Volunteer

We offer many volunteering opportunities, from helping with mailings and organising events, to weeding the garden and working with the public. The time and expertise that volunteers bring to Charleston are of enormous value to the Trust.

We hope to provide volunteers with experience and references they can use in developing a career in the arts, as well as a place to develop friendships and have fun.

“I fell for Charleston’s charms the first time I visited and I wanted to get involved there and then. Through volunteering in the house and garden, I have had the opportunity to meet and work with some truly wonderful people who are passionate about the place and its extraordinary legacy. Volunteering here has enriched my life immensely and I have developed not only a deeper knowledge of the Bloomsbury group and the Charleston collection, but a profound affection for the place that will never leave me.” Clare.

“I have been volunteering at Charleston for nearly 15 years in the house assisting with conservation and as a House Steward. What I love is, every time there is a surprise like discovering a message on the back of an object or seeing a painting from the collection in its original state. Most of all, my joy is talking to the public while stewarding on Sundays, often learning from them and hopefully them learning from me!” Sally.

Volunteering Benefits

In recognition of their invaluable contributions to Charleston, volunteers enjoy a range of benefits including:

• Free entry to the house and garden during the open season
• 25% discount in the Charleston Shop and Charleston Café
• Free copies of Canvas, Charleston’s Magazine, available on site
• Discounts and offers for events and launches at Charleston (at the discretion of the Head of Public Programmes and Learning)
• Tea and Coffee on the days you volunteer
• Invitations to several social events at Charleston and outings for volunteers each year (2016 volunteer social occasions included talks at Towner and The Keep, a trip to Bath’s Victoria Gallery with curator’s talk, a trip to a Bloomsbury collector’s house, a Summer Garden Party and a Christmas Party)
• Travel expenses up to £6 for each occasion volunteering at Charleston.

You will be given your Charleston Volunteer card after 12 volunteering hours. It will be valid for that year and must be presented to receive your free entry to the house and discounts. Please be aware that all benefits for volunteers are at the discretion of the Trust and may change at any time.

Current Opportunities

House Stewarding Volunteer – Sundays & BH Mondays

Our House Stewards form the backbone of our front-of-house volunteering programme. Every Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday, stewards talk to our visitors to help bring Charleston’s collection to life, while also protecting the house and its contents. Sunday volunteers also get the added bonus of a piece of cake! More information about the role is available to download here Volunteer House Steward

Garden and House Visitor Volunteer – Wednesday – Saturday

We are seeking a number of Volunteer House and Garden Stewards this season to provide a vital point of contact between visitors and the Trust, providing the public with access to information on the Garden, its horticulture, history and its role in the lives of the inhabitants of Charleston and the Bloomsbury Group. Volunteers will also assist in the smooth running of House Tours by acting as Hall Steward for part of their afternoon. More information about the role and the commitment required please view Garden House Visitor Volunteer

Family Art Activity Volunteer – Sundays

We are seeking a number of Volunteers this season to assist in delivering a straightforward art activity programme which will take place the first Sunday of each month between March and October. More information about the role and commitment required please view Volunteer Family Art Activity 2017

Applications

If you are interested in volunteering with us for any of the above positions, please fill out the volunteer application form and send to:
Leah Romaniello, Visitor and Volunteer Manager, The Charleston Trust, Charleston, Firle, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 6LL or email l.romaniello@charleston.org.uk

If you have any access requirements or any other requests that you feel would help us to accommodate your needs both during an initial meeting and subsequent involvement at Charleston please let us know. In line with being an inclusive organisation we will accommodate all reasonable requests.

Equality and Diversity

The Bloomsbury group at Charleston forged a new way of living in the early 20th century, with Charleston acting as a living space of freedom and tolerance. Love and friendship, pacifism, atheism, homosexuality, open relationships and further diverse modes of living were actively embraced.

The Charleston Trust is committed to promoting equality and diversity, providing an inclusive and co-operative environment in which all individuals volunteering for and on behalf of the organisation feel respected and able to give of their best. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, disability, religion/belief, marital status, gender, sexual orientation or age.