Meet the Volunteers

Tiverton Museum has been powered by volunteers since it first opened its doors in 1960, and today, our volunteer team remains at the heart of everything we do.

From researching local history and caring for the collection, to welcoming visitors, leading school visits, helping with events, running reminiscence sessions in local care homes, and countless other tasks besides, our volunteers bring a huge range of skills, knowledge and enthusiasm to the museum. They come from all kinds of backgrounds, and they’re all here because they genuinely want to be.

During Volunteers Week 2026, we asked some of them a few questions. Here’s what they had to say…

Ben

Time at the Museum: I started at the end of January 2026, so have been volunteering at the Museum for 5 months (as of the end of May)

Why the Museum? I’ve always lived in Tiverton and have always been interested in the history of the town. Saw on the website the museum was looking for volunteers so decided to apply…..definitely the best decision I made!

What do you do at the Museum? Front of House Meet and Greet/Tourist Information

What Keeps you Coming Back? The team and the visitors. It’s a wonderful team to be part of and meeting a variety of visitors from far and wide is always interesting. Hearing the positive feedback we get from visitors too is always great.

Funniest or Favourite Volunteering Memory? As Front of House doubles up as Tourist Information my funniest memories so far seem to be customers looking for the most obscure bus routes in Mid Devon. Some routes are so obscure I’ve had to do some delving to track them down, only to discover neither the route nor the operator still exists!

Issy

Why the Museum? I remembered how interesting I found my work experience, where I took part in some photo cataloging, and how it had felt as if I were peering through a window into the past, which made me want to return to discover more.

Having loved history since I was young, I believe that being able to help preserve it is so exciting, and having a museum with a local focus means that you can really sink your teeth into the stories that make Tiverton and the surrounding area so unique.

What do you do at the Museum? I am currently a Research Volunteer and have worked on projects such as researching the Clapp family, an illustrious Tiverton family of Bakers and Confectioners, and cross-referencing a donated collection of vintage “Frith” postcards of Tiverton, depicting by-gone scenes, such as the original landscaped garden designs of People’s Park.
My most recent project involves me looking into the history of property occupation along Tiverton’s streets and filling in the gaps in the historical record of shop occupants pre-1898. This project has been so fascinating and fun to take part in as I have been able to really explore not only the occupants and how businesses have developed, transitioned and been passed down through the generations, but also the origins of the streets themselves, for example, I now understand that the area of Gold street was developed in the early 1500’s due to the wool industry.
I love looking through census records as well as directories, such as White’s Directory of Devonshire: 1850, because you get a real sense of the people who made the town what it is, and the place that forged their businesses and sense of identity.

What Keeps you Coming Back? I get an enormous sense of enjoyment from being part of Tiverton Museum- it’s not just about the the wonderful archives and inspiring artifacts, but also the social aspect of working with such lovely people who genuinely care about you, your work and enjoy discussing fascinating things, as well as have a great giggle.

Funniest or Favourite Volunteering Memory? Taking part in a seaside reel for social media, as well as posing as The Fantastic Mr Fox where particularly fun and brought out my inner child!

Keith

Time at the Museum: Nearly 13 years

Why the Museum? About a year after retiring, I decided to give something back to my community. When I was at school, I enjoyed history, so I decided to visit the museum and ask if they needed any volunteers. So in July 2013, I started as a volunteer, and almost 13 years later, I am still here.

What do you do at the Museum? One of the interests I listed on my application form was photography. The curator informed me that one of the volunteers who looked after the photographic collection was leaving in a few months. She asked if I would like to shadow him to see what is involved and whether I would be interested in taking the job on. I also have a few roles I can help with when needed, which makes volunteering more interesting.

What Keeps you Coming Back? That is a really tough question to answer. Sharing a passion with like-minded people who are passionate about preserving the history of Mid Devon. The old photographs that are donated, and over the past few years, I have been scanning a collection of glass negatives held by the museum.

Funniest or Favourite Volunteering Memory? My story is a bit of each. Several years ago, when I was adding a collection of donated photographs of old school photos taken back in the mid-fifties from the old Heathcoat Primary School, now the factory retail shop. Then, out of the blue, this very younger me is suddenly looking back at me, what a shock!

Amy

Time at the Museum: 9 months

Why the Museum? I joined to gain experience and to add something to my CV.

What do you do at the Museum? Front of House

What Keeps you Coming Back? Experience, meeting new people and learning more about my home town.

Funniest or Favourite Volunteering Memory? Any shift with Peter ends up being funny!

Peter

Time at the Museum: I started in November 2018, as evidenced by finding a leftover glow in the dark spider from Halloween in my first week.

Why the Museum? I was keen to gain work experience, being fresh out of education with no job on the horizon, but the enjoyment of being here has made me stay even now I have a job!

