View from a Croft
Artist: Sarah Helen Dowse
Exhibiting: May & June 2022
Working mainly in pastel on paper or card, Sarah has taken inspiration for her exhibition from the views she sees daily from her home as well as still life studies of homegrown flowers, fruit and vegetables.
Our Volunteers
Without our team of ever-willing volunteers, the Museum would simply not exist, let alone open. Volunteers welcome visitors, order stock for the shop, research genealogy queries, translate Gaelic, polish the lighthouse lens, take guided walks, give talks, write booklets, cut the grass … in fact, do absolutely anything and everything.
We Need Your Help!
If you think you might be interested in volunteering with Gairloch Museum, we’d love to hear from you. Whether it is half a day a week, a couple of hours when needed, we will do our best to match our needs to your areas of interest and expertise. There are more details below on the sorts of roles with which we need help or please feel free to come in for a cup of tea and a chat to find out more.
Visitor Engagement
We are always looking for help to welcome visitors to the Museum. This might be as visitors arrive (at our Welcome Desk) where you'll explain how best to take in all the Museum has to offer, answer any queries and undertake shop sales and ticket purchases. You might prefer to enhance visitors' experience in our Galleries, sharing stories from the local area and directing visitors in how they can engage with our exhibits and where they can find out more about areas that interest them.
Time commitment: a day or half day a week or fortnight or ad hoc
What you need: a friendly, approachable manner, knowledge of or willingness to learn about the area's heritage
Grounds Team
Between the Achtercairn Archaeology Trail and Outdoor Museum there is much to see and do outside. We need help litter-picking, weeding, maintaining paths on the trail and ensuring our Outdoor Museum is looking shipshape.
Time commitment: a couple of hours a week or join one of our work parties (next date for work party TBC).
What you need: a good general level of fitness and willingness to get stuck in
Events and Outreach Assistant
From our well being group to exhibition previews, Ceilidh House gathering to book groups there is a lot of activity at the Museum for which we need many hands to make light work! You might help set up a room for a specific event, help to serve teas and coffees or even be responsible for making sure everyone leaves safely and the Museum is closed up properly for the night.
Time commitment: depends on our schedule of events, and whether it is a regular event or a one-off occassion. Usually 2 - 4 hours per event.
What you need: General level of fitness, ability to support and see what needs to be done.
Volunteer Café Assistant
Volunteers often help in our busy cafe. Clear tables, taking orders, preparing food and washing dishes.
Time commitment: two or three hours a week, usually in the middle of the day during our "busy" period.
What you need: Friendly manner. Efficient approach. Good cooks/bakers welcomed!
Next Steps ...
New volunteers are asked to complete a registration form and undertake some mandatory health and safety training. You can download a registration form here or please contact us to arrange a time to call in for a chat.
Training & Thanks
Every year, we start the season with a refresher of our mandatory training and Collection connections get-togethers (an opportunity to develop our skills and knowledge about the Museum collection). These sessions are a chance for us all to come together and have a social side to them too.
We end the season with a wrap-up reflection session, where we talk about what has gone well and what changes or improvements we could make to our operations. Then at the end of the year, there is our Thank You lunch to which all volunteers are invited where we celebrate and say thank you for all the help and support our volunteers provide.