Join our Team

Totally Thames Festival 2024: Volunteer Call Out

Totally Thames Festival celebrates the life and soul of the river with events across London.

The Totally Thames Festival returns in September 2024 with events across London celebrating the vibrancy of the river and the importance of safeguarding its environment. There are events for everyone to enjoy, including dance, music, film, mudlark events, walks, talks, foreshore clean-ups, Thames cruises and The Great River Race.

We are looking for a team of amazing volunteers to help us at Totally Thames events this September. Volunteers are the public face of our events, representing the organisation at key events throughout the month.  Your role will be to engage with the public, informing them about events and raising awareness of the wider Totally Thames programme, as well as undertaking audience research. You will also play a key role in assisting the team to ensure the events run smoothly and to the Trust’s high standard.

This year’s Totally Thames have lots of amazing opportunities for volunteers. If you are interested in learning new skills and gaining valuable experience while supporting our events, then apply to take part this year!

Please apply to take part, even if you have volunteered with us in the past.

What will you get

• The chance to play a key role in our festival.
• Experience in audience research, event admin and communications.
• Being in contact with Thames Festival Trust team, the artists and the venues part of our festival.
• The opportunity to meet new people and access to our events.
• £10 per day to cover expenses.

What we require

You do not need volunteering experience, however some experience of working with the public is essential.

What we are looking for

• People who love meeting others and who have a willingness to learn.  You must be confident at communicating, punctual and organised.
• A team of enthusiastic well-presented individuals who have a passion for culture.
• Commitment to the dates and times you accept.
• Please note, all volunteers must be aged 18 or over.

Volunteer Job Description

Different events will require different tasks to be covered which will be specified when you are allocated, these include:

General

• Be a friendly face for the public to approach.
• Enthuse and inform members of the public about Totally Thames.
• Provide visitors and participants with information about the Totally Thames programme.
• Help to ensure events are accessible to all by recognising and responding to individual’s access needs.
• Hand out, explain and collect audience feedback cards.

Event specific

• Assist the Project Managers with on the day tasks and preparation for the event: setting up equipment, welcoming visitors, running errands and closing down event.
• Act as a steward for events: performances, talks, walks, exhibitions.
• Leading audiences to events, if they are in unusual locations.
• Checking tickets against guest lists.
• Making sure members of the public follow health and safety advice.
• Invigilating exhibitions.
• General help involved in the event.

Desirable skills, but not essential

• Experience in invigilating galleries.
• Experience in working in museums / galleries/ theatres.
• Experience of working with groups (children/adults).
• Experience in assisting or leading workshops/ craft making.
• Experience of working with choirs or singers.
• Comfortable talking to members of the public.
• Willingness to learn.

The Thames Festival Trust is committed to making the volunteering opportunities as open and accessible as possible.  

Induction Volunteer meeting

Please indicate in your application your availability for 4pm on Tuesday 20 August. The Location of this is TBC. Ongoing support and supervision will be available from Totally Thames staff throughout your volunteering experience.

Application Process

• Please register for an account online below by Friday 2 August.
• Telephone Interviews: Fri 9 August.
• Register for an account.
• Volunteer application.