This week in our Spotlight on Volunteers campaign, we meet the team of volunteers at Bottisham Airfield Museum.

What kind of work do you do?

We have opened an entirely volunteer run museum dedicated to the memory of the brave men and women of the RAF and USAAF who served at Bottisham during WW2.

The museum has won two Travellers Choice Awards in 2022 and 2023 and received numerous five star reviews on TripAdvisor, most of which mention the friendliness of our volunteer team.

Our volunteer team is very diverse and attracts people of all ages, from students doing their Duke of Edinburgh awards, to those who are retired. 

They are involved in all aspects of the museum from the day to day management, meeting and greeting visitors, working in our excellent Flying Tractor Café and restoring artefacts and maintenance.

Ely Standard: Some volunteers work on maintenance at the museum.Some volunteers work on maintenance at the museum. (Image: Bottisham Airfield Museum)

How many volunteers are there, and how often do they work?

We currently have a volunteer team of about 30 people.

The museum opens every Sunday and Wednesday between Easter Sunday and Remembrance Sunday – some volunteers are with us every time we open, while others do 1 or 2 days a month – there is plenty of flexibility to suit everyone’s busy lives!

What does volunteering mean to you and the volunteers?

Volunteering means many things to me – it gives me the chance to put something back into the community, it allows me to pay tribute to some incredibly brave men and women and it gives me the opportunity to learn new skills and do things I don’t do in my day job or my private life.

Ely Standard: Even the café is ran by volunteers.Even the café is ran by volunteers. (Image: Bottisham Airfield Museum)

Where would you be without your volunteers?

The museum couldn’t function without volunteers. We don’t receive any grants or funding and are entirely dependent on being self-supporting which means we can’t afford paid staff.

Are you on the lookout for volunteers? What skills do they need?

Yes we urgently need more volunteers to allow us to open more days and to take the pressure off are already thinly stretched volunteer team.

We are currently looking for a number of different types of volunteers:

  • Front of house – to help visitors whilst they go round the museum – no special skills required other than a willingness to help visitors.
  • Maintenance – to help restore artefacts (including aircraft and vehicles) and undertake maintenance around the site – basic DIY skills right up to engineering skills.
  • Café- to work in our marvellous Flying Tractor Café – no special skills required other than a willingness to help visitors.
  • Management – to help get involved in running the museum – events management or marketing experience would be great.

How to contact Bottisham Airfield Museum

You can phone the museum on 01223 813952 or email them at: info@bottishamairfieldmuseum.org.uk