What do you do at the Museum? I work on the front desk, selling admissions, souvenirs and comestibles, while also answering enquiries and doing the odd bit of administrative work for other departments.

What Keeps you Coming Back? My colleagues would say free coffee and biscuits! I personally enjoy having made so many friends and the varied discussions/antics we enjoy on our shifts together! I really enjoy being able to spread the love of history out to other people as it has been such an intellectual treat to learn more about our ostensibly humble town.

Funniest or Favourite Volunteering Memory? Something amusing has been the amateurish but ultimately successful film shoots Carrie and I do for social media promotion.

Sarah

Time at the Museum: I started at the museum in October 2013…I think.

Why the Museum? I joined basically to improve  my job prospects. I returned to the area and needed work and so I thought working in the museum would refresh my admin skills. I was already interested in conservation and harboured aspirations for further study. I then got a job and continued to volunteer but I didn’t do any further study!

What do you do at the Museum? I do a bit of everything or anything I’m asked to do but it’s mainly around the collection and display. I use the museum database to keep the information on that up to date…recording new items donated to the collection, numbering them and then finding somewhere to put them in the main store. Noting any change in location i.e. if things are put on temporary display. I do some conservation work and keeping an eye on the condition of items in our collection. I help to put up and take down temporary exhibitions and make props for various events.

What Keeps you Coming Back? I like being a part of something;  contributing to something larger than myself and that is beneficial both to the museum community and to the wider community. I get opportunities to do things I wouldnt get the chance to do otherwise and we have a laugh doing it all.

Funniest or Favourite Volunteering Memory? Whenever we move anything I end up walking backwards. Whenever Carrie says ‘Er Sarah?’ I know I’m going to be involved in some social media!

Tim

Time at the Museum: I’ve been volunteering now for around 9 yrs.

Why the Museum? I love visiting museums and saw a flyer in Tiverton Town Centre for volunteers, so applied and hey presto was overjoyed to be asked to join the family. Due to work commitments I am only able to offer 2hrs a week at the museum.

What do you do at the Museum? I see myself as a Digital Archivist, I have been helping to get all the museum artifacts photographed ready for input onto the museum register.
I love photography and old things/architecture, so I am able to combine these. During my time at the museum, I can switch off from everything and immerse myself into history.

What Keeps you Coming Back? The team at the museum and my current project keeps me coming back for more.

Funniest or Favourite Volunteering Memory? My most memorable time was when working in the main store I came across a jar of Annointing  Oil which had been used in a Coronation of a Monarch which I think was Edward VII.

Lil

Time at the Museum: About 2.5 years

Why the Museum? I had been through a pretty tough time when I came to live in Tiverton, didn’t really know anybody, couldn’t get a job, but was feeling that I had a lot to offer. Because my eyesight’s failing people sort of just assume that you can’t do anything else. Anyway it was suggested by another volunteer, that I give it a try and I spoke to Carrie at the museum who was great and encouraged me… little did she realise what she was letting herself and everyone else in for! And that was it!
And it’s gone from strength to strength.

What do you do at the Museum? I help out on the front desk doing tourist information, helping people plan their visits and make the most of the area. It’s great fun, you get to talk to so many different people and hear their stories and memories about the town. I also help with education visits, which the school trips really do make my day. The kids are such a joy, and if I struggle with some of the activities, they help me out, which is brilliant. I help with craft activities too, with varying amounts of success. If it’s not idiot proof, I can prove it!

What Keeps you Coming Back? It’s given me back my self confidence and a purpose in life. I know I’ve got the ability to do things, if other people don’t want to employ me, that’s their problem isn’t it?! I’ve made some brilliant friends, learnt so much about the history of the town, and every time I wander round I spot something new. The museum is a real gem and there’s scope for absolutely everybody. We do so much!

Funniest or Favourite Volunteering Memory? I still can’t work out how the kids manage to get more glue on to themselves than the craft activity, this especially applies to school kids, how do they do it?! They can use half a stick of pritt stick on a piece of cloth to make a peg doll and there will be none on the material it’s just all over them and the table!

Richard

Time at the Museum: 7 years

Why the Museum? Having just retired I wanted to find an activity where I could meet other people. I’d just completed an MA in History and wanted to use some of the skills and knowledge I’d gained on the course. I had visited the museum a few times and was interested in the Tivvy Bumper. I liked the old fashioned atmosphere of the museum. On my early visits everyone seemed very friendly.

What do you do at the Museum? I volunteer in the education section, working with school parties on themes such as Victorians, World War II, toys. I lead town walks on themes such as Tiverton’s Railway history, Lost Tiverton etc.
I have helped with special event days and volunteered for Fright Night. I have helped with reminiscence sessions in care homes and day centres. I have helped out with children’s craft activities during school holidays.

