BW VOLUNTEERS

[Dalesman]

British Waterway - Volunteer Boat Master, Anderton Boat LiftThis is a new and exciting volunteer role to get out and about on a boat at one of the Inland Waterways most iconic symbols. Anderton Boat lift near Northwich in Cheshire is a master piece of Industrial engineering fully restored to operational use and today a major visitor destination. The Boat Master role is responsible for handling the 56 seat trip boat Edwin Clark through the lift from the Canal to the River Weaver below. This will include helping passengers on board and giving the commentary of the trip over the public announcement system. Whilst not a heavy practical task, you will need to be physically fit to spend a day helping with the boat. You need to be happy working within a team and have a good understanding of water safety. You should be friendly and enjoy working with the public. You will need to hold a current Tier 2 Boat Master certificate

Opportunities Available:

Practical, customer service

Nearest waterway: Trent & Mersey Canal and River Weaver

Email: info@andertonboatlift.co.uk

Website: www.andertonboatlift.co.uk

 

British Waterways - Cafe Assistant, Anderton Boat LiftThe only working Victorian vertical boat lift in Britain is home to a great visitor centre, attracting 120 thousand visitors each year. As a Volunteer Cafe Assistant you will be serving customers and assisting with food preparation at this busy visitor centre. The role includes manning the till, preparing and serving a range of food and drinks and ensuring the cafe area and kitchen are kept clean and well presented at all times. You will be part of a small busy team and will help visitors to gain maximum enjoyment from their visit to Anderton Boat Lift & Visitor Centre.

Opportunities Available:

Customer service

Nearest waterway: Trent & Mersey Canal and River Weaver

Email: info@andertonboatlift.co.uk

 

British Waterways - Grounds Maintenance Volunteer, Anderton Boat LiftEver fancied being like royalty, with the constant smell of fresh paint. First impressions count, and through this role you will help ensure visitors get the feeling of being royalty at Anderton Boat Lift & Visitor Centre and its grounds. You will be working as part of a small team regularly carrying out a variety of general grounds maintenance tasks such as cutting grass, planting borders, edging, weed removal and painting. You will have face to face contact with guests on a daily basis and will be able to deal with basic enquiries and contribute to the guests overall enjoyment of their visit. If you have what it takes to delight our customers, provide an efficient service and can be a flexible team player, apply now.

Opportunities Available:

Practical

Nearest waterway: Trent & Mersey Canal and River Weaver

Email: info@andertonboatlift.co.uk

Website: www.andertonboatlift.co.uk

[charles123]

I think its a disgrace they are asking for unpaid volunteers, at worst they should pay them a low wage. I can see that volunteers are essential for the likes of the National Trust , mueums and galleries that have limited funding but BW is fully funded and should not need unpaid people

 

Charles

[Guest]

I think its a disgrace they are asking for unpaid volunteers, at worst they should pay them a low wage. I can see that volunteers are essential for the likes of the National Trust , mueums and galleries that have limited funding but BW is fully funded and should not need unpaid people

 

Charles

 

Even our local steam railway EMPLOY people in their cafe....

[the grinch]

what i find difficult to comprehend is that back in the 80's they went all against volunteers stopping many projects in their tracks. now times are tougher they suddenly want us all to drop everything and bail them out!

 

Simple Answer = NO WAY!

[Mick and Maggie]

I don't mind doing a bit to help, I do already, by collecting fishermens litter from along the towpath where I walk the dog.

 

However, I think what will happen is the existing BW employees will not be replaced as people leave. Unpaid volunteers will be drafted in to replace them. But the BW fat cats will continue to enjoy the fruits of ther labours.

 

Mick

[carlt]

Grounds Maintenance Volunteer, Anderton Boat Lift. Ever fancied being like royalty, with the constant smell of fresh paint.

 

Huh??!!

[RLWP]

Huh??!!

 

Oh yeah. Liz'n'Phil are always doin' a bit of DIY up at Buck House you know.

