Sutton Cultural Services

Become a Reader Leader

PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE FOR FULL DETAILS

The Reading Retreat is an exciting new shared reading project in Croydon, Kingston, Merton and Sutton where small groups will read aloud from a book, short story or poem. We're seeking confident volunteers with good listening and a familiarity with computers to lead discussions, providing a great way for people to connect; to what they’re reading, to themselves and to each other.

This volunteer role is perfect for anyone seeking to increase their scope in public speaking, leadership and literature, or just looking to break up the norm and meet new people. To undertake the role of Reader Leader, you will be required to take part in a one hour information session, followed by six half-day training sessions over six weeks (training dates can be found here).

To apply please fill in this form, it should take less than a minute to complete.

Main Tasks

• Sign up for and complete six half-day training sessions
• Lead shared reading group in line with the training and supported by the Online Community Support Hub
• Undertake further training such as safeguarding and/or DBS checks as necessary
• Encourage and collate evaluation material on behalf of the project officer

Required Skills

• IT competent
• Listening skills
• Able to provide a supportive learning environment including group facilitation
• Confidence to speak to public and encourage participants to join Reading Retreat

Tour Guide/Steward Volunteer Role at Little Holland House

Our volunteers have a vital role to play by delivering memorable and enjoyable tours and providing a warm welcome and excellent customer service to our visitors. We are open throughout the week and welcome a wide range of customers who are interested to find out more about this beautiful historic building.

Overview:

Little Holland House is a unique Arts & Crafts style house in Carshalton Beeches. It was designed and built by Frank Dickinson, between 1902 and 1904, who lived there with his wife Florence and their two children. It is now owned and opened to the public by the London Borough of Sutton. We are looking for volunteers to help us share the special story of the Dickinson family and their unique home, by welcoming visitors and tour groups on our public open days and pre-booked visits.

Our volunteers have a vital role to play in delivering memorable and enjoyable tours and providing a warm welcome and excellent customer service to our visitors. We open regularly on the last Sunday of the month, and also offer the option of pre-booked tours throughout the week to groups who are interested to find out more about this beautiful historic building.

When:

Tours take place once per month on a Sunday. There may also be the opportunity to volunteer on Special Open Days and some evenings.

Where:

Little Holland Houses, Beeches Avenue, Carshalton, SM5 3LW

Benefits to you:

• Opportunities to meet new people and be part of our friendly team

• A chance to share your knowledge and enthusiasm.

• Learn new skills and enhance current skills.

• Improve your CV and future job prospects.

• Help to preserve and promote local heritage and a beautiful and unique building

Main tasks: (training will be provided)

• To meet and greet customers to the house and provide an overview of its history and answer any queries they may have.

• Deliver tours to a wide range of people including general visitors and scheduled exclusive out-of-hours tours.

• Learn and retell the stories of the house, the gifted Frank Dickinson and his family.

• Recognise and assist visitors who may need help to ensure they have a memorable, comfortable and enjoyable visit.

• Play a part in safeguarding the property and the objects within it.

• Follow health and safety procedures to ensure the safety of our visitors.

• Assist with setting out and serving refreshments as part of the focussed tour groups.

Skills Required :

• Warm, polite, enthusiastic and friendly manner

• The confidence and ability to talk to groups of people of all ages and backgrounds

• Ability to convey information in an enjoyable and accessible way and respond to questions

• Enthusiasm for meeting and chatting with people.

• Interest in the local area and willingness to learn more about local history

 Garden Volunteer at Little Holland House

Little Holland House is a unique Arts & Crafts style house in Carshalton Beeches. It was designed and built by Frank Dickinson, between 1902 and 1904, who lived there
with his wife Florence and their two children. It is now owned and opened to the
public by the London Borough of Sutton. The garden is integral to the history and
story of the house and the Dickinson family, with some original planting, like the pear
tree, Frank and Florence received as a wedding gift in 1904, still very much growing.
We are looking for volunteers to help us keep the history and spirit of the Dickinson
garden alive, as we share the house and garden with the community on our public
open days.

Main tasks:

We are looking for volunteers to assist us in clearing and replanting the garden, which will involve a range of tasks including:

● Weeding, pruning and general garden maintenance.

