Room Guides are the first point of contact for our visitors and are key in helping people engage with the property’s past and present. There is no typical day for a Room Guide as the experience is as varied as our visitors, making it a rewarding and interesting role. If you would like to know more about volunteering at The Workhouse please contact Emma Seymour House Manager emma.seymour@nationaltrust.org.uk or 01636 817263.

What is a Room Guide?

Room Guides help supporters/visitors to enjoy and learn more about the Trust property they are visiting – so playing a key role in making visits inspiring experiences.

At The Workhouse, Room Guides are the first point of contact for our visitors and as such are key in helping people to engage with the property’s past and present. They enable visitors to understand the visitor route and the various interpretive tools, such as the audio and written guides. There is no typical day for a Room Guide as the experience is as varied as our visitors, making it a rewarding and interesting role.

Volunteer Room Guides also help to protect the health and safety of visitors, and play a part in safeguarding the property and its collection.

What’s in it for you?

• Becoming part of a friendly and dedicated team
• Meeting people from all walks of life and making new friends
• Improving your communication skills
• Enjoying new experiences and giving pleasure to audiences young and old.

What’s involved?

• Provide a friendly and informed welcome to all visitors
• Uphold the National Trust Service Promise
• Help visitors to discover more about the place they are visiting by assisting with the provision of interpretation – e.g. answering questions, giving short talks, children’s quizzes and trails, leaflets, room guides and so on
• Be an advocate for the work of the National Trust
• Maintain an awareness of relevant health and safety procedures
• Be responsible for the safe and calm evacuation of visitors in an emergency
• Uphold the Trust’s preventive conservation approach: leading by example to help encourage visitors to do the same
• Support security procedures in order to prevent theft and malicious damage
• Attend training and workshop days relevant to the Room Guide role
• Develop knowledge of the property as a whole

About the National Trust

As Europe’s largest conservation charity, we help everyone across England, Wales and Northern Ireland enjoy all sorts of very special places for ever, for everyone.  Become part of our fascinating story – volunteer.

 About The Workhouse

The Workhouse was built in 1824 as a place of last resort for the poor and needy. The creation of Reverend J T Becher, its architecture, influenced by prison design and its harsh regime became a blueprint for workhouses throughout the country.