlands. There’s never been a more important moment for our work, and we’ve got some phenomenal people on the case.

Whether they’re taking a new visitor under their wing, or conducting ground-breaking research further afield, our team are second to none. And there’s nothing we love more than watching them soar.

Whatever you do here, you’ll be helping to restore wetlands and unlock their power. So, the only question left is, what role will you play?

Why you'll love volunteering at WWT

• Feel good knowing you are helping to restore wetlands, and our world
• Be surrounded and inspired by like-minded wetland lovers
• Hear from the people who inject their energy, passion and expertise into wetlands and wildlife - talks, walks, webinars, tea and cake...
• Free entry to all our wetland centres, including your family
• Volunteer discount on shopping and memberships
• Access to webinars and practical information to help you manage daily life

We look forward to hearing from you! 

We’re looking for volunteers with a keen interest in dementia to join our team of Trustees, contributing their experience and skills to help support, shape and develop the charity.

Who we are

Arts for Dementia uses the power of the arts to inspire people living with dementia to get creative, connect, learn new skills and most importantly, have fun.Our free workshops aim to challenge and boost confidence and wellbeing through a variety of art forms from visual arts to drama, sculpture, dance and more.

For people living with dementia and those who support them day to day, these are opportunities to make friends in a safe and friendly setting, to be part of the local community, to stay active and to enjoy the fulfilment that comes from creative activities. Our current priority locations are the London boroughs of Southwark and Camden.Our in-person workshops are all in London, while online activities are open to people across the UK.

Our regular one-day training courses provide creative facilitators across the UK with the knowledge and skills they need to support dementia-friendly activities.

The role of a trustee

Our team of trustees plays a key role in setting the strategy – the overall direction – of the charity. There are four formal board meetings each year where, together with the Chief Executive, our trustees oversee the delivery of the strategy and financial management, consider operational plans and explore what support they can provide to enable the staff team in their work.

Often this support is connected to a trustee’s expertise in a particular field, for example marketing, fundraising, I.T. or legal, or the networks they have access to such as local community groups, potential donors or arts organisations. 

Specific areas of activity such as finance and fundraising are also supported by small sub-committees that bring appropriate staff and trustees together so that work can be progressed between the quarterly meetings. These are arranged at times to suit those involved. 

Currently quarterly meetings of all Trustees are held in person and online alternately. Online meetings are early evening, and in-person meetings are in central London during the day. They each last for two hours. If it helps new trustees to be fully involved, we are happy to explore different timings for future meetings. 

What difference could you make?

If you are reading this, it is likely you care about the lives of people living with and affected by dementia, and you may well have some personal experience. You can make a real difference to those and others affected by bringing your additional experience into the charity.  This might be from involvement in your community or your understanding of dementia within a minoritized ethnic group. It might be from your work, leisure activities or your profession.

The important thing is that your experience should broaden our knowledge, help us reach a wide range of people and ensure our charity is far-sighted and well run. 

What you could gain from being a Trustee

We know that dementia and its effects have no barriers, so our approach to recruiting new trustees aims to have no barriers and to be supportive and open to ideas.  You may have never considered yourself as a potential trustee but feel that you do have something you could offer to a charity like ours. If so, do please contact us. 

As a Trustee, you would be working with a friendly and approachable board that brings together a range of experience, which is enhanced by the skills of the staff team. The role also comes with responsibilities that incorporate legislation and good governance practice and this Charity Commission document explains these. 

All new Trustees will benefit from an induction programme that allows them to get to know the staff and other trustees, meet some of the beneficiaries, learn how the charity works and understand the formal responsibilities.  We would also enable you to develop your skills and confidence through access to training and information on Trustee responsibilities and skills.

There are many opportunities to broaden your own experience and develop your confidence in new skills within a supportive environment. 

We also ensure no Trustee is out of pocket due to their responsibilities, so all reasonable expenses (e.g. travel to board meetings) are reimbursed. 

We are looking for a Trustee who brings experience and insight in one or more of the following areas:

1. Leadership in the education sector, including schools, FE/HE institutions or youth services

2. Knowledge of arts-based pedagogy and creative learning methodologies

3. Experience with education and culture policy, or involvement in cultural learning partnerships.

This Trustee will also serve as our Board Safeguarding Lead, helping to ensure that our work with young people and vulnerable groups is safe, inclusive and aligned with best practice.

We are seeking two new Trustees who are strongly networked in the Greater Manchester region to join our Board at a pivotal time for ENO, as we expand our presence and reimagine what opera can be in contemporary society.

Working across both London and Greater Manchester, we are creating opera at a range of scales and for a variety of contexts and audiences. We are collaborating with a diverse mix of venues, spaces, and organisations - exploring creative opportunities and building relationships with new communities and future audiences. This work is central to our ambition to develop a new model for how opera is created, shared, and experienced today.

As a registered charity, ENO is committed to ensuring that opera is available to everyone, without limits. We champion new talent, new ideas, and new audiences because we believe opera should be accessible to all—regardless of background, experience, financial means, or location.

Trustees serve as ambassadors for this work and are essential in monitoring the organisation's overall governance, financial stability, and strategic direction during this exciting period of growth.

We are currently seeking Trustees with a strong connection to the Greater Manchester region who bring experience and skills in some of the following areas:

• Audiences: communication, marketing, digital & social media, insight
• Fundraising and philanthropy
• Artistic: programming, talent development, education & learning, music (particularly opera), performance, producing

We encourage applications from people of all identities, skill levels, and backgrounds, and prior Trustee experience is not required.

English National Opera is an Equal Opportunities employer, and we strive to create an inclusive working environment that reflects the diverse communities we serve. As we work to address underrepresentation in our workforce, English National Opera particularly encourages potential candidates from underrepresented groups and communities to apply, including those from global majority backgrounds and/or with protected characteristics, including race, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment and religion and belief. We will provide appropriate support for candidates with access requirements if they identify as disabled. This includes during the application process and through candidate assessment stages.