● Assisting with replanting and a chance to be involved with research on a

  historic garden

● Helping to prepare the garden for open days

Skills required:

You don’t need to be an expert but some gardening experience would be
useful
● Enthusiasm for helping to care for a local history and heritage interest garden
● Interest in the local area and its history
● A proactive and positive attitude
● You should be physically fit and able to lift, bend and kneel

When:

The amount of work will vary with the seasons but approximately 2-3 hours per week on a date to be arranged.

Where:

Little Holland House, 40 Beeches Avenue, Carshalton SM5 3LW.

Benefits to you:

● Opportunities to meet new people and be part of our friendly team

● Sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm to make a difference to our visitors

● Gain a sense of pride and satisfaction from helping restore an important

  local garden

● Help to preserve and promote local heritage. Support offered: We are fully

  committed to ensuring that volunteers have a positive experience and are fully supported. You will receive training and induction for this role, and ongoing support from a member of the museum staff.

● Personal wellbeing through physical activity, being outside and connecting
with others
● Tea, coffee (or similar) and biscuits / cake

Support offered:
We are fully committed to ensuring that volunteers have a positive experience and
are fully supported. You will receive training and induction for this role, and ongoing
support from a member of the Sutton Cultural Services Heritage team. All tools and
equipment will be provided.

Front of House Volunteer at Honeywood Museum

Honeywood is a Grade II listed building next to Carshalton Ponds. The family-friendly museum re-opened in May 2012 after a refurbishment supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. It has beautifully restored period details including an Edwardian Billiards Room, Drawing Room and Bathroom. Exhibitions tell the story of the house and the local area. There is a diverse on-going programme of events for visitors of all ages.

Our volunteers provide a warm welcome and excellent customer service to visitors and a positive contribution to the upkeep and continuing development of Honeywood.

Main tasks:

• Greet visitors, record admissions, take payments and give a museum mini-guide

• Answer telephone enquiries and record all messages.

• Handle initial enquiries about group visits.

• Look after the shop, serve customers and use the till.

• Assist with the preparation of materials for events and activities including crafts

Skills required:

• Warm, polite and friendly manner

• The ability to communicate with people all of ages and background

• Enthusiasm for meeting and chatting with people

• Interest in the local area and willingness to learn more about local history

• Confidence to approach members of the public

• A proactive and positive attitude

• Willingness to handle money and use an electronic till (training provided)

When: A regular commitment of 3 hours per week or per fortnight.

Where: Honeywood Museum, Honeywood Walk, Carshalton SM5 3NX.

Benefits to you:

• Opportunities to meet new people and be part of our friendly team of volunteers

• Sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm to make a difference to our visitors

• Learn new skills and enhance current skills

• Improve our CV and future job prospects

• Gain a sense of pride and satisfaction from helping others in your local community

• Help to preserve and promote local heritage.

Support offered:

We are fully committed to ensuring that volunteers have a positive experience and are fully supported.  You will receive training and induction for this role, and ongoing support from a member of the museum staff.

Front of House and Activities Assistant - Honeywood Museum

Honeywood Museum is situated right in the heart of Carshalton Village.  The Museum houses exhibitions, displays and objects/articles of historic interest.  The building itself is Grade 2 listed. To enable the public to access and make use of this building and it’s content we are seeking volunteers to welcome our customers and assist with the many activities and events throughout the year. We run many family friendly events as we wish to bring history to life for customers of all ages.

Main Tasks:

• Meeting and greeting customers to the Museum and ensuring that they have everything they need for an enjoyable visit.

• Take bookings face to face and via the telephone for activities, events or local walks

• Operate a cash register in the small shop and offer excellent customer service

• Assist with setting up children’s art and craft activities, creating displays and assisting with arranging the collections.

• Assist with decorating the house at Seasonal events throughout the year

• Keep the Museum neat and tidy and clear away the activities ones completed

• Stewarding at special events and open days that the house may hold

Skills required:

• Good communication skills and enjoys meeting members of the public.

• Ability to work well as part of a team.

• Warm, polite, enthusiastic and friendly manner

• Interest in historic houses, museums and assisting with events

When: Week day morning or afternoon sessions to be confirmed with individual

Where: Honeywood Museum, Honeywood Walk, Carshalton SM5 3NX

Benefits to you:

• Opportunities to meet new people and be part of our friendly team of volunteers with ongoing support from your supervisor

• Learn new skills and enhance current skills

• Improve your CV and future job prospects

• Help to preserve and promote local heritage and a beautiful unique building

Book Shelving Assistant

We welcome many customers to our Central and Branch Libraries every week who are keen to use and browse through our book stock.  It is therefore essential that we keep the library shelves and book stock and displays as tidy and presentable as possible. We require volunteers to assist with returning books to the shelves and ensuring that they are filed correctly. We are seeking volunteers who have a passion for books and who would enjoy supporting their local community.