 

Richard

[cotswoldsman]

I am have never been a great volunteer but have always been grateful that other people do as is the case with The Cotswolds Canal Project just close to where I am now.

In the cases named above these both involves jobs where the public are paying money to use the services and I find this an insult to expect people to do this for nothing. I would be interested to know if these jobs are replacing people who were paid. This is all part of Cameron's Big Society where you put people out of work and replace them with volunteers.

[carlt]

Oh yeah. Liz'n'Phil are always doin' a bit of DIY up at Buck House you know.

 

Richard

I'm sure I saw them slapping a bit of black paint, on a lock gate, up at Norton Junction, the other day.

[Natalie Graham]

what i find difficult to comprehend is that back in the 80's they went all against volunteers stopping many projects in their tracks.

 

To be fair that was because of the union objecting to volunteer's doing work on the waterways. I wonder what they have to say about this.

 

Can I volunteer to be a director please? These other jobs sound too much like hard work.

[jenlyn]

British Waterway - Volunteer Boat Master, Anderton Boat LiftThis is a new and exciting volunteer role to get out and about on a boat at one of the Inland Waterways most iconic symbols. Anderton Boat lift near Northwich in Cheshire is a master piece of Industrial engineering fully restored to operational use and today a major visitor destination. The Boat Master role is responsible for handling the 56 seat trip boat Edwin Clark through the lift from the Canal to the River Weaver below. This will include helping passengers on board and giving the commentary of the trip over the public announcement system. Whilst not a heavy practical task, you will need to be physically fit to spend a day helping with the boat. You need to be happy working within a team and have a good understanding of water safety. You should be friendly and enjoy working with the public. You will need to hold a current Tier 2 Boat Master certificate

Opportunities Available:

Practical, customer service

Nearest waterway: Trent & Mersey Canal and River Weaver

Email: info@andertonboatlift.co.uk

Website: www.andertonboatlift.co.uk

 

British Waterways - Cafe Assistant, Anderton Boat LiftThe only working Victorian vertical boat lift in Britain is home to a great visitor centre, attracting 120 thousand visitors each year. As a Volunteer Cafe Assistant you will be serving customers and assisting with food preparation at this busy visitor centre. The role includes manning the till, preparing and serving a range of food and drinks and ensuring the cafe area and kitchen are kept clean and well presented at all times. You will be part of a small busy team and will help visitors to gain maximum enjoyment from their visit to Anderton Boat Lift & Visitor Centre.

Opportunities Available:

Customer service

Nearest waterway: Trent & Mersey Canal and River Weaver

Email: info@andertonboatlift.co.uk

 

British Waterways - Grounds Maintenance Volunteer, Anderton Boat LiftEver fancied being like royalty, with the constant smell of fresh paint. First impressions count, and through this role you will help ensure visitors get the feeling of being royalty at Anderton Boat Lift & Visitor Centre and its grounds. You will be working as part of a small team regularly carrying out a variety of general grounds maintenance tasks such as cutting grass, planting borders, edging, weed removal and painting. You will have face to face contact with guests on a daily basis and will be able to deal with basic enquiries and contribute to the guests overall enjoyment of their visit. If you have what it takes to delight our customers, provide an efficient service and can be a flexible team player, apply now.

Opportunities Available:

Practical

Nearest waterway: Trent & Mersey Canal and River Weaver

Email: info@andertonboatlift.co.uk

Website: www.andertonboatlift.co.uk

 

robin evans goes, i wont mind helping

[Derek R.]

Can you see volunteers operating dredgers and piling, making and fitting lock gates - volunteers working for no monetary reward? But I'll wager there will be 'directors' and a 'board' just like the National Trust, and receiving a substantial remuneration. Breaches being attended to by whom? Outside contractors, with what experience? And who pays them - oh yes, you and me.

 

Volunteers can work very well if trained, but most do so on small scales compared to a National asset that represents an important part of a water catchment system. Could be a storm ahead.

