Volunteering

The Eastgate depends on its volunteers.   The team – currently around eighty strong – carries out all sorts of jobs from helping in the cafe and bar, to manning the box office and ushering more than two hundred live performances and films every year.

All sorts of people volunteer, some giving a couple of hours a week, others half or whole days on box office.  The Eastgate offers Peebles High School pupils taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme the opportunity to meet their volunteering commitment.   As well as looking after the audiences, ushers have the opportunity to see a huge range of performances.  As part of a recent volunteer training session some of the volunteers recently told us why they do it:

When asked to say “what the Eastgate means to me..”
Catriona Staddon said:
” a central part of the community in Peebles with a great variety of entertainment to choose from – live music, films, ballet comedy – plus lots of fun activities for children”
An anonymous quote that the staff particularly love: “Nice laid back management who never make you feel stupid.  Keeps the arts alive in the Borders”

New volunteers start with a short training/induction time when they learn about the building, how it works and everyone’s roles.  There are also opportunities to train in specific areas such as First Aid, Basic Food Hygiene, Moving and Handling.

The Eastgate’s volunteer co-ordinator is Cath Shepheard. Contact volunteers@eastgatearts.com or ask at box office for a volunteer form.

In this video Cath discusses volunteering with Barbara, Laura and Jan.