VOLUNTEERS
The Society and the Dovecote Museum rely entirely on volunteers. General administration, updating websites, finance, publicity, supporting members, staying in touch via e-mails, preparation and distribution of newsletters, responding to enquiries from the website, and at the Dovecote Museum helping to prepare the exhibition material, chatting to visitors, it is a rewarding and very enjoyable experience.
Jan says:
I’m really enjoying being a volunteer at the Dovecote Museum, always meeting lots of new people and making new friends. The museum holds an enormous amount of information about the local area and the people who have lived in the village over the centuries. There are books, pictures, old maps, displays, you name it, it’s there. I even found a picture of myself in one of the old class photos taken at the Russell Infant School, many of which have been donated to the museum. Despite being born and brought up in Wollaton there is so much I didn’t know and such a lot more still to learn. And it’s all run by volunteers – amazing!
Angie says:
Joining the Society rekindled my interest in history, especially local history, and the more I learn the more I love living in Wollaton. When I first visited the Dovecote Museum I was enthralled and became a volunteer. I soon picked up the history of the building itself from the existing volunteers and enjoy welcoming visitors.
Elizabeth says:
Somehow or other I ended up forming a Research Group for the Wollaton Historical
Society, focussing on the working families of Wollaton. This was with a view to the
information being available to those who are interested. It is also my way of giving
something to the community.
Many hours of research have been undertaken on a voluntary basis, not just by me
but also the rest of the Group. We have learnt so much along the way and met
interesting people. I now look around me when walking, knowing more about the
area in which I live. That is priceless.
Wollaton’s family history is not the only volunteering I do for the area. I also
volunteer at the Walled Garden. At the beginning I could not believe the extent of
dereliction enclosed within brick walls. Ivy was rampant, along with brambles and
self setting trees. Graffiti adorned some walls and other walls had fallen down.
There was a general air of abandonment.
Several volunteers are still working there who came at the beginning. We have
created wonderful camaraderie. The whole area has now been transformed, through
sheer hard work by the volunteers.
This voluntary work has given me enlightenment in gardening, way beyond looking
after my own patch of earth.
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If you would like to join our team of volunteers please contact us via the Feedback link.