Brickworks needs extra volunteers

Bursledon Brickworks Industrial Museum (The Brickworks) is the only remaining steam-driven brickworks in the country.

The Brickworks has been running as a visitor attraction for more than 14 years.

The museum is open three days a week – Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday – from April through to October.

The Brickworks is an independent museum and is based in the Victorian brickworks with 10 acres of land set between the M27 and the Portsmouth to Southampton railway.

There are two other partner organisations on site: Hampshire Narrow Gauge Railway Trust and South Hampshire Historic Steam and Engineering Society.

Bursledon Brickworks was established in 1897 – the year of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.

The museum is run by volunteers. They carry out most of the restoration work and help to staff the site when the museum is open.

We also host large events on at least one Sunday a month starting this year with a Craft Fair on Sunday, April 2, followed by a Big Steam-Up, which will be taking place on Sunday, April 23 – both of which we are incredibly excited about.

Volunteers are especially needed for the Steam-Up Sundays from April until November.

This is when the number of visitors to the site means that it is ‘all hands on deck’ for the volunteers as they help with admissions, directing car parking, undertaking visitor surveys, helping in the main café as well as a pop-up café and generally being on hand to direct visitors around the site.

The Brickworks already has an enthusiastic and dedicated team of volunteers who undertake various duties including helping with the archives, undertaking building and engine restoration and helping with school and group visits.

Carolyne Haynes, Brickworks project manager, said: ‘We are all very excited about the developments at the Brickworks, but realise that we will need more help in future to operate the site.

‘Event days in particular require a highly dedicated team, so that we can ensure our visitors all enjoy a great day out.’

Anyone interested in finding out more about volunteering at the museum should contact Mary Flinn at the Museum on 01489 576248. or by e-mail: [email protected].