Recruitment drive launched as Fife Folk Museum gets set to open

The new chairman of the museum trust, Margaret McSeveney, is inviting people for a cuppa and a chat from 4.30pm on the afternoons of March 28 and 29 to tell them how they can play a vital role in the museum’s day-to-day work.

The museum opens for the season on April 1 and with a number of new exhibitions planned even more help is needed behind the scenes.

“We’re looking for people who’d be prepared to put in about three hours a week to help with everything from administration to caring for the artefacts,” she said.

“The museum is open seven days a week and we have a steady stream of visitors between April and October.

“We don’t want to disappoint them by having to close the museum because of a lack of volunteers.

“No qualifications are needed, but if anyone has skills we can certainly make use of them. We’ll provide training and volunteers will be well supported.

“Our volunteers are invaluable to us and they enjoy the camaraderie and friendship that comes with their role.”

Margaret, a retired social work manager, took over from Wynne Harley as trust chairman last year and now finds she’s putting in almost as many hours at the museum as she did when she worked full-time.

Now accredited to Museums Galleries Scotland, Fife Folk Museum has certain standards that must be adhered to and it’s her job to ensure that this is the case.

She also does a lot of work in the community, visiting schools, clubs and memory cafes for people with dementia.

The museum is now run in collaboration with the Weigh House Tearoom, which offers a number of special deals throughout the year to enhance the visitor experience.

Meanwhile volunteers are busy preparing a number of new exhibitions for the forthcoming season, including a display dedicated to a young Black Watch soldier from Dairsie, William Henderson, who was killed in the Battle of the Somme a century ago.