Thousands of volunteers are playing their part in revitalising a local market town – and there is still time for more to get involved and 1,700 people are already making their mark in Bishop Auckland by volunteering regularly with Eleven Arches and Auckland Castle Trust. Both charities are working hard to transform the town into a world-class visitor destination, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors and creating countless opportunities for employment, training and skills development. In the past 12 months alone, volunteers have given almost 220,000 hours to help bring this vision to life, turning their hands to everything from gardening and sewing to unearthing hidden treasures. Ruth Storey, who has been volunteering for both Auckland Castle Trust and Eleven Arches for more than a year, said: “Volunteering has given me the chance to work alongside and meet some really interesting, talented and diverse people from all walks of life here in Bishop Auckland. “I have made many friends, regained my confidence and put my existing skills to good use, while also learning new ones. Anyone can volunteer, whether it’s alone or with their family, and I would thoroughly recommend it.”
Auckland Castle Trust, which launched in 2012, is currently investing £70m to transform Auckland Castle into a faith, arts and heritage destination of international significance. This includes the restoration of 900-year old Auckland Castle, as well as the creation of a new Welcome Building, Mining Art Gallery, Spanish Gallery and Walled Garden, complete with contemporary glass restaurant. Even while this work is ongoing, the charity’s 250 registered volunteers are still making their mark, leading tours of the Market Place and Castle, working alongside Durham University on two archaeological digs and greeting visitors at No. 42 Market Place, which houses a shop, gallery space and Collections Display. Opportunities for hundreds more volunteers will be created over the next three years, with current vacancies including roles in gardening, events support and visitor experience at the forthcoming Mining Art Gallery. Michele Armstrong, Head of Volunteering at Auckland Castle Trust, said: “Since its launch in 2012 Auckland Castle Trust has worked with a growing number of enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers who want to play their part in revitalising Bishop Auckland. “Those already involved have been able to enjoy new experiences, make new friends and develop new skills and we are always happy to welcome more people on board.”
Auckland Castle Trust’s sister charity, Eleven Arches, is responsible for the open air spectacular ‘Kynren – an epic tale of England’. In its first year the show was brought to life by a cast and crew of 1,000 volunteers and attracted more than 100,000 visitors. This year the show promises to be even bigger, better and brighter, with 500 additional volunteers, as well as completely new scenes, more characters, extra animals and added special effects. Kynren volunteers, affectionately known as Archers, are involved with the production in many different ways; making props and costumes, looking after the animals, setting up lighting and pyro effects, performing in the show itself, welcoming visitors and managing and maintaining the site during performances as well as out of season. The volunteers all receive professional training from leading experts in their respective fields, which can range from combat skills and choreography to World Host Training, ensuring the highest levels of customer service. While the cast is mostly full for 2017, Eleven Arches is still on the lookout for a handful of volunteers to join the Experience Team greeting visitors, the Go Team (show and cavalry) helping with stage management and a select number of roles for men within the show team A waiting list has also been started for anyone wanting to be on stage in Kynren 2018.
To register your interest, visit the website at www.elevenarches. org/get-involved/join-us Jayne Appleby, Volunteer Casting Coordinator for Eleven Arches, said: “Without the commitment and dedication of our volunteers, we quite simply wouldn’t have a show. “We have families that volunteer together, some spanning three generations, as well as volunteers that travel from as far as Kent and Cardiff and, new for this year, more than 80 teenagers. “All of our volunteers give up hundreds of hours of their time to be part of Kynren and to receive so much support and enthusiasm from such a small catchment area is testament to the spirit of the community that all want to play their part in regenerating the area.” ‘Kynren – an epic tale of England’ returns on 1 July 2017 and tickets are available on the website www.kynren.co.uk. More information about volunteering at the show can also be found at www.elevenarches.org/getinvolved/join-us. Anyone interested in volunteering with Auckland Castle Trust is asked to visit www.aucklandcastle. org/volunteer-with-us or email michele.armstrong@aucklandcastle.org. Ends Picture caption: Volunteers from Auckland Castle Trust and Eleven Arches mark Volunteers’ Week in Bishop Auckland Market Place. Image by Barry Pells, courtesy of Auckland Castle Trust. For more information please contact Claire Buchan, Communications Manager at Auckland Castle Trust on 01388 743799 or Claire. buchan@aucklandcastle.org
About Eleven Arches: Launched by Eleven Arches in 2016, ‘Kynren – an epic tale of England’ is the UK’s only live action night show. The first season saw more than 100,000 people visit Bishop Auckland in County Durham to experience 2,000 years of British history, as seen through the eyes of the North East. An action-packed blockbuster performed live by a cast of hundreds, Kynren is a fast-paced production with an original script, amazing special effects, water jets, video projections, pyrotechnics, grand sets and an evocative original sound-track which will be experienced in surroundsound movie-like quality. Eleven Arches is the vision of philanthropist and investment manager Jonathan Ruffer. Eleven Arches is one of two charities he has established in Bishop Auckland, the other is the Auckland Castle Trust. Together, the aim of the charities is to establish Bishop Auckland as an international tourist destination, attracting visitors and investment which will contribute to the fortune of the area and empower the community. Performance dates and times are Friday and Saturday in July, August and September.
About Auckland Castle Trust: The Auckland Castle Trust is transforming Auckland Castle into a heritage, arts and faith destination of international significance, helping to reinvigorate Bishop Auckland and stimulate economic regeneration both in the town and surrounding areas. In autumn 2016 the charity began a major development project designed to realise this vision, including restoration of the 900 year-old Castle, as well as the creation of a new, 10 gallery Faith Museum, exploring a history of faith in the British Isles from prehistory to the modern day. There will also be a reimagined 18th Century Walled Garden, housing a contemporary restaurant within the Castle grounds, as well as a new Welcome Building, Mining Art Gallery and Spanish Gallery and Research Centre in the nearby Market Place. Inspired by the paintings of Jacob and his twelve sons by Francisco de Zurbarán, which have hung in Auckland Castle for more than 260 years, the new Spanish Gallery will house a permanent collection of key works from the Spanish Golden Age, with a programme of events and exhibitions planned in collaboration with key partners, including the Museo del Prado, Madrid. This will be complemented by the separate Zurbarán Centre for Spanish and Latin American Art and Culture, run by Durham University, with a donation from Santander, which will link new academic research with the gallery’s curatorial programme.
The Mining Art Gallery will be the first element to be completed and is expected to open its doors in 2017. This will be followed by the Welcome Building, Walled Garden and restored Castle in 2018 and the Faith Museum and Spanish Art Gallery in 2019. Combined, this project represents an investment of around £70m overall, including £11.4m from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and will create a number of opportunities for skills development and employment. Auckland Castle Trust, which launched in 2012, is also continuing to work closely with other charitable organisations, community groups and schools across the North East, offering exciting ways to engage with heritage and art and to develop new skills and interests. The Trust is proud to be supported by a wide range of charities, businesses and individuals, including the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). A full list of existing donors and project partners is available at www.aucklandcastle.org/supporters/
