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Volunteering
Elsecar Heritage Centre is part of the remarkable village of Elsecar, transformed by the Earls Fitzwilliam into a thriving centre of iron and coal.
Visitors can browse the Earls Fitzwilliam’s workshops, now packed with shops, traditional cafes, delicatessens and antiques. Volunteering on site is all about making sure visitors have the best experience through supporting the team to keep the site sparkling.
Volunteering at Elsecar
Volunteering at Elsecar is an excellent opportunity for anyone who likes to be outdoors but also being part of busy visitor attraction.
You will be supported by the friendly staff team and get to see a range of events happening and help with set up and take down.
There is opportunity to help look after the Newcomen Beam engine, classified as a scheduled ancient monument the only one of its kind still in its original location.
Our flexible sessions offer opportunities for people to attend once a month to every week!
Being a busy tourist spot, we have been able to support those looking for experience in this area, we are proud to have offered experience to several placements and welcome the interest.
Volunteering Projects
Barnsley Museums celebrated the history of Elsecar with a community and volunteering project, called Building Bridges during 2024, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The project was a success, with local volunteers and groups capturing and celebrating memories, objects, photographs, and archives to help share the history of their village creating a People’s Collection of Elsecar.
In the brand-new Visitor Centre the cinema space showcases the projects work with the story of the spectacular bridges built at the Milton Ironworks and installed on an island in the Indian Ocean. It also shares the 1980s digital reconstruction video of Elsecar Main.
Find out more with our project blog article.
Employment and Skills
The Building Bridges Project started new volunteer sessions to help with site maintenance and outreach projects. Since the project's conclusion in 2024 a new partnership with Employment and Skills, Barnsley Council began with the development of additional volunteer sessions.
Throughout the volunteering sessions, we support people to gain experience and confidence also, enabling future employment opportunities. Working within the Pathways to Work programme, it has helped to open up training and skills development. From First Aid to Functional and Digital Skills, the programme has helped with training and employment options for all ages and abilities.
Practical outdoor sessions take place on Mondays and Thursdays, 10am till 2pm and Wednesdays (litter picking) from 10am till 12 noon. We also offer opportunities to engage with our visitors using historic objects as well as our tour programme to supporting events or exhibitions and collecting surveys. There is lots to get involved with!
Practical activities include sweeping and tidying, to clearing and cutting back greenery, maintaining our historic Newcomen Engine to litter picking and maintaining benches and moving street furniture.
Find out more with our project blog article.
What Next
To express an interest in volunteering please contact the team by emailing museumvolunteering@barnsley.gov.uk.
Alternatively, email elsecarheritagecentre@barnsley.gov.uk or ring 01226 740203 for any other enquiries.
Volunteer Quotes
One volunteer said, 'Members of the public are always stopping to chat to us and to say thank you but one time when out litter picking on the Trans Pennine Trail, a group of ladies out walking wanted to really show their gratitude. One of the group had some chocolates that she had intended to share with her friends as they sat and enjoyed a drink and a break during their walk. She chased after us and absolutely insisted that we take the chocolates as a token of their appreciation, that made our day!'
Another volunteer shared, 'I started my volunteering by using a sensory basket where I developed my confidence with interacting with the public. I was given the opportunity to work on a talk about Elsecar's history, which was great experience! I am very grateful to have developed my teamwork skills, communication and confidence!'
A volunteer mentioned how, 'It’s been an amazing 12 weeks here at Elsecar Heritage Centre. I was shy at first then I’ve settled in really well, making new friends, the team have made me feel so welcome and thank you it means everything. I’m ready to smash week 13 on Monday with my favourite people—that’s what volunteering is all about.'