Main tasks: (some training will be provided)  

• File returned books correctly either alphabetically or numerically onto the shelves

• Assist with creating and/or keeping book displays tidy

• Returning incorrectly placed books to the correct shelving section

• Answer customer enquiries or sign post customers to the correct member of staff who can assist them.

• Provide general support to customers in accessing information

Skills Required

• We are looking for someone who is methodical and organised and conscientious with good interpersonal skills

• Need to have a patient, calm and helpful manner if assisting with customer enquiries

• Able to reach the high and low shelves to enable correct placing of books

• Proactive approach to assist with any general tasks that may need completing on the library floor

• Ability to file alphabetically and numerically

• Volunteer as part of a friendly team

When: One or two  session per week - hours and times to be agreed with the individual

Where: Based at Sutton Central Library or one of our Branch Libraries to be discussed

Benefits to you:

• A chance to meet new people and learn new skills

• Enjoy being part of a friendly team of volunteers

• Make a difference to your local community

• Enhance your CV and future job prospects

Volunteer Rhymetime Assistant

Do you enjoy working with young children and families? Our Rhymetime Sessions encourage and develop interaction, language and listening skills in 0-3 year olds. We are looking for a volunteer who could help bring songs and rhymes to life for the children and encourage social and language skills. This is a fun and rewarding volunteering role.

Main Tasks

• To support a member of our library team to set up the space and select the toys and books for the Rhymetime Session.
• This is a physical task which includes setting out 30 chairs and stacking them at the end of the session and also includes moving tables and lifting boxes of toys and equipment for the session.
• Support the Rhymetime leader to encourage the children and families to join in the activities and most importantly have fun.
• To learn the actions and words to a number of songs and rhymes to share with the Rhymetime participants.
• At the end of the session you would help out clearing the space as detailed above.

Skills Required

• The ability to engage with families and young children in a positive and friendly manner.
• The ability to learn a number of songs and actions to then share with others.
• A confident manner and the willingness to assist families and children.
• The willingness to help lift and carry toys and equipment to help set up and clear away the space for the session.
• Reliable and able to make a regular commitment to this weekly role.

When: Various times and dates available - to be agreed with the volunteer.

Where: Various libraries deliver this session - to be agreed with the volunteer.

Benefits to you :

• Opportunities to meet new people
• Learn new and enhance current skills working with young children
• Improve your CV and future job prospects;
• Gain a sense of pride and satisfaction from helping others in your local community

As part of our Heritage community engagement work we aim to ensure that all members of the public can visit and enjoy our historic buildings. Local history is part of the national Curriculum and we therefore run a Schools’ Programme for children at learning levels, Key Stage 1 and 2.  These sessions will involve working with a class of pupils and their teachers to help bring history to life. The sessions focus on objects within the Museums and on the buildings themselves. Full training for this role will be offered. This role would suit someone who has a genuine interest or experience of working with children/pupils in a learning environment. Please note: A DBS check may be required for this volunteer role

Main Tasks:

• Set up the session in advance and tidy away the session with assistance of staff or another volunteer

• Help with the preparation of materials for the session under the guidance of staff.

• Welcome the class of pupils to the building and ensure that they have all materials required for the session.

• Lead on activities within the session with another volunteer or staff member

• Keep the Museum neat and tidy and clear away the activities ones completed

• Assist customers in engaging with the items and activities within the museum

Skills required:

• Ability to work well with children and teachers and impart knowledge/information in an easy, accessible manner.

• Confident in talking to large groups of children and individually facilitating parts of the session

• Ability to work well as part of a team of staff and volunteers

• Warm, polite, enthusiastic and friendly manner.  