 

Derek

[Timleech]

Can you see volunteers operating dredgers and piling, making and fitting lock gates - volunteers working for no monetary reward? But I'll wager there will be 'directors' and a 'board' just like the National Trust, and receiving a substantial remuneration. Breaches being attended to by whom? Outside contractors, with what experience? And who pays them - oh yes, you and me.

 

Volunteers can work very well if trained, but most do so on small scales compared to a National asset that represents an important part of a water catchment system. Could be a storm ahead.

 

Derek

 

What do they do if their volunteer (Qualified) Boatmaster doesn't feel like volunteering one day? Sack him?

 

Tim

[Guest]

What do they do if their volunteer (Qualified) Boatmaster doesn't feel like volunteering one day? Sack him?

 

Tim

 

Cue - Sociable Hermit

[magpie patrick]

robin evans goes, i wont mind helping

 

I don't often agree with you, but having met Robin Evan's a few times, and as a result being on first name terms with him, I have some sympathy, to my mind he has done a difficult job well up to a point (David Fletcher was far to gung ho) but he should have defended BW against some of the cuts. The present problems began well before the recession and when DEFRA got fined over non-payment of EU farm grants he should have been banging on David Milliband's door telling him in no uncertain terms that this wasn't BW's problem. The funding position got to the point where confrontation was needed and he bottled it.

 

Sorry Robin, if you ever read that. but it's what I think

 

BTW, I can not vote for labour if David Milliband becomes their leader, I normally qualify my language, by David Milliband is a grade A1 career politician, who talks like an automaton and has everything scripted for him. When I met him in 2005 I came dangerously close to strangling him

[RLWP]

I don't often agree with you, but having met Robin Evan's a few times, and as a result being on first name terms with him, I have some sympathy, to my mind he has done a difficult job well up to a point (David Fletcher was far to gung ho) but he should have defended BW against some of the cuts. The present problems began well before the recession and when DEFRA got fined over non-payment of EU farm grants he should have been banging on David Milliband's door telling him in no uncertain terms that this wasn't BW's problem. The funding position got to the point where confrontation was needed and he bottled it.

 

Sorry Robin, if you ever read that. but it's what I think

 

BTW, I can not vote for labour if David Milliband becomes their leader, I normally qualify my language, by David Milliband is a grade A1 career politician, who talks like an automaton and has everything scripted for him. When I met him in 2005 I came dangerously close to strangling him

 

Shame. We'd have visited you in clink

 

Richard

[Odana]

As a Volunteer Cafe Assistant you will be serving customers and assisting with food preparation ... The role includes ... preparing and serving a range of food and drinks and ensuring the cafe area and kitchen are kept clean and well presented at all times....

 

 

Grounds Maintenance Volunteer ... with the constant smell of fresh paint. ... regularly carrying out a variety of general grounds maintenance tasks such as cutting grass, planting borders, edging, weed removal and painting .... and will be able to deal with basic enquiries and contribute to the guests overall enjoyment ..

 

etc

 

I can sort of see the appeal of being a volunteer boatmaster (not something most people get to do every day), but the other two...? Surely if you want to be an unpaid kitchen or garden skivvy and answer incessant inane questions, you just have to get married and have kids and a home?

[sueb]

Can you see volunteers operating dredgers and piling, making and fitting lock gates - volunteers working for no monetary reward? But I'll wager there will be 'directors' and a 'board' just like the National Trust, and receiving a substantial remuneration. Breaches being attended to by whom? Outside contractors, with what experience? And who pays them - oh yes, you and me.

 

Volunteers can work very well if trained, but most do so on small scales compared to a National asset that represents an important part of a water catchment system. Could be a storm ahead.

 

Derek

Join wrg. This is exactlywhat they do.

Sue

 

To be fair that was because of the union objecting to volunteer's doing work on the waterways. I wonder what they have to say about this.

 

Can I volunteer to be a director please? These other jobs sound too much like hard work.

