Volunteer and become part of Halton’s iconic bridge project
Halton’s landmark Mersey Gateway construction project is looking for some more volunteers to work in its visitor centres as the project enters its final phases.
Construction consortium Merseylink has trained up 50 volunteers so far and is now looking for additional enthusiastic and passionate local people who want to help tell the story of the bridge and Halton’s history.
A volunteer information event will be held on Thursday March 30 in Widnes so people can find out more about becoming a volunteer.
Hugh O’Connor, General Manager of Merseylink said volunteers are a key part of the project.
“These great people, who are local enthusiasts, work within the project’s visitor centres to explain how the bridge is being built. Some of the volunteers go further, delivering talks, presentations and temporary exhibitions in local community venues, schools and colleges,” he said.
“Our volunteers are special people who selflessly give up their time to share their knowledge of this fascinating engineering project with visitors and the people of Halton.
“In doing so, they are making an enormously valuable contribution, not just to the project, but to the local community as a whole.”
Evelyn Edwards, a volunteer on the project, said she started volunteering to be personally involved in one of Halton’s most historic projects.
“I volunteer at the visitor centre in the Catalyst Museum in Widnes. My role involves greeting visitors, explaining different aspects of the project and taking them up to the viewing gallery where they can see the construction in the river” she said.
“I’ve also started to get involved in the school presentations and Lego sessions which the children absolutely love. At first I was a little bit nervous about doing these but being a volunteer has given me new-found confidence.
“I wanted to be involved in something that would go down in history as a big project for the region, and I’ve made a lot of great friends too. My advice to anyone thinking about becoming a volunteer is go for it. You will not regret it.”
The Mersey Gateway volunteer scheme launched in May 2014 with the aim of recruiting local people to tell the story of Halton and its landmark bridge project – one of the largest construction projects currently underway in the UK.
The programme consists of a four-week training course where people can learn a range of skills including presentation skills and customer service. They also find out details about the ecology, environment and the local history and heritage of the project.
The volunteers act as information guides at the visitor centres, which are based at the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre in Widnes and in the Town Square in Runcorn Shopping Centre.
They also get involved in delivering presentations to local schools and community groups, and take part in site visits to learn about the ongoing construction process.
To register to attend the information event on 30 March please email volunteers@merseylink.com.
To find out more about becoming a Mersey Gateway volunteer visit www.merseygateway.co.uk/volunteer/.