David after winning an award for his outstanding contribution to customer care at the 2010 North East Regional Museum Hub Volunteer Awards with Councillor Ged Bell

We’re fast approaching our annual volunteer awards in November of this year. David won an award for his Outstanding Contribution to Customer Care last year after volunteering with us for over 8 years across all of our venues. I asked David, a true star volunteer, to share with us a little bit about his experiences so far…

David: “I started volunteering about 8 years ago with carers from the Alzheimer’s Society. We went out once a month on trips with the carers and a disposable camera each, to take lots of photos.

At the end of the six months we put an Exhibition on at the Discovery Musum in the Peoples Gallery. This involved using the workshop in the Peoples Gallery, which was really full of things! So I started to help to tidy the workshop up too.

Then one day I was asked by Lucy Cooke, Volunteer Co-ordinator, if I would like to help do some other volunteering in the Discovery, and also at other museums  I said yes. It was the best thing I did!

I’ve volunteered at all the museums including,  Sunderland, South Shields and in Newcastle. I’ve helped with allsorts including the Tudors Exhibition and two Open Days at Sunderland in Mobray Park. I even helped  to pack all things away at the Hancock when it closed for refurbishment.

I was presented with a certificate for doing what I like best, meeting and welcoming people to the Discovery Museum which, I was very surprised and grateful for. I would like to thank all those who voted for me.

I am now on the front desk where I meet lots of people and new faces and try and make them feel welcome.

The Museum over the last year has a new venue called Mediatheque, which lets you watch British made films and programs so if you have time to spare call in, it will keep me busy on my Tuesday afternoons and  also keeps me out of trouble!”

Thank you very much David for all of your enthusiasm and support!