North Yorkshire Moors Railway launches major volunteer campaign

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) has launched its volunteer recruitment campaign ‘Put Yourself In The Picture’, to fill hundreds of varied roles ahead of its 2023 season opening in April. 

A registered charity, the NYMR requires between 300-500 hours of volunteer support every day to bring its story to life. You may well be looking for a new hobby or challenge – and volunteering at NYMR can be both.

The heritage railway offers a broad range of volunteer opportunities – from working on the locomotive footplate to signalling and telecommunications, lineside conservation, customer service, retail, catering, fundraising and education. 

Volunteers play such an important role at the NYMR that a new role, Head of Volunteer Development, was created in 2020 thanks to the funding received by the Heritage Lottery Fund. This role was specifically designed with longevity in mind as part of the £10 million Yorkshire’s Magnificent Journey project, helping the NYMR to focus on new ways to engage potential volunteers and to create new volunteer roles within the railway. 

Marcus Aldrich, Head of Volunteer Development for the NYMR, commented: “It’s not just about what you give to us – we want to give back to you and make sure you have a meaningful and rewarding time in our unique environment. If you’re a young person and you are looking for work experience, it’s perfect – relevant work experience can enhance CVs and support university applications.

“Volunteering is a fun and enjoyable experience where you can learn new things and meet new people. You can make a real difference volunteering on the NYMR, preserving the railway and educating our visitors by bringing this visitor attraction alive.

“There are about 30 different roles involved with running our heritage railway – we’re an education, preservation and conservation charity and it’s our people that bring it to life. From volunteering in the shed at the Motive Power Depot (MPD) maintaining the locomotives or conserving 18 miles of lineside – you‘re delivering a fulfilling experience for all those who engage with us.”

Join one of the most popular heritage railways in the UK and an accredited museum, helping to deliver the aims of the Charitable Trust, providing education for all ages. 

Get on board today – apply to be a volunteer at Nymr.co.uk/volunteer

Photo credit: Charlotte Graham Photography

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