Volunteer Introduction

Julie Whiteman, Volunteer Co-ordinator:

Much of our work is project based, so many volunteering opportunities are short term. We have a few regular activities eg. monthly Community Cinema; and a number of annual events eg. Picnic in the Park (July), Heritage Open Days (September).

If you are interested in offering time to support our activities, which benefit the community in Morpeth and its surrounding area, please complete our ‘GMDT Volunteer Enquiry Form’ below and email it to us at info@gmdt.org. Thank you for your interest.”

Download: GMDT Volunteer Enquiry Form (Sept 2019) and save to Word to complete.

Volunteers are vital to the work of GMDT.  We have a number of volunteering opportunities: some time limited projects, others occurring annually, and a few regular events. Most are linked to one of our 3 Interest Groups: Arts & Culture, Environment, Heritage. Each Interest Group is led by its own Director, with regular meetings held to co-ordinate their particular activities.

GMDT firmly believes that volunteers provide a valuable contribution to the achievement of our mission. We actively encourage and support them, and ensure they are valued members of the team.

We also recognise that volunteers require satisfying work and personal development opportunities, and we will seek to help volunteers meet these needs. Volunteers often need flexible arrangements with regard to time and level of commitment and we will always try to work within these constraints.

Why Volunteer with GMDT ?

Get involved in the community: get to know the local community, whether you’ve lived in Morpeth for 20 years or have just moved here, you’ll develop a great feel for the people and the place.

Make a difference: it can be incredibly rewarding to contribute something non-financial to a cause or subject you care about.

Gain new experiences: do something interesting. Don’t let your spare time trickle away – fill it doing something interesting and challenging.

Feel valued and part of a team: meet new people and make new friends. Widen your circle and horizons by meeting people you might not normally. Volunteering with people who are as passionate about a cause or as interested in a subject as you are, is a great way to meet like-minded people.

Build confidence and self-esteem: try something new. Getting out of your comfort zone every now and then can do wonders for your confidence levels.

Share your knowledge and skills: put your talents to use. Use it or lose it!

Help the environment: many of our volunteers work to improve the local environment.

Gain new skills, knowledge & experience: volunteering can be a route to employment. It’s a great way to get a reference, build your CV, and improve your employment prospects. Volunteering on your CV demonstrates that you are someone with initiative and a rounded life.

Get in to University or Further Education: get ahead of the competition for university places with some real life experience to add to your UCAS application.

Improve your Health & Wellbeing: lots of anecdotal evidence that volunteering has a positive impact on health. Research suggests it can do everything from helping you sleep better to boosting your immune system. While busy giving back to your community, you could also be getting healthier!

See Volunteer opportunities for further details.

Download GMDT Volunteer Policy (Aug 2021)

Download GMDT Volunteers Handbook  (Feb 2023)