This National Volunteers’ Week, we want to say thank you to all the volunteers who keep Barton-upon-Humber’s heritage and history institutions running, as well as all of the others who give up their time to keep our town alive and colourful.  Without these people, Barton’s rich and interesting past would remain hidden. From museums like Baysgarth House and the Wilderspin National School, to natural and cultural sites like the Far Ings National Nature Reserve and The Ropewalk, much of our town’s heritage is kept alive by such volunteers.

So, what does volunteering in Barton involve?  In Barton’s museums, volunteers do a great job while meeting all kinds of new people, greeting visitors at reception, showing them around, installing new exhibitions, hosting a range of special events, and really becoming a part of the museum community.

In recent years, Barton’s heritage has been revived while its museum culture has gone through a revolution thanks in part to voluntary support.  The Baysgarth House Museum and the Wilderspin National School Museum have both come into existence since the millennium welcoming thousands of visitors every year. Meanwhile, Barton’s Ropewalk has become a renowned cultural centre in the region and around the nation.  In particular, the children’s art charity ST-ART has helped many young people get involved in art, taking Barton’s artistic heritage forward into the future thanks to the volunteers that lead the group.

Another asset for the future is the old Salvation Army Citadel on Queen Street, which has been given a fresh breath of life as the Joseph Wright Hall, a venue supported by volunteers, which will play host to a whole range of cultural events for many years to come.

Barton’s rich and diverse natural heritage sites and the organisations behind them offer volunteers a completely different way to support their local community while doing something that they love.  The green fields, lakes, reed beds and parks around Barton are an important part of what makes the town such a beautiful place to live in. Volunteers can get green fingers maintaining these natural treasures and making them ideal homes for wildlife, as well as sources of pride for the town. Meanwhile, animal lovers have the chance to lead guided wildlife tours, to do important surveys on local birds and animals and to work in places like the Water’s Edge and Far Ings, making sure that there are safe and secure places for animals to nest and live.

So, thank you once again to all those volunteers who have made the projects mentioned above possible and kept Barton’s heritage alive for all to enjoy.

Lastly, there is a long history of charitable giving in Barton which still continues today. This is another great source of pride for the whole town, so thank you to the town’s many other charitable volunteers as well.

If you’re interested in volunteering for any of the organisations, or for anything else in Barton, then please get in touch with the Barton Tourism Partnership by emailing  btp@the-ropewalk.co.uk

For more thank yous and information on volunteering in Barton, check out our Facebook page over the coming week.