Our volunteers are magic
Volunteering is at the heart of everything we do.
Our volunteers come from a range of backgrounds and age groups, each bringing something different to the team.
We have volunteering opportunities in every part of our operation from gardeners to guides, from admission to administration, from learning to leading, we can find a role that will suit any skills, experience or enthusiasms you may have.
Ripon Museum Trust
The Trust is run by a small team of staff with the support of our amazing volunteers. Together we keep the three unique heritage buildings and their collections running 7 days a week whilst providing fantastic visitor experiences.
Meet our Board of Trustees
The board meet formally six times a year to provide governance and leadership for the organisation. They are very hands on and most also volunteer as receptionists, guides, educational leads and gardeners.
Robert Ling - Chair of Trustees
Robert is the Assistant Director for Technology and Change at North Yorkshire County Council where he leads the transformation function across the council, responsible for Digital, Data and Technology, Projects, and Customer Services. He previously worked for Local Partnership as a Project Director specialising in Digital Exploitation, UK Government in the delivery of the national broadband programme.
Prior to this Robert worked at Yorkshire Forward the regional development agency, focusing on programmes increasing business performance through Supply Chain Development, ICT Exploitation, and Sustainable Development.
Outside of work, Robert who is a resident of Harrogate has been a regular visitor to the museum with his young girls, as well as enjoying the benefits of the North Yorkshire countryside. In the thin slivers of personal time Robert enjoys watching and playing football, and video games.
Richard Taylor
Richard enjoys pursuing his interest in the heritage sector having worked professionally in historic environment management for over 30 years. Most recently he was the Conservation Team Leader at Leeds City Council.
As a chartered town planner specialising in built environment conservation, he previously had experience of regeneration as the Ripon Project Officer for the former national charity, the Civic Trust.
Since taking early retirement in 2010, Richard continues active involvement in local affairs as Vice-Chair of Ripon Civic Society and has been part of the team to devise and promote the Ripon City Plan. Following its approval, he is keen to see the Plan delivering real benefits to the city.
In the brief spare time left over, he enjoys singing in Ripon Choral Society, exploring his native Yorkshire and beyond and admits to an addiction to cryptic crosswords and Radio 4.
Mandy Whitehead
Mandy has held a variety of senior leadership and management roles over the last 20 years developing and delivering projects and services in four different educational/local authority settings.
Currently employed by East Riding of Yorkshire Council as their Children’s Centre Development Manager, Mandy works in a strategic service development role developing integrated services for families with young children with health partners in community settings across the Authority.
She is also the strategic lead for parenting for the Authority and brings considerable experience of strategic planning, project management, reporting, evaluation and good governance.
Mandy has a long-standing interest in community development and heritage in Ripon and for five years was the community development manager for the city. Currently she chairs the Ripon Re-Viewed Project – a Heritage Lottery Funded Ripon Civic Society project to preserve, digitise and make accessible a collection of 7000 images which record a century of life in the city of Ripon.
David Thelwall
David’s early experience was with Unilever and Ranks Hovis McDougall in general management, marketing and strategic planning.
He has had his own Management Consultancy business for some 30 years, specialising in marketing and strategy, in the agribusiness, food and bioscience sectors.
David’s early experience was with Unilever and Ranks Hovis McDougall in general management, marketing and strategic planning. He has had his own Management Consultancy business for some 30 years, specialising in marketing and strategy, in the agribusiness, food and bioscience sectors.
Professor Martin Webber
Martin is Professor of Social Work at the University of York and is Director of the International Centre for Mental Health Social Research.
His primary research interest is in the development and evaluation of social interventions with people with mental health problems.
Martin’s expertise regarding wellbeing, social capital and inclusion and how our museums can be used as an asset in this area are extremely beneficial in a museum such as ours. Furthermore, he widens our strategic perspective substantially. Finally, his research discipline is very valuable in evaluating and assessing projects on sustainability, capacity building, volunteer development and the like.
Our other Trustees are Amy Stow, Richard Pollitt and Rebecca Crallan.
Museum staff
Director (Alexa Vernon) [email protected]
Community Curator (Laura Allen) [email protected]
Visitor Experience & Volunteer Manager (Freya Cox) [email protected]
Communications Manager (Cathee Jackson) [email protected]
Learning Officer (Katy O’Malley) [email protected]
Welcome Officer (Sophie Harrison) [email protected]
Community Engagement Officer (Andy Bates) [email protected]
Garden Leader (Catherine Baxter) Baxter) [email protected]
Technical Assistant (Paul Grayson) [email protected]
