Cosford Volunteers visit London

31 May 2019 By Kieron Mantle: Digital Marketing Apprentice for the Volunteering Department in Volunteering

Every year, the RAF Museum organises a reciprocal visit for our volunteers. Each visit gives volunteers the valuable opportunity to meet with each other, share their experiences, have a look round the other site’s collections and to have general chats with one another. The visit is also a great chance to celebrate volunteering at the Museum and all those who contribute to its continued success.

We have more than 400 volunteers working on both sites and such visits are important events that they look forward to. This year, on the 8 May, Cosford volunteers with colleagues and line managers travelled up to London for their visit. For many it was their first time seeing the site since its redevelopment for the RAF’s Centenary. Below were some of their first impressions.

This year the event also coincided with RAF Day where Veterans and current serving RAF personnel are invited by the Museum to celebrate the RAF and its history. This meant there was an even greater number of activities our volunteers could take part in; such as gaining access or a closer look at some of the aircraft on display and a live performance by swing band The Jive Aces. In the middle of the visit was our inter-site lunch, giving them time to have relaxed conversations with one another. These were some of the volunteers highlights from the day.

The first reciprocal visit took place 4 years ago in March 2015 which saw Cosford volunteers being guests at London, much like this year in 2019 . Since then both sites alternate each year between being guest or hosts To find out if the event has retained it’s popularity, we asked some Cosford volunteers what are their thoughts of the Reciprocal visit.

We would like to thank our volunteers for all their time and effort, it really is invaluable. We would also like to thank the staff, without their support events like the reciprocal visit would not be able to happen and the great relationship between Museum and volunteer would not be there. We are all looking forward to the next reciprocal visit in 2020, when London volunteers will be making the journey up to Cosford.

If you are interested in volunteering for the RAF Museum please refer to our opportunities page or join our mailing list.