Volunteer

Volunteer Museum Stewards are needed to welcome visitors to the museum, ensure they get the most from their visit by answering or taking details of any questions. If you are interested in local history and/or like talking to people this could be for you.

Skills required: friendly and welcoming and happy to talk to visitors about the museum and its exhibits.

Time commitment: Stewards normally work in pairs either once or twice per month. Volunteering sessions run from 10:45am to 2:00pm, Tuesday to Saturday, betewen April and October.

Volunteers select the sessions they want to fill. Our volunteer co-ordinator will contact volunteers to ask if they are available for any unfilled sessions but there is never any compulsion.

Some cleaning is required.

The Role

The role of Treasurer is a non-trustee, Officer role on the Society’s Management Committee.

The Treasurer maintains the Society’s accounts and

• collects donations and membership subscriptions
• deposits cash and cheques into the Museum’s Bank Account
• records payments to and from the cash box
• makes payments almost exclusively by online banking
• prepares financial reports for Management Committee and Trustee Meetings and the information required for examination of the accounts.

The current Treasurer is taking another role within the Committee and will be available to ensure a smooth handover and help respond to any queries that arise.

The Society’s Accounts are maintained using simple ‘receipts and payments’ bookkeeping methods on Excel Spreadsheets. Standard reporting formats have been developed for reporting and for the annual statement.

Skills required:

Experience in the use of multi-sheet Excel workbooks

Ability to handle cash and cheques and record transactions accurately

Equipment required:

Access to a computer with Microsoft Excel installed.

Time commitment:

5 – 8 hours per week which, once handover from the current Treasurer is complete, will involve working independently, mostly from home, at times to suit the volunteer but attendance at Management Committee and Trustee Meetings and the Annual General Meeting is required.

Role

Ashford Borough Museum Society is seeking an Meetings Secretary

• To ensure the smooth and efficient running of meetings, providing assistance and support to the Chair of the Committee and the Chair of the Trustees.
• To liaise with the chairs to plan and prepare the meetings and AGM with others as appropriate (planning dates, booking venues, sending out agendas, minutes and other papers.)
• Minute meetings or ensure another minute taker is available.
• Accurately record decisions and actions in the minutes

The Museum is undergoing a period of change, reviewing its volunteer roles, its strategy for displays and exhibitions, negotiating space to expand its operations as an interim measure and planning its longer term future and governance. To aid this the Trustees and Committee Chair would like a volunteer who can support Committee Meetings, Trustee Meetings, informal open volunteer/member meetings and the Society’s AGM.

Commitment

Trustee meetings are held as required but typically at approximately two monthly intervals in the early evening. Committee Meetings have been held four times per year,during the afternoon. Recently started volunteer meetings are being held monthly during the day, but the frequency may reduce as deemed appropriate.

Committee Meetings and Volunteer/Member meetings are held in an Ashford Town Centre Venue. It has become practice for Trustee Meeting to be held virtually. Other work can be carried out from home.

Skills required

Administration, basic IT skills – internet & email, organising, planning, reading and writing

Some meetings are held virtually (usually using Zoom); basic experience of attending virtual meetings would be of benefit.