What Keeps you Coming Back? I realised after retirement that I missed getting out and seeing people, using my teaching skills. Volunteering offers a chance to work with and meet people of all age groups and backgrounds, which I enjoy. I’d never worked with younger school children before and so that was a new challenge for me. It is fascinating finding out about how they view history and the museum.

Funniest or Favourite Volunteering Memory? I remember when a small boy was looking at the tivvy Bumper from above and he lost his shoe. It fell under the wheels of the steam engine. He started crying, thinking he’d never get his shoe back again. I climbed under the wheel and retrieved his shoe for him.
One young girl saw the Mini in the Transport Gallery and wanted to get inside it. She was insistent that she wanted to ride in the car and couldn’t understand why she couldn’t get inside.
On a walking tour of John Heathcoat’s Tiverton with primary school children, we arrived in the churchyard. The walk leader said that a famous person was buried there. She asked ‘Who do you think might be buried here?’, expecting the children to say John Heathcoat. The children did not reply to the question. After some time a young girl put up her hand and asked ‘is Jesus Christ buried here?’!

Bren

Time at the Museum: 5 years

Why the Museum? New to the area post COVID in 2021, a strange time where things had just begun to open up. Including Tiverton Museum.
I wandered in with the vague idea they may need some volunteers for something! I also thought it might be a good way to find out about my new community. So it proved to be!

What do you do at the Museum? A swift induction and I joined the front of house team. My basic meet and greet skills were useful here and with little awareness on my part I soon became involved with the school’s program and then the reminiscence program. Involvement in Open days and Fright Night quickly followed.
The reminiscence boxes are a delight to take out to our local care and nursing homes and it’s a real privilege to listen to the memories and stories the items in the boxes bring forth. Our Memory Bank sessions in the Museum are evolving and I hope in the next year or so they become a fixture.

What Keeps you Coming Back? The other volunteers and our small paid workforce are an amazing bunch of people, encouraging and enabling of all.
There is some alchemy somewhere in our quirky old building because somehow whatever your skill set or interest as a volunteer a niche is found that’s just right for you.

Funniest or Favourite Volunteering Memory? Welcoming school groups into the museum and trying to answer the many questions posed by the young people is a joy, my favourite “Are you a real Victorian?”

Colin

Time at the Museum: Over 10 years

Why the Museum? I have always been a museum buff, spending hours walking around them. When I retired from a busy working life I was looking for something to get involved with. I saw an advert in the Tivvy Gazette asking for museum volunteers. That was over ten years ago and I am still here.

What do you do at the Museum? I work with my colleague Keith, looking after the museum photography collection. Currently I am involved with digitizing the collection and recording and entering them into the museum collections database.

What Keeps you Coming Back? I find volunteering deeply satisfying. Every time you come in you learn something new about Tiverton and the surrounding area. I also find it helps with my mental health giving me something to focus on. It is also the staff and volunteers you interact with that keeps you coming back.

Funniest or Favourite Volunteering Memory? Every day is full of funny moments and laughter. I have a strange since of humour and vivid imagination, making up stories of some of the names and characters I come across in my research, such as Tony Tatler. Those who have heard the story will know what I mean.

Kim

Time at the Museum: 12 years, I started February 2014.

Why the Museum? There was an article in the Mid Devon Gazette about the museum re volunteers, and that it was planning an exhibition on the Mid Devon area during the beginning of WW1 (centenary that year). I had an interest in WW1 history and decided to volunteer (also needed something to exercise my brain cells!) and I have been obsessed with Mid Devon history ever since!

What do you do at the Museum? My main role is research for exhibitions, talks, walks and public enquiries, but I also do other things at the museum such as guide historical walks, take local oral histories and assist with accessioning artefacts.

What Keeps you Coming Back? Tiverton Museum is such a joyous place, I love being here. The people are fantastic (both in house and visitors) and every minute you give is appreciated. You are an important cog in the machinery of the museum, and it is rewarding to give something back to the community. Volunteering is good for the soul!

Funniest or Favourite Volunteering Memory? Fave memory has to be Fright Night! We get the chance to dress up and scare the visitors witless! It’s fabulous!!
Also encouraging adults to embrace their inner child and step onto the footplate of the Tivvy Bumper and blow the whistle, you know deep down they want to do it. Their faces afterwards say it all, huge grins!

Brian

Time at the Museum: Over 15 years.

Why the Museum? I was looking for something to do after I moved to the area.

What do you do at the Museum? Work on the front desk greeting visitors, answering questions, cash transactions for admissions and shop sales.

What Keeps you Coming Back? I meet lots of different people, intersting people. I used to work in retail and enjoy meeting and talking to people.

Funniest or Favourite Volunteering Memory? Can’t think of anything offhand. Ed note: Brian has plenty of funny museum stories, but not all of them are social media friendly!