Volunteer with us

Current volunteer opportunities

Volunteer Videographer

Shuttleworth are currently seeking 2 volunteer videographers for filming air show flying activities primarily in support of training requirement.

This role’s activities will mainly be during the air show season (May to October), the role will involve the planning, creation and rough editing of footage for pilot review; in addition further edits or sharing of footage may be requested for marketing purposes. The commitment will cover the seven air shows but may include ad hoc days as agreed with the Shuttleworth Operations Team.

Applicants would be expected to use their own video equipment and editing software, which is to be sufficient spec to meet the requirements. It is desirable that applicants have a keen interest in aviation.

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Volunteer Events Stewards

Would you like to be an ambassador for Shuttleworth assisting visitors during event days? The Event Steward team are the first point of contact as they check tickets, help guide traffic and ensure visitors are parked safely to enjoy our air shows. A vital aspect is to support both visitors and the event management team throughout the day with information, buggy transport and an awareness for safety for visitor and staff alike.

If you have had previous experience of event stewarding / working front of house that would be preferred but training will be provided. There is a significant amount of walking required through the day so physical fitness is important and you should be prepared to operate in all weathers. If you are a good team player with a desire to provide excellent service and a flexible, positive approach, we would like to hear from you.

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Volunteer Visitor Attraction Assistant

We are currently seeking a number of volunteer Visitor Attraction Assistants.

The Role / Main Duties

This front of house role requires the staffing of the reception area including:

• Welcoming visitors and collecting admission charges
• Ensuring the Visitor Centre is kept tidy and presentable throughout the day
• Restocking flyers and trail sheets and notifying teams when they need to be re-ordered
• Providing front-line support for the Shuttleworth enquiries phone line (referring callers to the Enquiries E-Mail facility where queries cannot be answered immediately)
• Keeping up to date with Shuttleworth’s daily activities in order to advise customers of ‘What’s On’ on arrival
• Retail support:
• Managing sales of Shuttleworth branded goods and re-stocking shelves as required
• Identifying items that are close to selling out and require re-order

Skills

You should possess strong customer service skills in order to interact with Shuttleworth’s customers. The requirements include:

• An ability to handle cash/card payments (training will be given)
• Being happy to work with a computer based till system (training will be given)

Time Commitment

1-2 days per week

Operating Times

Winter 09:30-15:30

Summer 09:30-16:30

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Shuttleworth House Volunteers

The Shuttleworth House plays host to weddings and many inspiring and exciting events, but when it isn’t being used for events, it is opened to the public for a number of short periods throughout the year to be enjoyed as part of the visitor attraction.

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Volunteer Stewards

As a Volunteer Steward, your role is to help tell the history of the Old Warden estate and the Shuttleworth story. You are required to help bring the House and its contents to life by ensuring our visitors gain an enjoyable insight into the history of the Ongley and Shuttleworth families, from the Victorian era through to World War II.

The Role / Main Duties

• Meet and greet visitors
• Encourage visitors to explore what the House has to offer
• Engage visitors by outlining objects/areas of interest/facts about the room

We are keen to involve people who:

• Are excellent communicators and enjoy meeting new people
• Are keen to learn about history and heritage and wish to share this knowledge with others
• Are creative and full of enthusiasm

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Volunteer Airfield Stewards

A number of Airfield Stewards are required to supplement the existing team with airfield gate guardianship.

The Role / Main Duties

• Good interpersonal skills
• A minimum commitment of 6 air shows between May to October
• Physical ability to stand for long periods and man-handle gates
• Managing staff, volunteer and visiting pilot access to and from the airfield on air show and event days

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Volunteer Fire Firefighter

Shuttleworth's Rescue and Firefighting Service, based at Old Warden Aerodrome, are recruiting for Aviation Fire Fighters, an Administrator and a Station Cook.

If you are interested in joining this award-winning team, please click here to go to their website where further information and an online application form can be found.

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Volunteering with our Grounds Team

Why not volunteer with a team who look after the Shuttleworth grounds and public areas?

The role covers the whole of the Shuttleworth estate and we are seeking volunteers with a variety of skills from pot-hole repairs to fine gardening, including:

• Runway maintenance
• Hedge-cutting
• Pruning shrubbery
• Grass Cutting (push mowing)
• Fencing
• Pot hole repairs
• Gravel path repairs
• Soft landscaping
• Spray licence would be advantageous
• Painting

This is a varied and hands-on, physical role.

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Volunteering with our Maintenance Team

We are currently seeking Volunteers who are willing to work as part of the Shuttleworth Maintenance Team. In this role you will ideally possess trade skills in the areas shown below and assist with a variety of tasks around the site. If you can help with any of the following you would be welcome to apply:

• Woodworking
• DIY
• Painting

Time Commitment

1-2 days per week

Operating Times

Winter 09:00-15:30

Summer 09:00-16:00

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Volunteering with our Vehicle Group

Our Vehicle Group covers a number of team members who help restore and maintain our collection of Edwardian Cars, Edwardian Buses and Industrial Heritage and Steam Agricultural Vehicles. In addition, we have one dedicated group who maintain and demonstrate a WW2 Bofors Anti-Aircraft Gun. Volunteers tend to work with one group with like-minded enthusiastic members.

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Edwardian Bus Team

Interested in supporting the running of the Edwardian buses? We operate our three Edwardian buses year-round, for school parties and on Event days, providing pleasure rides for visitors and families. You will be trained and expected to be both Driver and Conductor. Our Bus crew meet regularly on a Thursday, but you will be required to commit to weekdays, some weekends and our air shows when we provide a full service. Full driving licence is required.

