BIFF History Makers Volunteer 2025 (Billingham)
Billingham International Folklore Festival is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year!
Could you spare a couple of hours a week to become a volunteer on an exciting Tees Valley heritage project?
We are looking for people to gather valuable memories and stories by talking to local residents about the Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance.
This family favourite festival has spanned generations, made a massive cultural impact on so many people’s lives and brought international performers to the region from all over the world.
Volunteers will be trained by cultural ambassadors Periplum on how to harvest stories directly from the local residents themselves.
The finished project will see these shared stories become an everlasting online chronicle that visitors can enjoy for years to come, forming a wonderful legacy for the Festival.
Training Dates:
Saturday 3rd May, 11am - 3 pm Sunday 4th May, 11am - 3 pm
High Grange Community Centre, Casson Way, Billingham, TS23 3TX
Interviewing and collecting memories can take place any time between May 10th – September 1st, 10am - 4pm at Preston Park Museum during Billingham Festival Exhibition
Or between
August 9th – 17th – During Billingham Festival 2025
What skills are we looking for?
- A friendly and welcoming attitude
- Good listening skills
- Responsibility and reliability
- An interest in history, community, folklore and dance.
What will you be doing?
- You'll attend a training session with Periplum, Cultural Ambassadors.
- You'll be talking to local residents about their memories of Billingham International Folklore Festival.
- You'll be collecting and documenting these memories and stories for exhibition and digital archive.
- You'll be contributing to the legacy of Billingham International Folklore Festival and the World of Dance!
We can reimburse your travel costs to and from the site and help with food expenses up to £10 per day
Once you've signed up to be part of Tees Valley Festivals Volunteering you'll receive training in Customer Service, Health & Safety, Inclusivity & Accessibility and Carbon Literacy. You can also get involved in some exciting creative community art and music workshops which will be running across the Tees Valley. And you can earn, and take part in, the TVCA's wonderful Digital Badge Award Programme.
Age 16+