About our volunteering opportunities

Covid-19 statement:

Your health and welfare is very important to us and we want you to feel safe throughout your volunteering experience with us.

We have received training from volunteer support groups to make sure that we have thought of everything to safeguard you whilst carrying out our interesting roles.

We do have new protocols in place to guarantee safe distancing, sanitised environments, ventilated spaces and observance of good working practises.

Feel free to read our information below.

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Do you want to work in beautiful Eskdale? Do you want to learn new skills? Do you want to get involved in a unique local charity project? Can you provide 1 day per week?

Visitor stewards, receptionists and waterwheel operatives are needed to support our visitor services here at Eskdale Mill.

We also require practical help within the gardens and grounds and people to support our buildings, exhibition, historical collections and machinery maintenance programme.

You will find volunteering with us to be a quality experience working within a small historical complex and idyllic grounds dating back to the 1500’s. You will enhance our visitor experience and keep our wheels running smoothly.

You will get to carry out a range of transferable skills and gain valuable experience whilst working as part of a friendly team. You will gain opportunities to develop existing skills and receive further relevant training. You will gain confidence and further your own career prospects and/or ambitions whilst helping to support a special facility that couldn’t operate without volunteer help.

For details of available roles, see here.

To apply click on this link and complete our registration form. You can email it or post. Alternatively, call to discuss further.

You can view our recruitment poster here.

What we’re looking for

People who are willing to learn new skills and to work as part of a team with people from all ages and backgrounds.

We require more mill attendants to be on hand to provide support to visitors as and when they require help or have questions. An interest in local history and an ability to remember information is important as well as a friendly and enthusiastic demeanour.

Numeracy, public interface, visitor management and till skills are needed for the reception area but training will be given.

The mill operative is an active role and requires patience, good observational skills, good health and safety consideration and practical know-how, although all training will be provided.

Gardeners and grounds maintenance workers require a good sense of safe working, practical ability and a willingness to learn new skills. Plant and wildlife identification skills are really useful but all training will be provided.

Practical considerations

We provide a free minibus service from/to Seascale and Gosforth every Tuesday. Travel expenses are provided for personal journeys. Car parking is limited in the small village of Boot but it is possible. Dalegarth station has a pay & display ticket system which we will reimburse you for.

All support, training and PPE will be provided.

Kitchen facilites to make hot drinks are available

Toilet facilities are available.

Historical building and grounds throughout so wheelchair access is limited but possible in the reception area.

For the mill operation and grounds maintenance, physical capability is essential.

If interested, please contact Kate Hughes on 01946723335 or volunteers@eskdalemill.co.uk to arrange for an informal chat/induction.

About Eskdale Mill & Heritage Trust

EMHT was formed in 2006 by local people who wanted to preserve the mill as a historic building open to the public. The Trust is dedicated to the continued operation of the mill as part of its preservation and development for public benefit, and to promotion of the history, heritage, geography and geology of Eskdale.