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Vehicle Engineering Workshops

Our Vehicle Workshop and the team of volunteers undertake both the maintenance and full restoration of Classic, Vintage and Veteran Cars. Having a large collection, all are maintained to a high standard. Our Volunteers will want to ‘get their hands dirty’ and will have an aptitude for working on rare cars and early motorcycles. Experience is useful, but not essential as you will be mentored by our experienced team members. You will naturally be encouraged to learn to drive and ride our vehicles and you will be required to attend the majority of our air shows and to enable our projects to progress, up to two days a week in our workshop.

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Vehicle Engineers

We have a dedicated Engineering workshop for those volunteers who possess Mechanical / Electrical Engineering skills or Tool Making experience.

Vehicle Support Group (Seasonal)

This team maintains the high standard of presentation of the vehicles exhibited in the hangars and ensures they are ready to be paraded during the airshow season. Knowledge of working with veteran / vintage vehicles is desirable. You will be encouraged to ride and drive our Edwardian Cars and Motorcycles as part of our air show display and parade team.

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BOFORs Anti-Aircraft Gun Crew

Our Volunteers are required to work and engage with our public during the air show season and for school visits. When no events are taking place there is plenty to do, including maintenance, developing our exhibits and in training, in bringing the gun into display operation, whilst engaging with our visitors with a key focus on safety. Full training will be provided.

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Learning Team – Volunteer Education Guides

The Shuttleworth Collection are looking for new Volunteer Education Guides to help out with our school visits.

This volunteer role is all about supporting the Learning Team and learners, typically Key Stage 1 and 2, as they visit Shuttleworth.  However, confident guides are also required to deliver more specialist knowledge to learners up to Masters / PhD level.  Mostly working from the Discovery Workshop on site, there may be some outreach work and project-based home working.

Most visits take place in the morning (approx. timing 09:30-12:30) throughout the school term, and volunteers are notified of scheduled visits at the start of each term, so availability can be planned well ahead.

A requirement of the role is to be willing to undertake safeguarding training and undergo DBS checks. Full training will be given and will include session plans and timelines for delivery.

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Volunteer Swiss Garden Steward

We are looking for a number of Volunteer Swiss Garden Stewards to cover weekend duties as follows:

The Role

Reporting to our Head Gardener, Garden Stewards will be part of a team involved in:

• The preparation of the site for opening (including opening up)
• Overseeing the smooth running during the open period
• Closing down at the end of the day (including locking up)

Main Duties

Mainly weekends and on Bank Holidays.

• Ensure the smooth running of the site, carry out light gardening duties and watering (on the same basis as weekday staff), safety and security
• Ensure the proper use of the site by visitors (safely and without nuisance to others)
• Maximise visitors’ enjoyment – delivery of interpretation, initiate, and be open to, discussion as appropriate
• Maintain and clean the artefacts and structures in the garden (training will be provided)
• Stewards may also be asked to assist with events or weddings

Opportunities also exist for Stewards to train and become Garden Tour Guides

Whilst on duty, Stewards will be required to liaise with the following:

• Duty Manager
• Collection Stewards
• Visitor Attraction Admissions

Skills

You must possess good interpersonal skills and a flexible approach to volunteering is essential. Possession of RHS2 is beneficial but not essential – training will be provided.

Working Hours

Shuttleworth weekend and Bank Holiday opening hours:

Summer 09:00 – 17:00

Winter 10:00 – 16:00

The number of shifts is down to the volunteer, but it is essential a full day commitment is recognised.

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Volunteer Swiss Garden Conservator

The Swiss Garden are interested in talking to Conservators who may be interested in supporting this Regency period garden and can support the team in working towards a 5-year survey in the following areas:

• Stoneware remedial work

• Repairs to cobbles / brickwork around site

• Ongoing woodwork repairs

• Ongoing decorating around site

• Pest management

This role would ideally suit tradespeople from the following disciplines:

• Carpentry

• Bricklaying

• Painting & Decorating

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Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator

We are seeking a Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator to work alongside our current team to assist with the recruitment of volunteers.

The Role/Main Duties

This role requires working as a main point of contact throughout the recruitment process, along with:

• Co-ordinating, scheduling and conducting interviews
• Liaising with Line Managers regarding suitable applicants
• Encouraging membership of the Shuttleworth Veteran Aeroplane Society
• Supporting the Team Leader/Line Manager in planning any recruitment drives

Skills

• Strong administration skills – being organised and process driven

• The ability to take a proactive, confident approach and able to apply initiative to tasks

• Possession of a positive attitude and a keenness to learn about the world of Shuttleworth and the areas you are designated to cover

• The ability to identify with candidates and have excellent listening skills to aid placement

Time Commitment

1-2 Days per week

Airfield Management

Volunteer Airfield Marshals

Experienced Aircraft Marshallers are required to support flying activity on air show and event days.

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SVAS Membership Trailer & Sales

Applications are invited for this role where activities include encouraging visitors to join the Friends Societies and selling SVAS memorabilia. A key skill is to be able to engage with visitors, and knowledge of the Shuttleworth Collection is desirable but not essential as training will be given.

Operations include weekends, air shows and other events through the air show season plus school holidays.

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Front of House Team

Volunteer Hangar Stewards

Volunteer Hangar Stewards play a key role in the day-to-day operations at Shuttleworth.  Responsibilities include visitor engagement, so good interpersonal skills are critical, along with having a good knowledge of the Collection’s exhibits and history or possessing a willingness to learn.

Weekend and Weekday opportunities are available.

Aero Engineering

Volunteer Heritage Hangar Cleaners

Supporting the Aero Engineering team, you will ensure the hangars, display cabinets and aircraft are maintained to a high standard of presentation for our visitors.

Full training and guidance will be provided.