The involvement of volunteers at the Old Low Light Heritage Centre has never been more important than it is today.

As we emerge from the pandemic and adapt to a ‘new normal’, it is the selfless support of volunteers whose enthusiasm and commitment, working alongside a small team of equally dedicated staff, that is helping us to rebuild our community organisation.

National Volunteers’ Week, 1-7 June, provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the important part that they play at our heritage centre and to thank each and every one of them for their support.

At the Old Low Light, volunteers have a vital role. They welcome visitors to the centre, support staff in the café, act as guides in the heritage gallery, research and curate exhibitions, deliver a range of activities including talks, escorted walks, music events, art exhibitions and plant sales to name just a few, tend floral displays outside the building and carry out odd jobs. Without this support we could not function as we do.

Volunteers were on hand to help us when we re-opened the café and gallery last July after several months of closure and have worked with us through challenges facing all similar organisations, including making sure that visitors feel safe and comfortable when coming into the centre and rebuilding our events and activities programme.

This year, Volunteers’ Week coincides with special activities to mark the Platinum Jubilee of the Queen. As always, volunteers will be at the forefront every day.

As well as those volunteers who have been with us for several years – and some since we opened in 2015 – we have newcomers on board who are making sure that we always have enough people on the rota and who are gradually helping us to increase our opening hours.

So, a very big thank-you to all our volunteers. I hope they realise how much they are appreciated by the trustees and staff at the Old Low Light.