Entire families and people with dementia could be tour guides
Groundbreaking scheme would be city first
PEOPLE with dementia could become volunteers at the city’s refurbished Burrell Collection under a groundbreaking new scheme. Glasgow Life – the charity which manages the museum in Pollok Park – is also offering families and those for whom English is a second language the chance to help out when it re-opens in March after a £68 million revamp.
The aim is to encourage as many people as possible to get involved at the world-famous collection, which was donated to Glasgow by Sir William and Lady Constance Burrell.
Councillor David McDonald, Glasgow Life chair, said the idea of having family groups volunteer together was to “open the benefits of volunteering to young people, nurture a greater connection between the collection and the next generation of visitors and remove the need for childcare for those adults who wish to participate”.
He added: “Everyone knows the plus points of volunteering. It creates a sense of reward, purpose and selfworth. Be it small acts of kindness or larger ones like volunteering, it all helps connect people. This idea of connecting is at the very heart of the redesigned Burrell Collection and connecting with people through volunteering is a great way to boost mental wellbeing.
“This breath-taking collection belongs to the people of Glasgow, something our citizens are rightly proud of.
“I hope they will take this opportunity to share it with the many visitors expected to enjoy a completely new day out experience at The Burrell Collection.”
New displays offer enhanced digital interpretation in several languages widely spoken in Glasgow, including BSL. By offering guided tours in different languages museum bosses hope many more people will feel the museum is a place for them. Other initiatives designed to enable older or less mobile people keen to volunteer are also being explored, including having volunteers stationed at an artwork of interest rather than moving through the museum; and introducing a buddy system which would allow people with dementia to be involved in volunteering. John Rattenbury, volunteer guide organiser for the Burrell, who recently received a highly commended certificate at the British Museum Marsh Trust Awards, said: “Like many other volunteers and visitors, I wondered if the refurbished Burrell would still be the museum I knew and loved.
“But from all I have heard and seen the new Burrell will be amazing.
“With only a few months to go there is great excitement and enthusiasm for the opening of our ‘new’ world class museum.
“It is a wonderful place to volunteer, and as a guide, it is an enormous pleasure to chat with visitors and seek to bring the wonderful objects in the collection to life for them.
“I would encourage anyone who has an hour or more to spare to find out more.”
Initially the Burrell is looking for 50 new volunteers to begin training in February with more opportunities to follow.
Visit glasgowlife.org.uk for more information.