Tag: volunteering

Warwick Bridge Corn Mill Call for Volunteers

Warwick Bridge Corn Mill Call for Volunteers

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A Cumbrian corn mill is calling for volunteers to help secure its future. Warwick Bridge Corn Mill Ltd, a Community Benefit Society (CBS) which runs the mill as a bakery business, is based within the historic corn mill. It uses UK-grown grain and historic machinery to produce flour, bread, and baked goods for the local community.

Warwick Bridge Corn Mill goes back over 850 years, and the current 18th and 19th century listed mill buildings were restored several years ago. However, its current opperating model is not sustainable without more volunteers, and mill is asking for community support to secure its future through volunteering at the bakery and donations.

The Cultura Trust, formerly North of England Civic Trust, acquired the mill in 2015 and raised nearly £2m to purchase and restore the grade II* listed mill back to full operation, thanks to £1.4m from the The National Lottery Heritage Fund, £187,000 from Historic England, and other grants from Cumbria County Council and a range of charitable trusts and donors. A grant from the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) in 1999/2000 had helped establish that a working mill and bakery was a viable proposition, powered by its revived historic water supply. In March 2025, the Cultura Trust handed over the freehold of the historic watermill to Warwick Bridge Corn Mill Limited (WBCML), which has operated the mill as a tenant since 2020.

Further details on how to help Warwick Bridge Corn Mill, and to get involved as a volunteer, can be found here: The Future – A Statement from the Management Committee – Warwick Bridge Corn Mill

The waterweheel at Warwick Brdge Corn Mill. Image courteys of Warwrick Bridge Corn Mill.
Volunteering Opportunities at the Watercress Line in 2026

Volunteering Opportunities at the Watercress Line in 2026

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The Watercress heritage railway is looking for new voluneteers. They currently have about 550 volunteers who do everything from driving the trains and maintaining the rolling stock, tracks and stations to providing customer-facing retail and catering services.

Some people volunteer for one day per month, whilst others volunteer for several days per week; some people fit their volunteering around their work commitments whilst others join us when they retire. Whether you have relevant skills or you would like to do something totally different, the Watercress Line will make you welcome. The next Welcome Days are on the 8th March and 12th April. The minimum age to volunteer is 16 years old. Membership of the Trust (WCHRT) is NOT required for volunteers.

The line, which re-opened in 1977, runs for 10 miles from Alresford to Alton in Hampshire.

More details on the volunteering opportunities available here: https://watercressline.co.uk/volunteer/#welcome-days

King Edward Mine Museum Looking for More Volunteers Ahead of 2025 Season

King Edward Mine Museum Looking for More Volunteers Ahead of 2025 Season

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King Edward Mine Museum (KEM), a volunteer-led charity within the UNESCO Mining World Heritage Area of Cornwall, is looking for more tour guides when it re-opens for the new season on 20 April.

The site saw a significant rise in visitor numbers last year, many of whom travelled from overseas to explore the mine complex. The museum, which is dedicated to sharing the history of mining on the Great Flat Lode, and is Grade II* listed, lies in the village of Troon, near Camborne.

The mine tells the stories of Cornish miners and maintains a collection of historic mining equipment, including an operational Cornish tin mill, and a Holman winding engine. Originally worked under the name of Old Tye it was opened in 1844 together with Great Condurrow about 300m to the north, finally closing in 1921. However, the surface buildings continued in use for the teaching of mining, ore dressing, and surveying skills until 1974. In 1987 a volunteer group was formed with the aim of conserving the site as an educational resource for the future and the local community. 

If you would like to volunteer as a museum guide or help in the reception area in 2025, follow this link for more details: https://www.kingedwardmine.co.uk/about/volunteering

Volunteers Needed to Help Preserve Gloucester’s Historic Canal and Docks

Volunteers Needed to Help Preserve Gloucester’s Historic Canal and Docks

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The Canal & River Trust is seeking people to join its team of fantastic volunteers and help care for the historic Gloucester Docks and the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal. There are a wide range of opportunities on offer.

The Trust is seeking volunteers to join its Gloucester Task Force, which cares for the environment around Gloucester Docks, making it a special place to visit, popular with boaters, local people and visitors. People who have a passion for teaching and inspiring young people are needed to support the Trust’s Explorers education programme. This role offers the opportunity to bring the waterways and their heritage to life for children and schools through events, visits and the National Waterways Museum.

The National Waterways Museum Gloucester is a popular visitor destination in the heart of the docks. The museum needs volunteers to act as guides and talk to visitors, sharing their passion for local history, the docks and what the waterways has provided for people and wildlife for over two centuries.

The canal boasts 18 historic swing bridges running down its entire length from Gloucester to Sharpness. Volunteer bridge keepers are needed to keep these bridges open for boats to navigate the canal, speaking to people and keeping them safe while operating the bridges.

Once the broadest and deepest canal in the world, the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal still stands out from other navigations because of its sheer scale and impressive engineering. Its rich history in acting as a bypass to protect boats from a treacherous stretch of the River Severn is still alive today, with Gloucester Docks a stunning Victorian inland port, and home to the popular Tall Ships Festival. To discover more about the work of the Canal & River Trust, and how you can volunteer or donate, go to canalrivertrust.org.uk.

19th century canal warehouse at the Glouscester Docks. Image copyright Dr Michael Nevell.