York Minster

York Minster relies on the support of around 500 volunteers to enhance the experience and enjoyment of people visiting the cathedral.

The opportunities to volunteer at the Minster are diverse, with roles ranging from Bell-ringers to Guides, Stewards to Flower Arrangers or Learning Volunteers. Our volunteers give varying amounts of time, starting at one or two hours a fortnight, and volunteer for many different reasons. These can include:

A love and appreciation of the building, its history and architecture
As an extension of their faith and worship
To meet new people
To learn new skills
To be part of the Minster community
To give a little time to make a valuable contribution to our welcome, worship, learning and work together.

We welcome people from all age groups, backgrounds and faiths (or none) who are interested in giving some of their time on a regular basis. If you would be interested in joining our community, please see our current volunteering vacancies below.

Current vacancies

Old Palace Reception Desk Steward

The Old Palace is the home of the Minster’s historic collections – a treasure trove of 30,000 objects spanning nearly 2,000 years of history, 90,000 books in the library and a kilometre of archive material that tell the story of York Minster. Our library holds books on a wide range of subjects including local history, early York printing, Civil War tracts, theology through the ages, church history and architecture. Modern books include theology and the history of the Minster and the city. Our collection of records and manuscripts in the archives dates back to the year 1000. We hold the records of the Chapter of York including the fabric rolls which list how the Minster was built, as well as prints, plans and drawings of the building and surrounding land.

The role of the Old Palace Reception Desk Steward is to welcome visitors to the Old Palace and provide information on accessing the collection of books in the library and the collection of records and manuscripts in the archives.

If this sounds like something you would enjoy being a part of, please have a closer look at the role description HERE then complete an application form HERE and the confidential declaration form found HERE.

Service and Concert Steward

Do you enjoy making people feel really welcome and at ease? Can you think on your feet and respond quickly to a variety of situations? Throughout the year, York Minster opens its doors to many people coming to services, concerts and events. We are looking for people to join our team of Service and Concert Stewards to welcome, provide assistance with finding seats, answering queries and generally making sure people feel at home in what can sometimes be an unfamiliar environment. Our Stewards also help ensure the smooth and safe running of a service or event by assisting with evacuation should the rare need arise.

Informal Learning Volunteer

Would you enjoy spending time with families and adults, helping them to enjoy our craft activities? We are looking to expand our team of Informal Learning Volunteers who assist our Learning Officers in providing fun and creative activities, whilst at the same time learning more about the Minster. The activities take place primarily during school holidays and occasional weekends in the Minster. Some of the informal learning activities you could get be involved with include craft workshops (for families and adults), community events, family trails and tours, and storytelling.

Keep in touch: Guide roles

We are always glad to hear from anyone who wishes to become a volunteer guide here at York Minster, however the next training will not be run until the autumn months.

Please register your interest – using the details at the foot of the page – to receive more information about when these will be taking place and how to apply

Information Desk

Are you a welcoming face? Would you happy to be in the Minster and answer the public’s questions? We have slots available on the information desk, where you will be a point of reference to our 500, 000 visitors a year. No two days are the same, one day you can looking for a monument of someone’s ancestor and another you can be trying to locate the ‘Mousey Thompson’ Mice.

Undercroft Volunteer

Do you love history? Helping people to understand the story of England, and the role that York Minster played in this? Then come and help in our Undercroft museum, where we discuss the rich 2000 year history of the site. We have Roman remains on show to the public where you can bring to life the lives of the centurions who inhabited York (Eboracum). The Anglo-Saxon and Vikings are also brought to life with various artefacts such as the Horn of Ulf. We then talk about the development of religion, the Minster and the people with whom it has become intertwined. The York Gospels have survived fire and flood for 2000 years and we like their story to be told as a finale to the Museum.

Recruitment Policy

For more details about recruitment at York Minster, download our Recruitment Policy below.

Download

Servers

The Minster also has Servers to assist in the worship of the cathedral by performing specific duties during services. They include the Crucifer who carries the processional cross, the Taperers who carry candles in the procession and the Thurifer who, at some services, carries and swings the Thurible emitting incense.

Library, Archive and Collections Volunteers

The Old Palace Historic Collections has several volunteer roles. Volunteers on the Old Palace reception welcome users and provide information. Volunteers also steward the many exhibitions held in the Old Palace. People can also help with projects in the Archives and Collections.

Bell-ringers

York Minster has the fourth heaviest set of change ringing bells in the world and each Sunday they are rung by our band of volunteer bell-ringers to call people to worship at the 10am service. Change ringing is a traditional English art form, with the aim to ring the bells in an even rhythm. Ringers can learn ever-more complex patterns in order to ring the bells in a different, pre-prescribed number of changes. So as well as being physical exercise, it is a good mental challenge too. Practice nights are on Tuesday evenings from 7.30pm-9pm, with ringing starting on Sunday at 9am ahead of the main service. If you would be interested in joining the York Minster Volunteer Bell Ringing Team, or coming as a visiting ringer, please contact Andy Blacklock, Head of Bell Tower, at e: headofbelltower@yorkminster.org.

Service and Concert Stewards

Stewarding at services and concerts usually takes place in the evening or at a weekend and involves welcoming people to the Minster, directing them to their seat and distributing service sheets. Some of this is on a rota basis, e.g. stewarding at Evensong and some Sunday Services. Extra services and concerts are on an ad-hoc basis.

Guides

Guides are in the Minster Monday to Saturday and work in two ways, either as a Scheduled Guide with a commitment of one guided tour a week, or as a Session Guide spending half a day a week in the Minster engaging with visitors and conducting guided tours. Some Guides undergo additional training to become a Guide in the Minster's Centre for School Visits. All who guide in the Minster have to complete the Guides' Course.

Informal Learning Volunteers

Informal Learning Volunteers assist the Education Officers in providing exciting family activities during school holidays which enhance visitor enjoyment, leading to a greater understanding of York Minster and its collections. Recent activities have included designing shields, making clay tiles and gargoyles and stained glass sun-catchers. This role does not have a rota but is on an ad-hoc basis.

Information Desk Stewards and Chapter House Stewards

The Information Desk Stewards answer visitors' questions at the Information Point in the Minster. There are four time slots, (Mon - Sat) and volunteers would normally undertake one of these time slots per week. Information Desk Stewards work alongside the Group Desk Coordinator (a paid member of staff). You are given an initial induction and as there is information on the desk, you also read and learn as you go along. Chapter House Stewards also have a rota with two-hour time slots, and are based in the Chapter House to enable visitors to ask questions about this space.

Specialised Roles

Volunteers are also engaged in more specialised roles, including: embroidery, caring for vestments, flower arranging and Sunday School helpers. Our Honorary Chaplains also provide pastoral care for visitors.

Contact

If you are interested in volunteering at York Minster, please contact:
Hilary Reynolds, Volunteering and Training Administrator
T: 01904 557247
E: volunteering@yorkminster.org

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Join the 500 volunteers supporting our work

York Minster relies on the support of around 500 volunteers to enhance the experience and enjoyment of people visiting the cathedral.

Current vacancies

Recruitment Policy

Contact

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