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Festival of Britain Heritage Volunteer

As part of our Festival of Britain: Poplar 2026 celebrations, we want to collect the stories of the people of Poplar. Although we are celebrating the Anniversary of the 1951 Festival, and want to hear people’s reminiscences, we also want to celebrate the lives and experiences of people living and working here now. We want people to be able to look back, in 75 years from now, and understand how we lived and what our hopes were for the future. ‘Heritage’ doesn’t just mean stories from the past, it also means preserving stories of the present.

To help us explore and preserve our heritage we need to recruit 10 volunteers, called Heritage Champions, to assist with the running of the festival, from June to the end of September. There are a number of activities which they will be able to assist with, including a celebratory Event on the 8th of August in Bartlett Park.

They will help us to:

  • Welcome members of the public to the festival, support them to participate, and explain the heritage context of the activities.
  • Interview people willing to share their memories of life in and around the Lansbury Estate, or of visiting the festival in 1951.
  • Prepare the recorded interviews for storage in Tower Hamlets’ Local History Archives.

Heritage Champions will:

  • Have the opportunity to learn about local history by taking part in a Festival of Britain workshop given by Tower Hamlets’ Local History Archives (on the 19th and 20th of June).
  • Be provided with specialist training, given by the Oral History Society, in the collection of Oral Histories (expected to be a date in June TBA).
  • Learn how to use specialist recording equipment.
  • Receive a Certificate to celebrate their achievements at the end of the project.

 

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Useful Contacts

volunteer@poplarharca.co.uk

Details Benefits Requirements
  • Welcome members of the public to the festival, support them to participate, and explain the heritage context of the activities.
  • Interview people willing to share their memories of life in and around the Lansbury Estate, or of visiting the festival in 1951.
  • Prepare the recorded interviews for storage in Tower Hamlets’ Local History Archives.

We are looking for a friendly and responsible individual who enjoys working in a community setting:

  • Interest in community work and who wants to support our mission to empower, educate and bring people together.
  • Available to attend training
  • Good communication and speaking skills
  • Interest in heritage or local history
  • Fun, friendly and a people person
  • Time efficient
  • Organised and confident on their tasks
  • Be responsible and follow Poplar HARCA policies and procedures

What we can offer:

  • A full induction, followed by the right training and ongoing support
  • The opportunity to gain experience within a community setting
  • A named supervisor who will give you regular feedback, allowing you to track your progress and work towards meeting your particular goals
  • Priority for any further training we have on offer
  • ‘Out of pocket’ travel and food expenses with proof of receipt
  • An honest reference regardless of how long you are with us
  • A supportive space to be in and a safe, artistic environment without discrimination
  • Invitations to volunteer social events
  • Access to other volunteering opportunities