Lancaster and Morecambe - Museums

Overview of Service:

The Judges' Lodgings, Lancaster is looking to recruit volunteers to become Museum Support Volunteers.

Their role will be to create a warm, friendly, and welcoming environment to our visitors and provide them with the knowledge and information about this historic building during their visit. The Judges' Lodgings is Lancaster's oldest town house and a Grade 1 listed building. The Museum covers 2 floors and we are pleased that our visitors and volunteers are willing and able to negotiate this historic building - there is no lift.

Our Room Steward Volunteers should have a keen interest in the history of Lancaster and particularly the Judges Lodgings and be confident in sharing their knowledge of the Lodgings history when asked.

Judges' Lodgings takes its name from when the Lancaster Castle Assize Court Judges lodged there between 1775 and 1975, while they were trying cases.

Thomas Covell, Mayor of Lancaster and Keeper of Lancaster Castle, lived in the Judges' Lodgings and is best remembered as the notorious witch-baiter who locked the Pendle Witches in the Lancaster Castle underground cell.

The building was reconstructed to its present form in 1675 and now contains the Gillow collection of furniture and the Museum of Childhood.

Tasks:

·         Volunteers will help with interpreting and explaining the building, the historic rooms, and its history for visitors while the museum is open.

·         They will ensure the security of objects in their stationed room and inform the duty officer of any issues.

·         Volunteers will also be responsible for ensuring that the rules of the museum are observed and provide basic emergency cover such as assisting in fire evacuations.

·         Using good customer care skills the volunteer should be confident about having to approach visitors who touch or otherwise compromise objects and/or the building, and explain why they are asked not to do so.

·         Willing to support staff with running family activities such as trails, craft activities and collection handling on occasion.

·         Willing to support the Museum with their other activities.

·         Log volunteering hours monthly and submit expenses where applicable via an on-line computer system

·         Complete minimum level training e.g. safeguarding and commit to further training relevant to role

Please contact the museum prior to applying Tel: 01524 581241

Required qualities:

·         Comfortable talking to people from many backgrounds and walks of life

·         Patience and understanding

·         Aware of confidentiality

·         Approachable and friendly

·         Able to learn and interpret historical facts

·         Willing and able to negotiate an historic building with no lift

·         Be able to engage with families and their children

·         Willing to undertake appropriate H&S and collections training

Location:  Judges' Lodgings,15 Castle Hill, Lancaster LA1 1YS

Required age:18+

Schedule (Days and Times)

Volunteers are required for 11am-4pm, Friday to Sunday, March – November.

Any mandatory training:

Training will be provided where necessary and may be in the form of peer support, distance learning or trainer led.

Volunteers must have completed the required training before any activity can be undertaken and may be asked to regularly refresh training where required.

Is this post subject to DBS/Vetting: No