Next year's Ripon 1350 volunteer programme is being supported with funding of £60,800 from the National Lottery.

The award, from The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Digital Skills for Heritage initiative, will help Ripon Cathedral to celebrate the 1350th anniversary  of its foundation by Wilfrid, the city's patron saint.

Ripon 1350, which will include a programme of events throughout 2022, is one 17 projects across the UK to receive funding to create digital volunteering opportunities, supporting volunteers to develop and contribute their digital skills.

Some opportunities will be offered online – removing barriers such as place, mobility, time commitments and confidence in returning to in-person activities due to the pandemic.

In turn, heritage organisations will gain the perspectives and skills of ‘at distance’ and on-site digital volunteers including many who may not have had the chance to volunteer before. The impact of the new volunteering opportunities and ways of working will be shared across the heritage sector.

Ros Kerslake, CEO at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:

The Ripon 1350 programme will develop participants’ knowledge, skills, and experience, through digital activities connected to the cathedral’s heritage.

It will provide, for the very first time, opportunities to become a digital volunteer and volunteer remotely. The project will also significantly contribute to the digitisation of the cathedral’s heritage, aimed at attracting and engaging new audiences from the UK and abroad.

The project will expand the cathedral’s current volunteer programme of 100 volunteers, by providing new digital volunteering opportunities in roles such as social media, photography, collections, visitor experience and website development.

Currently many of the cathedral's volunteers are aged 55 or over, living locally and generally engaging in roles at the cathedral in daytime hours. These roles are difficult to access by those working, those with family or caring commitments, those living outside the area or those without the means to travel.

Volunteers will be trained in the production of digital tours, educational and collections videos, live and pre-recorded lectures and talks, aerial drone film production and social media. Role opportunities include a digital volunteer coordinator – a part/time paid role to manage the project and coordinate, train and support all Ripon1350 digital volunteers

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