*Now Recruiting - Richard Watts Archival Films Volunteer (MERL)* - apply by 9am Mon 2 March
Richard Watts Archival Films Volunteer
Location – Reading Room at The MERL Location: Museums and Collections Reading Room (Museum of English Rural Life, Redlands Road, Reading RG1 5EX)
Tuesday/ Wednesday/ Thursday or Friday Mornings or Afternoons.
We can be flexible on timings, and for you to get the most from this opportunity, we would appreciate if your volunteering could be half a day every week.
We have two dedicated terminals in the Reading Room for this project and can accommodate up to two volunteers per session – so please state your availability when you apply.
We expect this project to run up to October 2026 at the latest.
Why We Want You:
The BFI (British Film Institute) has funded MERL to work on a very exciting project digitising and cataloguing a collection of rural films collected by Richard Watts. Watts was a very passionate Norwich-based farmer who would showcase these films around the country in community spaces.
As part of the project, staff will digitise and catalogue a small selection of rural-related archive films, mostly dated 1940s-1970s, so we can make them accessible. The films themselves cover a wide range of topics; from the machinery used, to milk production, to food growth, to marketing videos for manufacturing companies and more.
We need your help to identifying the right audiences for these films to maximise their engagement potential.
What You Will Be Doing:
We would like you to watch these films, identifying and giving recommendations for who might particularly relate and engage with the film’s message and content.
As part of the role, you will fill out a questionnaire per film to give detailed feedback.
This role will suit someone who is:
- Interested in Archives
- Interested in rural life and farming
- Able to work independently with good attention to detail
- Passionate about engagement and accessibility
What will you gain in return:
- An opportunity to work with the Engagement team and learn about Engagement in a museum and archive environment
- Experience in archival film
- Learn some interesting facts about rural history
Who will this role report to?
The BFI Engagement Officer
Extra Information on the role:
Volunteers will be expected to sign image release forms to allow photography and filming of them carrying out the project from time to time.
There may be an opportunity to contribute to The MERL’s digital output, including producing material to be added to a blog or social media post or the accompanying online exhibition.
The films that will be digitised have not been viewed before; therefore, prior content warnings will not be available.
When working on uncatalogued items, you may discover some harmful content that you should highlight to the Project Supervisors. An example is an outdated racial term that was commonly used decades ago that would cause offence to modern researchers. As a result of uncovering this content, a ‘harmful content warning’ would then be placed on the file and the online catalogue to warn researchers.
Please be aware also that these are films that deal with the reality of farm life and the purpose of keeping animals. There may be upsetting scenes relating to the slaughter of farm animals.
To apply
If you are a new applicant, please complete your volunteer registration form here on our volunteering platform by 2nd March 2026.
If you are using a mobile or tablet, once you click ‘Fill in an Application’, look out for the suggestion ‘It looks like you are on a mobile device. For a better experience on smart phones, go to Mobile Application Form’ and click on the link it suggests.
*Please ensure you tick ‘Richard Watts Archival Films Volunteer’ in your ‘Interests’ section under My profile, when registering by 9am on Monday 2nd March 2026.
When you are happy with your application, please don’t forget to click SUBMIT – otherwise we will never receive your form!
Existing volunteers/ already registered your application -
If you are already registered to volunteer with Museums Partnership Reading, please log in to the volunteering platform, click on My Profile, select the ‘Interests’ section, and ensure you tick ‘Richard Watts Archival Films Volunteer’ by 9am on Monday 2nd March 2026.
Matching to the role
We often find that many more volunteers apply for the role than we have vacancies, particularly for behind the scenes roles.
Please include key relevant information when answering the application form questions, as this may be used if we need to shortlist from a larger group of applicants.
You are welcome to attach your CV if you wish, but it is unlikely to be used for the shortlisting process.
A hard copy application form is available for those who are not confident in using computers or have limited digital access.
Please email VolunteeringHQ@reading.ac.uk and we can send you a Word application form which can be completed digitally, or printed and handed in.