That is what BW would have us believe but when volunteers spoke to the union they were told that they had no objection because jobs were being created.

Sue

[Guest]

Join wrg. This is exactlywhat they do.

Sue

 

It's a fair point

 

- aside from the fact that the WRG crew work at the worthy task of restoring canals not maintaining and repairing the existing system to a std. that licence payers expect

[seaandland]

I told you so,, its the end of your B/W Staff, from moorings licence staff to the bank side oppo guys, the more you agree to them/volunteers, the more we go (asks your waterway group for clarity), it wont be called `volunteers` ect it will be called something like the inland waterway trust membership group,, if you like what you have had , even though you have disagreed with our/B.W policy’s, fight for B/W staff, if not, good luck with your future,, your seeing how its panning out now,, don’t moan about it, remember its time to put your hands where your mouth is, boats without a license, towpath over hangers, long towpath grass. dog muck, kids chucking stones, boaters empting their bilge out, fly tipping ect ect ect ,, just get your gloves on,,,,, there’s no one to ring anymore........... We won’t exist.

[Derek R.]

Shame. We'd have visited you in clink

 

Richard

 

I'd have brought a cake, with a file in it.

 

Derek

[luctor et emergo]

Let me get this right.

 

They want a qualified Boat Master (who gained and paid for his qualifications himself, in his own time, with his own money) to volunteer his services? Is that like asking me to drive an HGV for free? Or an open top bus around Bath or Oxford, telling the paying public all about the sights?

 

Are they completely bonkers (I'm really tempering my language here...)?

 

I think they know where to stick that idea. And if they need a hand, I will gladly oblige.

 

On a voluntary basis...

[Derek R.]

I told you so,, its the end of your B/W Staff, from moorings licence staff to the bank side oppo guys, the more you agree to them/volunteers, the more we go (asks your waterway group for clarity), it wont be called `volunteers` ect it will be called something like the inland waterway trust membership group,, if you like what you have had , even though you have disagreed with our/B.W policy’s, fight for B/W staff, if not, good luck with your future,, your seeing how its panning out now,, don’t moan about it, remember its time to put your hands where your mouth is, boats without a license, towpath over hangers, long towpath grass. dog muck, kids chucking stones, boaters empting their bilge out, fly tipping ect ect ect ,, just get your gloves on,,,,, there’s no one to ring anymore........... We won’t exist.

 

I'm not sure anyone here is hankering for volunteers to replace time served employees - far from it. Full time employees who are up to speed and are allowed to get on with the job would be most desirable. Strikes a chord with another area of up and coming jobless - Morrison's staff are encouraging customers queuing at the few check-outs open to use the set of automated ones. They are teaching customers to do without 'them'. I'd much rather pay a 'person' than some recorded voice automaton. But different I know.

 

Derek

[Mick and Maggie]

BTW, I can not vote for labour if David Milliband becomes their leader, I normally qualify my language, by David Milliband is a grade A1 career politician, who talks like an automaton and has everything scripted for him. When I met him in 2005 I came dangerously close to strangling him

 

Shame. We'd have visited you in clink

 

No problem - he would have been given a community service order and told to go and get the rest of the free loaders.

 

Mick

[Guest]

. Strikes a chord with another area of up and coming jobless - Morrison's staff are encouraging customers queuing at the few check-outs open to use the set of automated ones. They are teaching customers to do without 'them'. I'd much rather pay a 'person' than some recorded voice automaton. But different I know.

 

Derek

 

Not really a valid comparison

 

- automated self service checkouts are common in Sainsbury's and Tesco's too.

 

They will never replace full service checkouts as they only really work if you have a relatively small amount of shopping, try taking a full trolley through them - it just doesn't work, plus the self service checkouts still have to be 'staffed' (1 to four so much more efficient) to authorise age related purchases, and if I'm honest I quite like using them, so they are meeting a customer need.

 

However if you want a comparison - Think of it as it's a bit like a self service pump out.....