CONTENDING WITH ITS OWN SUCCESS; BLETCHLEY PARK TRUST INVITES VOLUNTEERS TO HELP SHARE ITS SECRETS

Following its most successful year ever and with record number of visitors expected in 2010, World War Two codebreaking centre, Bletchley Park, desperately seeks more volunteer tour guides and stewards.  A new volunteer recruitment campaign is being launched at a special recruitment fayre on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 March (starting at 11am) where the Park’s team of tour guides will be on hand to meet potential new recruits and show them the ropes.

“We are delighted that Bletchley Park is now attracting the level of interest it is and generating such passion for its cause among people from all over the world,” says Simon Greenish, Director, Bletchley Park Trust.

“And, despite a doubling in the number of visitors in recent years, from 50,000 to 100,000 in 2009, remarkably it has all been achieved with the same number of staff and volunteers.”
 
The team at Bletchley Park is working hard to maintain the number of visitors for 2010 and already, the number of group bookings is higher than at the same time last year.  In order to ensure the continued smooth running of the Park, a significant number of new volunteer tour guides will be needed. 

Anyone who has a general interest in the past, or a particular interest in World War Two, is very welcome to come along to the recruitment fayre for a no-commitment and informal chat with other like-minded volunteer enthusiasts.  They will also have an opportunity to go on a guided tour of the Park.  Full training will be given to new volunteers who may choose how much or little time they are able to give up – weekends, weekdays, once a month, or more often.  Everyone is welcome.

 

For further information, contact Niki Holmes Bridges, the Bletchley Park Trust Volunteer Co-ordinator on 01908 272675, e-mail her at volunteer@bletchleypark.org.uk, or visit www.bletchleypark.org.uk for further information.

 

• Media are welcome to attend the event on either day.
• Telephone or face-to-face interviews can be arranged with a number of existing volunteer tour guides before, during, or after the event.
• A pre-written, Q&A style interview with tour guide, Philomena Liggins, is also available on request (with photographs).  Philomena, a trained dress designer, has been a tour guide at Bletchley Park for over a year and is well known for dressing in 1940’s period costume when taking a tour.