I am Nick and I have been volunteering for the museum for nine months. I have been mainly involved in the media side of things, but I have also done some front of house. I have very much enjoyed this and have worked with some very nice and friendly people, who have been very helpful and supportive. It has also been great to talk to visitors. It has been fantastic to learn about Malton’s history and gain confidence. I have felt part of a wonderful team.
I have mainly worked on Malton Museums Oral History Project 2017. I have thoroughly enjoyed this and although it has been a learning curve, the chance to create an important archive for future generations has been brilliant. Maurag has been a superb interviewer!
The trip to Skipton was excellent. The Castle was stunning and the tour guide was very helpful and friendly. We then had a very nice lunch at the very beautiful Holy Trinity Church, next to the castle. It was good to mix and chat with colleagues and also with some volunteers from Craven Museum. A lady who had done oral history recordings for Craven Museum gave a fascinating insight into local characters and stories from farmers. I also spoke to a lad was studying media and who was about to help Craven Museum with some additional history recordings. I gave him some hints and advice of what I had learned in Malton and he said that I had been a great help.
After lunch we walked to Craven Museum. It was quite larger than Malton. The staff were very welcoming and we had an excellent talk from the senior curator. The museum was very well set out and had many informative displays. I thought it captured the spirit of the community. The Roman times, wars and farming life were very engaging. There was also a computer, which allowed you to view historic photos. I was also very impressed with the oral history section. It was easy to operate for visitors and had a number of professional recordings.
As the sun started to set, we then had a quick walk around town and along the famous canal, before heading back to the bus. It was a grand day out!
To find out about volunteering – please visit the website http://www.maltonmuseum.co.uk
Nick
maltonmuseum 