• Calm and patient when assisting children with their learning activities

• An interest in historic houses, museums and the local community

When: Week day morning or afternoon sessions to be confirmed with individual

Where: Honeywood Museum, Honeywood Walk, Carshalton SM5 3NX or

            Whitehall Historic House, 1 Malden Road, Cheam, Surrey SM3 8QD

Benefits to you:

• Opportunities to meet new people and be part of our friendly team of volunteers with ongoing support from your supervisor

• Learn new skills and enhance current skills by working with the community

• Improve your CV and future job prospects

• Help to preserve and promote local heritage and a beautiful unique building

Tour Guide or Steward at Whitehall Historic House

Our volunteers have a vital role to play by providing a warm welcome to customers, delivering memorable, enjoyable tours and offering excellent customer service to our visitors. We are open throughout the week and welcome a wide range of customers who are interested to find out more about this beautiful historic building.

Main tasks: (training will be provided)

• To meet and greet customers to the house and provide an overview of it’s history and answer any queries they may have.

• Deliver tours to a wide range of people including general visitors and scheduled exclusive out of hours tours.

• Learn and retell the stories of the house and it’s fascinating history

• Recognise and assist visitors who may need help to ensure they have a memorable, comfortable and enjoyable visit.

• Play a part in safeguarding the property and the objects within it.

• Follow health and safety procedures to ensure the safety of our visitors

Skills Required :

• Warm, polite, enthusiastic and friendly manner

• The confidence and ability to talk to groups of people of all ages and backgrounds

• Ability to convey information in an enjoyable and accessible way and respond to questions

• Enthusiasm for meeting and chatting with people.

• Interest in the local area and willingness to learn more about local history

When: A variety of shifts are available as the house is open weekdays and weekends.

Where: Whitehall Historic House,1 Malden road, Cheam, Surrey SM3 8QD

Benefits to you:

• Opportunities to meet new people and be part of our friendly team

• A chance to share your knowledge and enthusiasm.

• Learn new skills and enhance current skills.

• Improve your CV and future job prospects.

• Help to preserve and promote local heritage and a beautiful and unique building

Events Volunteers assist Sutton Cultural Services in promoting and delivering events which form part of The Cultural Programme.

Main Tasks:

• To promote The Cultural Programme and its events and activities. Either in person or via social media.

• To ensure that customers are aware of the events available to them and are encouraged to participate and engage.  

• Assist with the delivery of events: set up of the event, clearing away, checking tickets, serving refreshments, assisting customers with queries, encouraging customers to participate and administering evaluation forms (this is not an exhaustive list).

• Ensure that the activity/event runs in a safe and well managed way and assist with any health and safety procedures required for the event to take place.

Skills Required:

• The ability to be warm and welcoming when dealing with the public

• The ability to communicate with people of all ages and backgrounds

• A proactive and enthusiastic approach when carrying out the duties involved in this role

• An interest in cultural activities

• An ability to provide a high level of customer focus

• A warm and confident manner

• Ability to be flexible as each activity/event will have individual specific requirements

• A high level of fitness as lifting and carrying is involved

• The ability to be organised and self-motivated

• Willingness to learn

• Keen to make new acquaintances and work as part of a team

When: This role is flexible as The Cultural Programme has a range of different types of events aimed at a wide age range. Events currently take place within library opening hours, but on occasion there may events which take place outside of these hours.

Where: This role covers the borough of Sutton, which includes the 8 library sites and 3 heritage sites. Events can also occur at locations anywhere in the borough e.g. The High Street or local park as we aim to target our outreach and promotion of services to a wide selection of the community.

Are you able to offer excellent customer service?

Do you enjoy interacting with members of the public?

Are you interested in historic houses, local history projects and museums? 

Our volunteers have a vital role to play by providing a warm welcome to customers, delivering memorable, enjoyable tours and offering excellent customer service to our visitors. We are open throughout the week and welcome a wide range of customers who are interested to find out more about this beautiful historic building located in Cheam Village.  

Main tasks:

Greet visitors and welcome them into this historic building.

Handle initial enquiries about group visits.

Answer any customer queries and/or signpost to a member of staff if necessary.

Assist with setting up children’s activities, creating displays and assisting with arranging the collections.

Keep the Museum neat and tidy and clear away the activities once completed.

Stewarding at special events and open days that the house may hold.

Assist with decorating the house at Seasonal events throughout the year.

Opportunities to be involved in digital activities; for example, photography, social media.

Deliver tours to a wide range of people including general visitors and scheduled exclusive out of hours tours.

Learn and retell the stories of the house and it’s fascinating history.

Follow health and safety procedures to ensure the safety of our visitors.